Multnomah men's soccer coach Tom Stephens is stepping down after coaching the Lions through their first four seasons of existence.
Multnomah Men’s Soccer Coach Tom Stephens Stepping Down after Four Seasons
PORTLAND, Ore. – Veteran coach
Tom Stephens, who initiated the Multnomah University men's intercollegiate soccer program in 2014 and nurtured the Lions through four seasons, has announced his resignation, effective December 3, 2017.
"My number one goal has always been putting family first, and after 18 years of non-stop coaching, this decision is about taking some time to do that," Stephens said. "My oldest daughter is going off to college next fall and our lives are really going to change, and I want to make sure we have the next nine months of quality time together. Plus I may even get to help coach my son's basketball team – he's 10."
Stephens and his wife Karin, along with daughters Hope, Ellie, Autumn, and son Wilson, live in Hillsboro, where he at one time coached the Glencoe High School soccer team. He began his coaching career at Faith Bible School, then coached Glencoe for 12 years, compiling a high school record of 151-68-10 with four conference championships, eight OSAA State Championship appearances, and one state title. He was a four-time conference coach of the year, and was named Oregon State Coach of the Year in 2007.
Originally from Spokane, Wash., Stephens played four years of high school soccer there and competed for the Olympic Development Washington East Team before playing at Washington State University for two years. He is an alumnus of Multnomah, where he played on the club soccer team for two years while completing his graduate certificate, then earned his master's degree at George Fox University.
In his four years at Multnomah, Stephens started the program from scratch and has built it to a point of true competitiveness in the rugged Cascade Collegiate Conference.
"I believe Multnomah is right on the edge of success; one more great recruiting class could get us over the hump," Stephens predicts. "While we haven't had as many wins as I would have liked – you can take only so many 'moral' victories! – it has been encouraging to hear so many coaches in the conference tells we're just about there. A great example of how far we have come was all the one-goal decisions this past year, including a 1-0 loss to eventual conference champion Southern Oregon on the road.
"It has been a joy to work for Multnomah; I knew when I took the job what the school stood for and hope that we have fulfilled our role as a part of the school's witness for Christ. I appreciate Lois (Vos, the athletics director) giving me an opportunity to stretch myself as a college coach. I love the players on our team and will miss the opportunity to spend life with such a great group of guys. Multnomah needs a coach who can be here on more of a full-time basis, and I wish whoever replaces me nothing but success; the new coach will find something special here."
"We are very grateful to Tom for the hard work he put in to get this program started," said Multnomah director of athletics
Lois Vos. "He has given us a good foundation upon which to build, and we wish him all the best in the future."
A nationwide search for the next men's soccer coach at Multnomah is now under way.