GLENSIDE, Pa. – Arcadia University Senior Associate Director of Athletics and head men's soccer coach Rob Nydick has announced he has accepted a position at nearby Lansdale Catholic High School as the Athletics Director. Nydick has served as Arcadia's head men's soccer coach for the last nine years, and was named Senior Associate Director of Athletics in July 2014.
 
"Stepping away from Arcadia to pursue this new, amazing opportunity at Lansdale Catholic was a very tough decision," Nydick said, "but in the end one that is best for me and my family personally and professionally. Over the past nine years I have had the opportunity to come to a job everyday where I was surrounded by amazing people. I want to thank the administration and fellow staff at Arcadia, specifically the two outstanding athletic director's I served under, who were phenomenal mentors and friends, Shirley Liddle and Brian Granata. Next, I would like to thank my wife Diana for all of the support she has given me, from big wins to tough losses she was always there and supportive.  All of the assistant coaches who gave countless hours and everything they had to support me and the program also deserve a huge thank you. Last, but not least, I would like to thank all of the young men who took a chance on coming to Arcadia and gave everything they had to move the program forward. I will look back on these past years with nothing but pride and happiness. Arcadia is a special place, and I am so thankful that I was able to form the relationships that I did." 
 
Nydick departs Glenside as the longest tenured coach in program history, while compiling an 88-67-19 overall record and 34-27-10 mark in conference play. Over the course of his tenure, the two-time MAC Commonwealth Coach of the Year guided the Scarlet and Grey to seven MAC Commonwealth Championship appearances, including a trip to the MAC Commonwealth Final his first year at the helm. In each of the last three seasons, Nydick has led the Knights to an appearance in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championship tournament.
 
"Over the course of the last six years, I have had the pleasure of working closely alongside Coach Nydick," Granata said. "He has a tremendous passion for the game of soccer and for developing young adults. Coach Nydick has been far more than a soccer coach to me. As one of our top administrators, he has exhibited selfless dedication to advancing Arcadia Athletics as a whole and to enhancing the student-athlete experience across all 19 varsity sports. Our entire Arcadia Knights family will miss Coach Nydick dearly. At the same time, we could not be happier for him and his family as he embarks on the next chapter of his professional career. We certainly wish him future successes at Lansdale Catholic."
 
Nydick's impact on the young men who have come through the Arcadia men's soccer program goes far beyond the pitch. As a team, the men's soccer program has been recognized by the United Soccer Coaches with the Team Academic Award each year under Nydick. Senior Bradley McKim became the program's first-ever College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-Americaâ selection following the 2016 season. That same year, McKim was named the Academic All-Area Performer of the Year by the Philadelphia Inquirer/PhillySIDA. McKim was the program's first three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection (2015-17), however he was not the only player selected to the team as Joe Clementi was the first Knight to receive the honor in 2010. In 2014, Joseph Bertucci and Daulton Rutter each received Honorable Mention to the United Soccer Coaches College Division Men's Scholar All-East Region Team.
 
On the field, Nydick has coached a pair of United Soccer Coaches All-Region selections in Jeff McDonald (2010) and McKim (2015). He led Ryan Hammer to MAC Commonwealth Rookie of the Year honors in 2015 and 17 players to a combined 32 All-MAC Commonwealth selections.
 
"Playing for Coach Nydick was a blessing on and off the field," said senior Tyler Ihle. "Not only did he improve my abilities as a soccer player, but he also taught me lessons that I can take with me throughout the rest of my life. The way he cares for his players goes far beyond soccer."
 
Nydick's coaching tree spans all three divisions of the NCAA including University of Virginia assistant coach A.J. Barnold, Villanova assistant Casey Huckle and Penn assistant Ryan Lantzy '14  at Division I. In Division II, Dan Frick is the head coach at Goldey-Beacom. Derrick Brewer '15 is currently the graduate assistant at Stevenson, while Steven DeMatteo is the head coach at Manhattanville and Joe Clementi '11 is the head coach at Immaculata.
 
Arcadia will open a nationwide search to fill the head men's soccer coach position.