Arron Patrick, at right, poses with Grace College athletic director Chad Briscoe after Patrick was named the new men’s soccer head coach. (Photo provided by the Grace College Sports Information Department)

WINONA LAKE – It shouldn’t take Arron Patrick long to get acclimated in his new job. He competed against them for the better part of the last five years.

Tuesday morning, Grace College announced the hiring of Patrick as the next head coach for the men’s soccer team.

Patrick will be the 14th head coach in the 53-year history of the program. He comes to the Lancers from Goshen College, where he coached for five seasons.

The Grimsby, England, native helped the Maple Leafs reach the Crossroads League semifinals in 2017 with a 12-6-2 record, and Goshen was also the CL tournament runner-up in 2014.

Patrick also led Goshen to academic success in the classroom. The Maple Leafs have achieved NAIA Scholar Team status in each of the past four seasons, topping 3.30 GPA as a team every year.

“I would like to thank Grace President Dr. Bill Katip and AD Chad Briscoe for allowing me the opportunity to lead the men’s soccer program at Grace. I look forward to building on the culture that Coach Hotchkin has created in the program. Grace has a great tradition and soccer history, and I look forward to being a part of that history moving forward,” Patrick said. “I am excited to build new relationships with the current players, recruits, staff and the alumni. My family and I look forward to being a part of the Grace College community and investing in the lives of the players in the program for years to come.”

Patrick takes the helm of one of the most successful programs in NAIA history. Grace has racked up 502 all-time wins, seventh-most among NAIA institutions. The Lancers won 15 games in 2018, the most in program history since 1983.

Patrick excelled as a student-athlete in the Crossroads League. While playing at Bethel, Patrick won multiple All-Conference accolades and was the league’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and the overall League Player of the Year in 2009.

The Pilots won a pair of conference titles with Patrick in the starting lineup, and he was named All-American by both the NAIA and NCCAA during his career.

He also earned All-American honors as a track and field standout.

“We are very excited to have Arron Patrick lead our men’s soccer program. He comes with a very extensive, successful background at the NAIA level. He is committed to Christian excellence and has a strong desire to impact and shape lives through the game of soccer,” said Grace Director of Athletics Chad Briscoe. “His background both as a player and college coach in the Crossroads League will serve him well in this role. His coaching philosophy and goals fit the mission at Grace College. His passion to succeed and his ability to communicate effectively will serve him well as he leads. We look forward to him and his wife and children joining our family.”

Patrick grew up in the Grimsby Town F.C. system (English 2nd Division) before playing semi-professionally with Spalding United F.C. He also played semi-pro in the United States with the Cascade Surge of Portland, Ore.

Upon graduating with a degree in Sports Studies, Patrick returned to Europe to continue his soccer career. He played against teams from the Russian Premier Division, Turkish First Division and Romanian Premier Division, and he had a trial with Nuremburg of the German Bundesliga. He also had a professional stint in the USL Pro with the Wilmington Hammerheads.

Patrick owns a C license with the United States Soccer Federation. He also holds a special topics diploma in Mental and Physical Player Development from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Patrick and his wife Callie have a son, Oliver, and a daughter, Zara.