Loyola Greyhounds men's soccer
| Loyola Greyhounds | |||
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| Founded | 1940 | ||
| University | Loyola University Maryland | ||
| Conference | Patriot League | ||
| Location | Baltimore, MD | ||
| Head coach | Steve Nichols (2nd year) | ||
| Stadium |
Ridley Athletic Complex (Capacity: 6,000) |
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| Nickname | The 'Hounds | ||
| Colors | Green and Gray |
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| NCAA Tournament Champions | |||
| 1976 (Division II) | |||
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | |||
| 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 (Division II) 1986, 1987, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2008 (Division I) |
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| Conference Tournament Champions | |||
| 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976 (Mason-Dixon); 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987 (ECAC); 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2009 (MAAC) |
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| Conference Regular Season Champions | |||
| 1971, 1974, 1976 (Mason-Dixon); 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987 (ECAC); 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009 (MAAC) |
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The Loyola Greyhounds men's soccer team represents Loyola University Maryland in NCAA Division I soccer. It became a member of the Patriot League on July 1, 2013. Previously it competed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) from 1989 to 2013. To avoid ambiguity, the team is often referenced as Loyola MD or Loyola (MD), as there are two other institutions named Loyola that compete at the Division I level (Loyola-Chicago of Illinois and Loyola-Marymount of California).
The team is one of the most successful athletic programs at Loyola, winning numerous MAAC Championships (both regular season and MAAC Tournament), consistently making NCAA Tournament appearances, and often holding national rankings in both the NSCAA/Adidas Poll as well as that of CollegeSoccerNews. The team is coached by Mark Mettrick, a former youth and reserve player for Manchester United, who has been at the helm since 2000 and has led the Greyhounds to four NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Sweet 16 in 2001.
Loyola won the NCAA Division II Championship in 1976 - one of two national championships in the school's history - and moved up to the Division I level following the conclusion of the 1978 season.
The rich tradition of Loyola Soccer began in 1940 with a simple five game schedule against local opponents; the team's first win did not come until the following season, with a 3-0 victory over local rival Towson University. Loyola's success in its early years was limited; the team had some difficulty in finding a long-term coach and Emil G. Reitz Jr. - the school's head basketball coach - filled the position three separate times on an interim basis. Loyola did have its first notably successful season in 1962 under the direction of Reitz with a 9-2-2 record, including victories against American, Georgetown, and a 5-0 massacre of local rival Johns Hopkins.
After Bullington retired from coaching following the 1979 season, local coach Bill Sento was hired at the coach of the Greyhounds, and he would lead the team for 20 seasons filled with great success at the NCAA Division I level. Despite Loyola's relatively small size as a Division I school and the lack of top quality athletic facilities, Sento proved an extremely capable recruiter and was able to bring top-level talent to the Evergreen, including several players such as Bill Heiser and Zach Thornton who had international experience on US youth national teams as well as others from top level club programs throughout the country.
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