Shaun Pendleton Resigns After 17 Years as Men’s Soccer Coach to Take
Over at Appalachian State
2/21/08
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Lynn University’s Athletic Director Kristen Moraz
announced the resignation of men’s soccer coach Shaun Pendleton
Wednesday morning. Pendleton amassed a record of 293-42-12 in his 17
years leading the Fighting Knights and posted a 320-53-13 career mark.
In his final season Lynn went 15-3-3, won the Sunshine State Conference
regular season title and reached the post-season for the 14th time. He
leaves Lynn as the NCAA Division II all-time winningest coach with a
.846 winning percentage and has firmly planted LU on the national map by
consistently producing successful seasons year after year.
“This is a great loss to Lynn University and its athletic family,” said
Moraz. “Shaun helped build our men’s soccer program, sustained it
through our transition from NAIA to the NCAA and has continuously
produced quality student-athletes both on and off the field. His
contributions to Lynn cannot be measured and will be sorely missed. We
wish him nothing but the best at his next stop and look forward to
celebrating his successes there from afar.”
“I am extremely grateful to Lynn University for the opportunity it gave
me 17 years ago,” said Pendleton. “I feel privileged to have worked with
so many fine individuals and honored to have shaped so many young
student-athletes’ lives. But a new opportunity and challenge has arisen
and I look forward to succeeding at Appalachian State just as I did at
Lynn University.”
Pendleton arrived on campus in the fall of 1991 after putting together a
two-year record of 27-8-1 at the University of Charleston (W.Va.) and
immediately put his name in the record books by going 22-0-2 and winning
the program’s second national championship. He would go on to reach the
NAIA national tournament four more times, including runner-up finishes
in 1992 and 1993.
The move to the NCAA and the ultra-competitive Sunshine State Conference
did little to slow down Pendleton. The Knights advanced to the NCAA
Tournament nine times in 12 years, claiming the national crown in 2003,
his second and the program’s third, while also finishing runner-up in
1997 and as a semifinalist in 1996 and 2005. In addition, the Blue and
White won six SSC regular season and tournament titles.
Not only have the Knights succeeded as a team but plenty of individual
student-athletes have excelled under Pendleton’s tutelage. The 2007
season marked the sixth consecutive year LU has had an All-American and
fourth straight year with a Scholar All-American. Since the program’s
inception in 1984, the Blue and White have had 73 All-American
selections, 46 of which have come under Coach Pendleton. In addition,
Lynn has garnered 23 Scholar All-American honors, all under the
Sheffield, England native, while his teams have been recognized by the
National Soccer Coaches Association of America for the Team Academic
Award every year since its inception in 1998.
His overall numbers are staggering as he has won 17 or more games in a
season on nine occasions, averaging 16.8 wins a year, while having lost
four or more games just four times. Lynn’s teams have been built on
explosive offensives and staunch defense, scoring 50 or more goals 13
times and yielding 20 goals or less 13 times.
A comprehensive search for the program’s fourth head men’s soccer coach
will begin immediately.
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