Ralph Polson
Head Men's Soccer Coach
Phone: 4125
Email:
polsonrd@wofford.edu
Ralph Polson is entering his second season at the helm of the Wofford men’s soccer program. He joined the Terriers after eight seasons as associate head coach at the College of Charleston and 17 seasons as head coach at Presbyterian.
In his first season, the Terriers posted a 6-13 overall record and a 2-5 mark in the Southern Conference. The two conference victories were the most for the team since the 1999 season and included a win over Furman for the first time since 1982. In addition, nine student-athletes were named to the Fall Academic All-Conference team, the most by a men’s soccer program in the Southern Conference.
Wofford named Ralph Polson as head men’s soccer coach January 14, 2008. “We are pleased to have Ralph Polson as head coach of the men’s soccer program at Wofford College,” said Director of Athletics Richard Johnson. “The pool of applicants for the position was incredibly strong. Ralph brings a wealth of experience to the position and is very familiar with the Southern Conference. We hope to build on the progress made this past season by the team in the near future.”
In his eight seasons at the College of Charleston, the Cougars reached the Southern Conference semifinals five times and the finals twice. In 2004, the Cougars won the Southern Conference Championship and appeared in the NCAA Tournament. They defeated South Carolina 3-2 in the first round before falling to UNC Greensboro.
Polson coached nine All-Southern Conference first-team players while at College of Charleston who earned 12 honors. Overall, the Cougars were 89-59-14 in his eight seasons, which included seven winning campaigns.
He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Erskine, as an assistant coach. Polson was named head coach at Presbyterian in 1983. In his 17 years at Presbyterian, he posted a 196-104-26 overall record and had 15 non-losing seasons. He was named NAIA District 6 Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1988. In 1992 and 1996 he earned South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year honors.
Presbyterian won the South Atlantic Conference Tournament in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1996. In 1995, the Blue Hose participated in the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in school history.
Polson holds a USSF A license and has been a member of the USYSA Region III Olympic Development Program coaching staff since 1983. He is a staff coach for the SCYSA State Select Team Program and also worked as a coach for the Bridge Futbol Alliance. Since 1992, he has served as the assistant director of the Ralph Lundy Soccer Academy.
He has served as a member of the NSCAA Senior Recognition Committee and served as the NCAA Division II Representative to the NSCAA.
In the spring of 2008, Polson was appointed as the secretary for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and a member of the Executive Committee. He was elected to a three-year term as Vice-President of Conventions and Awards of the NSCAA in January, 2009.
Since 2001, he has been NSCAA Division I All-America Committee National Chairman and South Region Chairman. He is also treasurer of the Walt Chyzowych Memorial Fund.
Polson is a 1980 Erskine graduate. He was a member of the 1977 men’s soccer team at Erskine which reached the NAIA national semifinals.
He and his wife, Susan, have a daughter, Megan, and son, Ralph. The family resides in Spartanburg.
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