Bill Boyle joined the Raiders in March 2011. This will be his third season serving as an assistant coach for the men's soccer team.
“I am thrilled Bill will be joining the Colgate Soccer Family, and know he will help this program continue to raise the bar for success,” stated head coach Erik Ronning stated. “He has a very diverse coaching background, and will bring so much to this program in every aspect. We are looking to get better each year, and know he will play a critical roll in helping Colgate soccer to achieving our goals of winning the Patriot League, returning to the NCAA Tournament, and being a Nationally Recognized program.”
In his first season with Colgate, he helped coach the team to its fifth Patriot League tournament title and NCAA appearance with an 11-5-6 overall record. After narrowly missing out on a regular-season title, the team was able to advance to the championship game as the No. 2 seed on penalty kicks and eventually defeat host and No. 1 seed, American, to secure the title. The Raiders fell to Rutgers in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament in Piscataway, N.J. The Raiders had five players named to the All-Patriot League Teams as well as the Patriot League Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year. Three players were selected to the NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Teams and one was an ECAC All-Star Second Team Selection. PL Rookie of the Year Jimmy McLaughlin signed with the Philadelphia Union at the end of the season while PL Offensive Player of the Year Steven Miller was invited to attend the InfoSport Pro Soccer Combine.
Boyle came to Colgate after serving as an assistant coach at Michigan State for the 2010 season, where he worked primarily with the goalkeepers and coordinating the team's community outreach projects.
He brings a wealth of experience to the Raiders' staff, having coached at various levels. Boyle has coached premier soccer in Colorado and Michigan, and currently holds NSCAA's National Advanced License and USSF A License. Prior to joining the Spartans, he was the head coach of the varsity team at Haslett High School, leading the team to a league championship in 2009. Boyle was and still is also an assistant for the ODP 96 Boys team that won the Region 2 ODP Championship.
In his time as a coach, he also served as the head coach of the men's program at Olivet College (2005-2008), helping that squad to two of its most successful runs in school history. In his first season, he led the Comets from a last-place league finish the prior season to its second best finish in school history. In 2008, Olivet went 10-9-1 (8-6 in conference), compiling only the fourth winning season in program history and the third-best conference finish. He had five players earn All-MIAA distinction seven times in his four seasons at the helm.
Boyle's playing career began at Okemos, where he scored 32 goals as a senior and was voted Mr. Soccer Runner-up in 1993. He was a five-year ODP starter. He went on to earn his B.A. in Business Management at Hartwick College in 1998, where he was a four-year starter as a central midfielder and striker for the Hawks. He went on to play professionally with the Detroit Dynamite and Cincinnati Riverhawks prior to starting his coaching career.
He resides in Maryland, N.Y. with his wife Melinda, step-son Cody and son Liam.
