Head Coach Randy Crady
The first and only head coach in Eureka College soccer history, Randy Crady will enter his fourth year as head coach of the Eureka College men’s and women’s soccer teams in 2010. Crady built both programs from scratch, starting at the club level in 2006 and at the NCAA Division III level in the fall of 2007. The Red Devils will enter their fourth season of D-III competition in 2010.
A native of Chillicothe, Ill., Crady has directed steady improvement by the men’s team since its debut in 2007. The 2009 season proved to be the Red Devils’ most successful campaign yet, setting new schools records in wins (five), goals scored (57), assists (45), shots (294), fewest goals allowed (79) and goals-against average (4.11). The 2009 squad scored an average of 3.0 goals per game, the best average in the nine-team SLIAC and the eighth-highest average in all of Division III.
On the women’s side, Crady guided the Red Devils to a 7-10-0 record in its inaugural season in 2007. The Red Devils’ .412 winning percentage was easily the highest among the seven first-year Division III women’s soccer programs that season. The women’s team followed up its inaugural NCAA season with a nine-win campaign in 2008, while three players earned All-SLIAC Second Team honors in 2009.
Crady has been around the sport of soccer for many years. He served as a soccer official for more than three decades and officiated the IIllinois High School Association state finals on seven occasions. He was chosen as the IHSA Soccer Official of the Year in 2000 shortly before his retirement from officiating in 2002.
Crady’s officiating experience extends beyond the high school level. He served as an official in all parts of the country at the summer club level for the United States Soccer Federation and at the college level for the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association.
Prior to accepting his current position at Eureka, Crady was an assistant coach for the boy’s and girl’s squads from 2001-05 at Metamora Township High School and coached the Metamora Select U14 girls travel team for two years. He has also worked at numerous Division I camps at Bradley and Northern Illinois. Every summer, he organizes the Randy Crady Soccer Camp on the campus of Eureka College for youth players ages 6 and older.
Crady serves the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as its representative on the NCAA women’s soccer Central Region Advisory Committee. The committee provides weekly rankings for the region that are ultimately used to distribute at-large berths for the NCAA Tournament.
With the rank of Sergeant Major, Crady retired in 1997 after 24 years in the U.S. Army Reserves. He served at the Peoria Public Schools Youth Farm for 36 years prior to starting his time at Eureka.
After graduating from Bradley University with a bachelor’s degree in speech education in 1972, Crady earned a master’s degree from Illinois State in 1978. A standout at Bradley in both basketball and track & field, Crady was inducted into the Bradley athletics Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2007, he was named to the All-Centennial Team by the Missouri Valley Conference as a member of the league’s track and field team.
Crady and his wife Trish reside in Germantown Hills and have three children, all of which have been involved in the Eureka soccer program. Crady’s oldest son, Michael, served as an assistant coach from 2007-09 while son David and daughter Annette will suit up for the Red Devils on the pitch for the 2010 season. |
