Susan Ryan will begin her 23rd season at Stony Brook in 2007. For more than the last 20 years, she has guided the SB program from the Division III level to NCAA Division I status and established herself as one of the best soccer coaches in America. Her teams always reflect the best of what collegiate competition has to offer.

One of the longest tenured coaches at Stony Brook, Ryan lead the Seawolves to their first .500 season since 1998 last season. Paced by NSCAA All-Region selection Brooke Barbuto, the Seawolves finished one game from making the America East Tournament. In her time, Ryan has nurtured talent that ranks among the best talents in the conference. Former standout goalkeeper Cindy Bennett, `06 was named the 2004 America East Goalkeeper of the Year following a season in which she compiled a 0.80 goals against average and eight shutouts. It wasn't the first time that Bennett was been recognized for her outstanding play. In the winter of 2004, she earned a tryout with the U.S. U-21 National Team. She is one of 15 all-conference selections since Stony Brook joined the America East in 2001.

Following its inaugural season in the conference, a veteran team flourished in 2002 qualifying as the No. 3 seed in the America East tournament. The 2002 Seawolves began the season 0-4 but fought against early season adversity to finish the regular season with a charge, winning six of their final eight games to earn a conference playoff berth. The No. 3 seed Stony Brook team knocked off New Hampshire in a thrilling semifinal matchup that saw the Seawolves outlast the Wildcats in penalty kicks to advance to the title match against Hartford. Although the Seawolves fell in the conference final, it was a tremendous improvement from the eighth place finish in 2001. The 2002 Seawolves season included a 1-0 win over defending champ BU on their home turf to end a 27-game home unbeaten streak for the Terriers.

Ryan's teams continue to perform in the classroom as well. Last year, the team posted an overall G.P.A. of over 3.0 and 12 team members earned America East Academic Honor Roll accolades.

In 1998, the Seawolves won 11 games, their second highest win total since moving to the Division I level in 1989. Along the way, the team rewrote the school record book and garnered national recognition. After dropping the first game of the year, the team ripped off a school-record seven straight wins, Erica Keller set the all-time school scoring record and the Seawolves went on to earn an ECAC playoff berth, its first playoff appearance at the Division I level. In addition, the Seawolves were voted by Soccer Buzz as the third most improved team in the nation and the New York Metropolitan Association of Officials selected Ryan's squad as the team that displayed the best sportsmanship.

On an individual level, Ryan's exploits did not go unnoticed. That spring, Stony Brook selected her as the 1998 Women's Athletics Coach of the Year, the second time she has earned that honor. Ryan's success was not just limited to Stony Brook as she was honored for her work with her nationally recognized club team, the Northport Piranha. In 1999, she was chosen as the National Youth Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and the United States Youth Soccer Association. Ryan has guided the Piranha to two national titles, one coming in 1999 and the other in 1997. One of the players on the national championship teams was Christie Welsh, who is now a member of the U.S. Women's National Team.

Ryan was appointed head women's soccer coach in 1985 and has guided the Seawolves for the past 22 seasons. Ryan inherited a team that finished with a 1-13-1 record in 1984 and in her first year at the helm, improved Stony Brook to 6-7. From 1986-88, Stony Brook recorded double-digit win totals and made three postseason appearances. In 1986, Stony Brook finished 12-6-1, and earned its first ever Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) playoff bid after placing fourth in the New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association championships. In 1987, Stony Brook went 11-6-1 and claimed the NYSWCAA championship. The following year, the program's final year at the NCAA Division III level, Ryan guided the team to its best-ever season with a 14-5 record, but lost in the NYSWCAA championship game to Ithaca. Ryan guided the Seawolves to a 12-6 mark in 1994, its best finish as the Division I level to that point in the program's history. For her team's achievement, Ryan was named Stony Brook's 1994 Women's Athletics Coach of the Year.

Ryan is one of a select few female coaches in the nation to have earned the United States Soccer Federation's (USSF) "A" license. She also holds National and Advanced National licenses from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Ryan has served as head coach for the Long Island Junior Soccer League Girl's Select program and has served as head coach of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association's Olympic Development Program (ODP) for girls.

Recently, she has been promoted to head coach of the Region I girls Olympic Development Program and is the U-16 U.S. Women's National Team Assistant Coach.

Ryan received her master's degree from Stony Brook in 1988 after earning a bachelor's degree from SUNY Cortland. Ryan played four years of soccer at Cortland and was a member of the Red Dragons' team that captured the United States Women's National Championship in 1980. In 1982, Ryan served as team captain in the Red Dragons' first season at the Division I level, and led the team to an NCAA tournament appearance.