Sue Ryan, the women’s soccer coach at Stony Brook University, has been selected as the 2011 recipient of the NSCAA Women’s Committee Award of Excellence. The award, which is sponsored by Washington Area Girls Soccer (WAGS), was established in 1999 to recognize those who have brought honor and distinction to women’s soccer.

As coach of the Stony Brook Seawolves the last 27 years, Ryan continually has led her team to successful seasons in the America East Conference. Under her guidance, the squad has achieved success both on the field and in the classroom, as many of her players have been NSCAA All-Northeast Region honorees and many of her squads have received the NSCAA Team Academic Award.

A passionate advocate for the women’s game and a tireless worker, Ryan also serves as coach of the Region I Girls Olympic Development Program (ODP) and has worked with the U-17 U.S. Women’s National Team as an assistant coach. She also has coached for the Long Island Junior Soccer League’s Girls’ Select program and the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association’s Olympic Development Program. She holds National and Advanced National diplomas from the NSCAA and is one of the few female coaches in the nation to earn the USSF “A” License.

“There is no one I know who cares more about the women's game than Sue Ryan,” said Steve Welham, Ryan’s associate head coach at Stony Brook. “Sue is everything that is good and pure about women's soccer and the game as a whole.  She is someone who is truly in the game for the good of the game.

“There are a few words that come to mind when I think of Sue: mentor, coach, friend, humility, grace, substance, and salt of the earth,”Welham added. “She is not just someone who has excelled at the international and collegiate levels but, she has done so at the grass roots level of the game as well. This is a rare and talented combination. In addition, she is a tremendous coaching educator and also a developer of talent, which is perhaps an even more rare combination.”

Ryan will receive the award at the NSCAA Women’s Soccer Breakfast on Saturday morning, Jan. 14, as part of the 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City, Mo.  Pre-purchased tickets to this event cost $25 and can be purchased with online Convention registration.  On-site the price goes up to $30.

A list of previous years’ winners can be found here.

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