NSCAA

Bean will become 42nd member of Hall of Fame.

Joe Bean's legendary caoching career will come an end at the NCAA Division III Final Four this weekend and be followed by his induction into the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in January. -- Wheaton College Sports Information Office photo --

By Gary Davidson
SoccerTimes

(Wednesday, November 22, 2006 -- Joe Bean's legendary coaching career is certainly reaching a fitting conclusion. He was selected for induction into the Hall of Fame of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America yesterday. This weekend, he takes Wheaton College for a fifth visit to the NCAA Division III Final Four, seeking a third national championship.

Bean, 67, who announced his retirement before the season, has recorded more victories than any collegiate men's coach, compiling a 606-183-59 (.749) mark in 38 years. He leads the Thunder into an NCAA semifinal Friday against Ohio Wesleyan at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., with the winner advancing to the Sunday title match against the survivor of the Messiah-New York University semifinal.

Only Anson Dorrance, who has led North Carolina's women to 17 NCAA championships and 18 national titles has accumulated more wins. He has posted a 626-28-18 (.945) mark, leading the Tar Heels since 1979. Add to that a 172-65-21 (.707) he compiled as coach of the UNC men from 1977-88, Dorrance is approaching 800 career victories at 798-83-39 (.889)

Bean was elected as the 42nd member of the NSCAA Hall of Fame not only for his success as a coach, but for the many hours he spent advancing the cause of the largest coaching organization in the U.S.

Being chosen for induction was "quite a shock. I didn't expect it right away," Bean said. "I didn't officially retire until January. It's an honor. . . The organization has done a lot more for me than I have done for them. I don't see Joe Bean being that type of special statue."

In addition to capturing national championships in 1984 and 1997, and finishing second in 1999, Bean led the liberal arts school in Wheaton, Ill., to an NCAA record 66-game unbeaten streak, going 62-0-4 from 1996 and 1998.

"I didn't score a goal in those 606 wins," Bean said. "I just had some good players."

A pair of players from Bean's first national champ in 1984 continue to serve Wheaton well. Pete Felske is in his 19th year as coach of the women's team, leading the Thunder to the 2004 NCAA crown, while Tim Daniels, a co-captain of the team, is Felske's top assistant.

Wheaton initiated a men's soccer program in 1935 and Bean became the institution's second fulltime coach when he assumed the reins in 1969. He succeeded the first fulltimer, Robert Baptista, who guided the Thunder for 17 years.

Forty-four of Bean's players have earned All-America recognition, while 74 have merited All-Region selection.

The 2006 team, which is 15-7-4, is the 32nd in Bean's tenure to be invited to the NCAA tournament. He started his career at Quinnipiac, compiling a 20-9 (.690) record from 1962-64, then went to Bridgeport, another Connecticut school, for four years, leading the Purple Knights to a 31-15-2 (.667) mark.

"Joe Bean has set the standard for other coaches to follow for a long time," NSCAA president Louise Waxler said. "While Joe's record number of wins is one aspect of his coaching career that stands out, even more important are his countless hours of service to the sport and the NSCAA, as well as the hundreds of young men whose lives he has influenced in a positive manner."

A former member of the NCAA Men's Soccer Rules and Tournament committees, Bean was the editor and secretary of Midwestern Soccer News for 17 years. The NSCAA president in 1978, he received the Association's Honor Award in 1989. That same year he was inducted into the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association Hall of Fame.

A one-time chairman of the NSCAA Ethics Committee, he was the inaugural recipient of the NSCAA\NISOA Merit Award, presented by NISOA to recognize sportsmanship and integrity.

Bean will be inducted into the NSCAA Hall of Fame at the Awards Banquet at the organization's annual convention January 12 in Indianapolis. He will be enshrined in the NSCAA exhibit at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y., in August.

In August, the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, Wheaton's league, announced its annual honor for its best men's soccer coach will henceforth be called the "Joe Bean Coach of the Year Award."

The move was proposed by the CCIW men's soccer coaches and the league's athletics directors unanimously approved the decision.

"Joe Bean has been one of the most successful coaches in the history of the CCIW and I'm happy that the coaches decided to honor him this way," CCIW commissioner Chris Martin said at the time.

Class of 1991
Lawrence E. Briggs, University of Massachusetts
John H. Brock, Springfield College
James T. (Ted) Chambers, Howard University
William Jeffrey, Penn State University
James (Jimmy) Mills, Haverford College
George D. Ritchie, Wethersfield High School, Conn.
Earle C. Waters, West Chester

Gary Davidson is SoccerTimes publisher and managing editor.

Do you have a comment on this story or something to say about soccer in general? Send us a letter.