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Rick Nussbaum named interim soccer coach for men and women

Posted: May 18, 2010

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR COACH NUSSBAUM
OFFICE PHONE: 419-358-3010

Patrick (Rick) Nussbaum, assistant men's and women's soccer coach at Bluffton University since 2005, has been named head coach of the two teams, Bluffton Athletics Director Phill Talavinia announced Thursday. "As an assistant coach for five seasons, Rick developed strong relationships with our student athletes and recruits. He believes in the mission of Bluffton University and he wants to be part of moving our athletics program to a new level," said Phill Talavinia, athletics director.

"It is a pleasure to announce Rick's appointment as head coach. In his interim role, Rick's leadership this past season yielded positive results both on and off the field," Talavinia said. "We are excited for Rick to draw from his past head coaching successes as he develops strong soccer programs at Bluffton."   

In his only season as interim head coach, Nussbaum led the women's team to its best-ever record in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (4-4-1) and a 7-9-2 mark overall. The men's team posted a 2-7 record in the conference and was 4-13 overall in 2010. 
 
Nussbaum, who holds a master of business administration degree from the university, replaces Steve Smucker, who resigned after seven seasons as head men's and women's coach. Nussbaum has previous head coaching experience as the men's coach at Hesston College from 2000-01 and as boys' coach at Elkhart (Ind.) Memorial High School, where his teams compiled a 77-50-11 record from 1992-2000.
 

The Bluffton, Ohio, resident was also a member of the 1987 and 1988 men's teams at Hesston, where he earned an associate degree in liberal arts in 1989, as well as the 1989 and 1990 teams at Goshen College, where he received a bachelor's degree in biological sciences in 1991. He was the assistant men's coach at Goshen from 1992-94.

Currently, Nussbaum is youth boys director of coaching and board member for the Findlay (Ohio) Soccer Club.

A licensed soccer official, he has also been athletic director at Dayton Christian High School (2001-05); head coach of the Dayton Galaxies, a U-18 boys' soccer team (2003-04); and manager of the Elkhart Soccer Arena (1994-95).

Nussbaum holds an Advanced National License from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America as well as a Level II Goalkeeping Certificate. He currently resides in Bluffton with his wife Aphaphanh and his two children, Logan and Sydney.