Manny Oudin to leave Lehigh for AD position
12/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
 |
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh University Athletics has announced that head women’s soccer coach Manny Oudin will leave the department on January 8 and has accepted the position of Director of Athletics at nearby Moravian Academy. Oudin, who is the all-time wins leader in Lehigh women’s soccer history and a three time Patriot League Coach of the Year, originally came to Lehigh from Moravian Academy where he served as head boys and girls soccer coach, director of financial aid, and teacher of health and physical education for six years.
Below are thoughts from Manny Oudin on his move to Moravian Academy and his time at Lehigh:
“This is a great opportunity from a professional standpoint in a familiar setting for me and my family. The opportunity just sort of presented itself and is one that may not have come around again. I’m really happy with the shape the women’s soccer program at Lehigh University is in right now; I think it’s in a good place. There is a strong core of players that have developed a strong work ethic, there are wonderful facilities and I think I leave the program in very good shape.
The thing that I am going to miss the most are the players, especially the ones I got to know over a three and four year basis. It takes time to develop relationships with your student-athletes and you have a different rapport with each one that is special. The coaching, the interacting, watching them grow on and off the field, I will miss all of that. I will miss all of the players I had the privilege of coaching during my time at Lehigh.
Everyone within the Lehigh Athletics Department has been very supportive of me through my eight years and I’m certainly thankful for the opportunity that was given to me to be the head women’s soccer coach. One other positive of this move is that I will still be in the Lehigh Valley and can continue to be a fan of not only Lehigh women’s soccer, but of all the athletic programs at Lehigh University.”
Oudin leaves Lehigh with an overall record of 69-62-15 which includes a 14-2-2 mark in 2005 in which the Mountain Hawks won the Patriot League regular season championship. Oudin led Lehigh to three Patriot League Tournament appearances during his tenure, including in 2004 when the Mountain Hawks advanced to the Patriot League championship match.
Below are thoughts from Lehigh University Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett ’76 on Manny Oudin:
“It is with mixed feelings that I announce the impending departure of Head Women’s Soccer Coach Manny Oudin, who will be leaving us on January 8, 2010. We are sorry to say good-bye to Manny after eight seasons as our head coach, 69 wins (our all-time wins leader in women’s soccer), and a program that has earned respect within and beyond our league. I am deeply grateful for his service to Lehigh student-athletes, for his professionalism in guiding our program, for the way he has handled and will continue to help us with this transition, and for leaving our program in a very strong condition.
We are pleased that Manny is not going far away! He has accepted the position of Director of Athletics at Moravian Academy and will remain in the Lehigh Valley and close to Lehigh University and the many friends and colleagues he has developed here. Manny struggled with this decision because it meant leaving the coaching profession, yet I think Manny will find the AD role can indeed be quite fulfilling, especially when serving an institution at which the values are well aligned with his own. Having come to Lehigh originally from Moravian Academy, Manny is quite confident about his fit with that institution, and I am confident that his skills will serve very well the Moravian Academy community.
As soon as possible we will embark upon a national search for a new head women’s soccer coach. Our intention will be to complete that search in time to have a new coach on campus by the time the spring semester begins. Nominations of qualified candidates should be sent to “Women’s Soccer Search,” Lehigh University Department of Athletics, 641 Taylor Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015.
Please join me in thanking Manny and in wishing the entire Oudin family our very best.”
