TOM TURNER
Now in his 18th year as the Saint Joseph’s head men's soccer coach, Tom Turner has made great strides in turning the Hawk program into one of the best in the Mid-Atlantic region. Turner reaped the benefits from his rebuilding plan installed back when he took over the helm of the Hawk soccer program in 1987, posting back-to-back double digit win seasons (1993-94). That success brought back memories of the Hawk teams during his playing days in the early 1970s, the last time SJU made an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Named the Atlantic 10 Conference and Philadelphia Soccer 7 Coach of the Year in 1993, Turner guided his charges to a school-record 12 wins and a first-ever Soccer 7 title and Atlantic 10 tournament appearance. He followed that with a 10-7-2 record in 1994, marking the first consecutive double digit win campaigns in the program's history. The Hawks also advanced to the A-10 Tournament, losing in overtime at Rutgers, a 1994 NCAA semifinalist, 4-2.
After a stretch of six seasons in which the team posted just 23 total wins, Turner has the program back on track after three solid seasons. In 2001, he guided SJU to a 10-7-2 mark, just the fifth 10-win campaign in the program’s history. Following the year, Turner picked up his second Philadelphia Soccer 7 Coach of the Year award. The past two seasons have each produced eight wins and Turner is just 14 wins shy of becoming the winningest coach in men’s soccer history.
A former SJU defensive standout (1970-73) who played on the school's 1971 and 1972 NCAA teams, Turner took over the reins of the Hawk soccer program after a ten-year stint at La Salle College High (1977-86). At La Salle, he compiled a record of 100-88-21. During that period, he also coached the Montgomery County All-Stars in Pennsylvania's Keystone Games scholastic competition while continuing his playing career in the Major Division of Philadelphia's United Soccer League.
The 52-year-old Turner resides in Churchville, Pa. with his wife, Michelle, and their two children, Brigid (21), the team manager and a student assistant in the SJU Athletic Communications office, and Mary Catherine (15).
|
