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Skip Roderick
Few head coaches in the NCAA Division III ranks can match the 38-year run of success that Arthur “Skip” Roderick '74 has enjoyed since taking over the Elizabethtown College men's soccer program in 1983. Roderick has guided 19 of his teams to the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship tournament and the 1989 team achieved ultimate success by winning the NCAA Division III National Championship. He enters his 39th year in charge in 2021.
With a longevity in the sport that spans parts of seven decades and on-field success at every level, Roderick is one of the most well-respected coaches in the nation. The Springfield, Pennsylvania, native has compiled a 557-168-70 overall record. His 557 victories are eighth most in the collegiate game across all NCAA divisions and second in Division III. Roderick's .749 career winning percentage ranks 29th in all divisions and among his Division III cohorts, he is 10th.
Roderick-led teams have won 20 or more games in a season five times, with the 1988 and 1990 squads going undefeated in the regular season. The Blue Jays have advanced to the quarterfinals of the national tournament on nine occasions under his watch.
In 2021, Roderick reached yet another milestone, scoring his 550th career, a 1-0 victory over Bridgewater on September 5, 2021. He became only the eighth men's coach across all division to earn their 550th career win.
Elizabethtown, the second-winningest Division III program in collegiate soccer history and one of the top five in all NCAA divisions with 884 victories, reached the Landmark Conference Championship for the fifth consecutive year in 2019 and tallied the program's 11th consecutive winning record (11-6-2).
The Blue Jays exorcised their Landmark Conference Championships demons by shutting out Catholic at home 1-0 to win the 2018 title, their first league crown since joining in 2013-14. The team had been conference runners up each of the previous three seasons. It was the program's second trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament in the previous three years.
In 2016, the Jays finished the season at 14-4-2, and made the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time since 2006 and defeated 19th-ranked Vassar, 1-0, in overtime for their first tournament victory since 2004.
The Blue and Gray returned to the national spotlight in 2015, posting a 17-2-1 overall record for the program's most wins --and fewest losses-- in a season since an 18-2-1 campaign in 1999. E-town climbed as high as No. 6 the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll and No. 8 in the D3soccer.com Top 25.
Roderick ushered the Jays to a perfect 8-0-0 regular season in the Landmark Conference and a runner-up finish in the conference tournament. The 1974 Elizabethtown alum was named conference Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his illustrious career, but first time in the Landmark. He was named the Co-Coach of the Year for 2018.
A 3-0 shutout at Drew Oct. 24, 2015, lifted Roderick to a milestone 500th career victory. He became just the seventh coach in NCAA Division III and 12th across all NCAA divisions to accomplish the feat.
Elizabethtown captured its 16th and final Middle Atlantic Conference title in 1999. Roderick coached seven of those MAC championship teams. The Blue Jays played in the MAC championship game 12 times in 14 seasons between 1986-99.
Following the 1999 season, the Middle Atlantic Conference restructured, ending the days of a unified champion. The league separated to form the Commonwealth and Freedom Conferences and the Jays became a part of the Commonwealth. Elizabethtown reached the Commonwealth Conference championship game in 2000, the league's inaugural season. The Blue Jays were also championship participants in 2001 and 2003. E-town won its 17th conference title in 2004. In 2005, Elizabethtown finished as the conference runner-up.
E-town played in the Commonwealth Conference championship game nine times from 2000-13 and picked up its 18th overall conference title in 2006. The Blue Jays went on to appear in the championship game in 2007, 2010, and 2013.
Roderick earned Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time in his career in 1992. He previously received the honor in 1985, 1987 and 1990. In 1989, 1994 and 1996, Roderick was voted Middle Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year. He was named the Commonwealth Conference Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2012.
Off the field, Roderick's players have gone on to successful careers in an array of professions. Many are coaching at the scholastic, collegiate and professional levels. Six of his former players have been named Academic All-Americans, most recently Martin Fevre and Rodrigo Barrera in 2015.
As a player on four Blue Jay squads in the early 1970s, Roderick was a three-time MAC Northern Division All-Star. He captured All-East Region honors as a senior in 1973.
Roderick played professionally with teams in England (Everton and Brentford), Ireland (Sligo Rovers, League of Ireland Champions '76), and the U.S. (NASL, ASL, GASL, and MISL).
He holds a USSF "A" and staff coaching license, NSCAA Premiere Certificate, and KNVB Dutch Certificate.
In addition to his duties as head soccer coach at Elizabethtown College, Roderick is the director of both Star Soccer Academy and the Elizabethtown Soccer School.
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