SPARTANBURG, SC – Wofford College has named Ralph Polson as head men’s soccer coach. Polson joins the Terriers after eight seasons as associate head coach at the College of Charleston and seventeen seasons as head coach at Presbyterian College.

“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 the last 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 twelve honors. Overall, the Cougars were 89-59-14 in his eight seasons, which included seven winning campaigns.

“I am very excited to be joining the staff at Wofford,” said Ralph Polson. “The men’s soccer program has tremendous potential and I am pleased to have been chosen to lead the team. The student-athletes have a real desire to improve and win, and we will be committed to do all that we can to become a successful program.”

He began his coaching career at Erskine College as an assistant coach. Polson was named head coach at Presbyterian College in 1983. In his seventeen years at Presbyterian, he posted a 196-104-26 overall record and had fifteen 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 works 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 NCSAA. 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 graduate of Erskine College. He was a member of the 1977 men’s soccer team at Erskine that reached the NAIA national semifinals. Polson and his wife, Susan, have a daughter, Megan, and son, Ralph.