STU Tommies men's soccer coach John-Ryan Morrison has had a storied career with the green and gold four undefeated regular seasons, four Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year awards, and two conference championships.
This year, Morrison added a new accolade as he was crowned the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year.
Earlier this fall, Morrison announced this would be his final year at the helm of the Tommies program, ending a 10-year career that saw the Tommies become a powerhouse in the ACAA conference.
"I knew after we won the ACAA championship a couple of weeks ago it was the right decision. I wanted to leave on top and here we are," Morrison said.
"Coaching the Tommies has been my full-time job outside of my full-time job. This is just a love affair and a passion that takes full-time hours. I don't really know what I'm going to do, but a little me time' for sure."
Record Student Success On and off the Field
What has marked his career at STU is his dedication and his diligence in recruiting. This year's roster includes players from five Canadian provinces, one from Maine, and one from the Netherlands - all brought to a tight-knit campus on the east coast, and almost all maintaining a grade-point average of 3.0 or better.
"What I'm most proud of is that we have the most CCAA scholars in the country," Morrison said. "Considering the size of our school, we have one of the best university soccer programs, regardless of the league or the size."
"I like his dedication to personal success both on and off the field," said fifth-year striker Brett Springer. "He has high expectations for us as student-athletes and he wants to win just as much, if not more, than everyone on the team."
Springer, who returned to the Tommies after a year away, said being accepted into the Bachelor of Education program at STU and the opportunity to play for a national championship helped lure him back to Fredericton. But Morrison was part of it too.
"Everyone sees the amount of effort he puts into the program, and although we want to win it for us, he plays a big part in who we are playing for, too."
The Tommies are hosting the CCAA Men's Soccer Championship, which runs until November 9 at the Grant-Harvey turf. Win or lose, the end of the tournament will mark Morrison's swansong on the Tommies' sideline.
