Dan Andrews has been confirmed as the new men’s soccer coach. The news was announced February 27 by Lake Forest College Director of Athletics Jackie Slaats, on the Forester athletic website. Andrews, an assistant with the men’s soccer team in 2014, will take over for Chris Bergmann, who recently left the College to become the head women’s soccer coach at the Virginia Military Institute.
“This is the best option that the school chose,” said team member Themis Mourikes ’16. “Lake Forest College is the perfect program for (Andrews). He already knows the team, so we are sure that he will bring a great deal of sparkle not only to the team, but to the school in general.
Raised in Europe, Andrews “knows all the best fundamentals of soccer,” Mourikes said. “We are sure that he will implement these and his past experiences with us, so that we can become better student-athletes.”
Andrews was born and raised in Leeds, a city in West Yorkshire, England. Andrews rose up through the youth ranks at Leeds United FC Youth Academy during his early playing years.
It is impossible for him to imagine his life without soccer. His greatest success came at Moody Bible Institute, near the north side of Chicago, where he scored 66 goals in four years, was named a two-time All-American, and served as team captain for two years.
Head Coach Dan Andrews
His coaching career began in 2009 at Moody Bible Institute, where he was an assistant for the men’s soccer team. During his three seasons at Moody Bible Institute, Andrews went on to win a pair of regional titles and to secure the 2011 National Christian College Athletic Association National Championship title.
Before joining Lake Forest College, Andrews coached at the high school and club levels. He is the senior youth director of coaching for the Bartlett Travel Soccer Club in Bartlett, Illinois and holds a United States Soccer Federation D License.
“The nice thing about being a new coach is that you get to bring new ideas and new philosophies,” Andrews said. “This spring, the team has been working hard to set new goals and standards in order for us to be a nationally competitive team.
“I don’t just want to set the standard of winning conference. I believe that the team has the talent and discipline that is required to win a national title, and whether we will do that or not is still to be seen,” Andrews said.
The men’s soccer team looks forward to a fresh beginning with an exciting up-and-coming head coach. The men’s team will play its first home game in the fall against Andrews’ alma mater, Moody Bible Institute, at 5 p.m. on September 2.
