Sue Ryan Last College: Cortland '83 Position: Head Coach

Coming off her team's best season in school history, Sue Ryan will begin her 25th season as Stony Brook's head women's soccer coach in 2009. The record-breaking 2008 season saw the Seawolves continue to establish themselves as one of the top programs not only in the America East Conference but also the Northeast Region. Winners of six of their final eight games, Stony Brook's 11 victories were its most since 1994 and its six conference wins set a program record. The Seawolves also made their first appearance in the America East title game since 2002.

The Seawolves success on the field was recognized by its peers as Stony Brook received a slew of postseason awards. SBU set a program record with three All-America East first team selections in addition to having the America East Goalkeeper and Freshman of the Year.

Ryan's squad also set a program record with three NSCAA/adidas All-Northeast Region Team selections, and had a freshman, Colleen McKenna, named to the Soccer Buzz All-Freshman team for the first time in school history.

Ryan also continued to be a presence on the national scene as she assisted at the U-20 training combine in Chula Vista, Calif. The combine gave the coaches a chance to evaluate a large number of players as the team begins their run to what will hopefully culminate in the 2010 U-20 Women's World Cup in Germany. The U-20 team recently won the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile.

In 2007, Ryan led SBU to an 8-5-5 record as the Seawolves hosted their first ever America East tournament game, a 2-1 victory over Maine. Stony Brook also put together a shutout streak of 863:33 that ended as the seventh longest streak in NCAA women's Division I history.

Ryan also nurtured some of the top talent in the America East conference as Brooke Barbuto and Jackie Timmes were named to All-America East first team and Sarah Dwyer was selected to the conference's All-Rookie team. Barbuto was also picked to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Northeast Region first team in addition to being picked to the Soccer Buzz magazine Northeast Region third team. In addition, goalkeeper Marisa Viola earned a spot on the NSCAA All-Northeast Region second team after posting a school record 10 shutouts.

In 2006, Ryan paced the Seawolves to their first winning season since 1998. Led by NSCAA All-Region selection Brooke Barbuto, the Seawolves finished one game from making the America East Tournament.

Barbuto joins a long list of all-conference performers, including former standout goalkeeper Cindy Bennett `06 who 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 recognized for her outstanding play. In the winter of 2004, she earned a tryout with the U.S. U-21 National Team.

Ryan's teams continue to perform in the classroom as well. In 2008, the Seawolves were named a NSCAA/Adidas All-America team for for the fourth straight season in addition to having 13 team members earned America East Academic Honor Roll accolades.

Appointed head women's soccer coach in 1985, Ryan has guided the Seawolves for the past 24 seasons. She 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.

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-17 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.