Lee Ellis Steps Down as Principia's Women's Soccer Coach
ELSAH, Ill. - Long time Principia College Women's Soccer Coach, Lee Ellis, has decided to step away from the head coaching duties after 15 highly successful years to focus more time and energy on his administrative role as Director of Athletics.
"I realize this may be a surprise to some, but I have been thinking about this for a good while. I want to be a better athletic director, and I'd like a little more balance in my family life. I feel it would be an injustice to the women's soccer program if I continued on as head coach knowing that my priorities are changing," said Ellis.
Ellis leaves a legacy that will be hard to match. The women's soccer team is just returning from Abilene, Tex. and its third trip to the NCAA Division III Championships since 2004. The team finished 15-7 overall on the season, 8-0 in the SLIAC Conference for the third consecutive year, Ellis was named conference Coach of the Year for fifth year running, eighth in his career. The team was selected for the SLIAC Sportsmanship Award for a fifth time in a row, played the entire season without drawing a yellow or red card to earn the NSCAA Ethics Gold Award, and for the 14th consecutive year will earn the NSCAA Team Academic Award, this year with a team GPA of 3.3/4.0
During his tenure, Coach Ellis guided 41 different players to SLIAC all-conference recognition a total of 92 times, including eight Player of the Year winners (Nicole Gervais, 1997, 1998 and 2001; Christina Day, 2006, Jennai Taylor, 2007, Alicia Girbes-Pierce 2008 and 2009 and Cristina Post, 2010), six Newcomer of the Year winners (Gervais, 1997, Lauren Gaster, 1998, Day, 2003, Jamie Furbush, 2005, Hanna Mehring, 2007, and Alicia Girbes-Pierce, 2008), 4 NSCAA all-region players (Gervais, 1999 and 2001, Girbes-Pierce (2009), Lauren Wienecke, (2009) and a NCAA DIII statistical leader in points per game average (Taylor, 2007). In 2000 Principia led the nation in team offense tallying 101 goals in 20 games as Nicole Hayashi set a conference single season scoring mark that still stands with 31 goals and 19 assists for 81 points. Commenting on some of these accomplishments, Ellis noted, "I've been blessed with some pretty talented players, wonderful assistant coaches, and a very supportive administration over the years. It has been my great privilege and honor to coach at Principia College and to witness the tremendous achievements of our players. I'm merely stepping away from coaching, but I'll still be watching, just from a different vantage point."
On October 5, Ellis notched his 200th career victory and retires with a record of 208-85-10. A national search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
Courtesy Principia College Athletics
