COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – After nine seasons at the helm of the Ursinus College men's soccer team, head coach Kyle Rush has announced his resignation.
"I will always look back on my time at Ursinus fondly and remember the great connections and relationships I was able to sustain with faculty, staff, and most importantly our student-athletes," Rush said. "I am looking forward to future endeavors within the sport of soccer and am appreciative of all that I learned from my experiences at Ursinus."
Rush wasted no time transforming the Bears into a competitive program within the always-loaded Centennial Conference. After three consecutive campaigns without a league victory, Rush guided Ursinus to a 2-5-2 conference mark (7-8-2 overall) in 2007, his first season at the head of the program.
In 2013, the Bears registered their first-ever winning CC season, finishing 8-8-1 overall and 4-4-1 in conference play, including triumphs over traditional powers Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, and Gettysburg. Tiebreakers kept Ursinus out of the playoffs, but Rush was named CC Coach of the Year for his efforts.
The Bears narrowly missed out on the postseason a year ago, again falling short on tiebreakers, before going 2-10-4 this season.
Rush compiled a record of 43-94-13 (.316) during his tenure with Ursinus, posting a 15-57-9 (.222) standing in CC contests. He developed five all-conference selections with the Bears, including the 2012 Rookie of the Year in forward Ryan Butler, who this year became the only player in program history to garner four all-conference honors.
A 2002 graduate of Wilkes University, Rush spent four seasons as an assistant at his alma mater prior to his arrival at Ursinus. He was a two-time first-team All-Middle Atlantic Conference selection as a back for the Colonels.
"I am thankful for Coach Rush's dedication to our men's soccer program," stated Director of Athletics Laura Moliken. "He has been a positive role model for our student-athletes and has positioned our team well for the future. I wish him well in his future endeavors."
Ursinus will begin the search for Rush's replacement immediately.