PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- Lake Erie College Athletics and the men's soccer program are excited to announce that Ryan Dean has been named the new assistant coach for men's soccer.
"When I began the process of searching for a new assistant coach, I wanted to explore a lot of different avenues, said head coach Louie Rolko. "This was the first time I had looked externally for a candidate and wanted to make sure I didn't overlook anything. Ryan's name popped up a few times during the initial part of my search and I was familiar with him as we recruited him to Lake Erie a few years ago. The more I got to know him and the more we talked, the more impressed I became with every conversation. I wanted someone who was going to add value to the program, elevate our weaknesses, and be eager and willing to work hard and learn. Ryan checked all those boxes for me. His familiarity with NCAA DII, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), and northeast Ohio soccer is a huge plus that will help us not only recruit, but also help our program achieve our ambitious goals."
Dean comes from Malone University where he was an assistant coach. During his lone coaching season in Canton, the program saw its most wins in a season since 2019. Dean is also the Technical Director of Men's Football at Ambassadors FC Ohio, where he has served as the head coach of their pre-professional program since 2022. During his time at AFC Ohio, they have sent players to all three NCAA divisions, produced several college All-Region and All-American-level players, in addition to helping players sign professional contracts. Their u23 program has qualified for every available post-season, reaching at least the semi-final in every year since 2021.
As well as directing the player pathway for their men's pre-professional program, Dean has also coached the u19 boys youth team at Ambassadors since 2019, guiding them to the NPL and Ohio State Cup in 2022. During his time with Ambassadors he also has had experience coaching the women's program on occasion who play in the Women's Premier Soccer League - one of the highest levels of women's soccer in the US. He was also on the touchline coaching matches against professional Women's Super League teams, Everton FC and West Ham United during the winter of 2024 in England with their women's team on an international tour.
"I am thrilled to be a part of Lake Erie soccer and begin this new challenge in my coaching career," said Dean. "Louie has built a prestigious program here and the expectation to excel has been clear from my first day on campus. I am excited by this pressure and opportunity to contribute to success. We have the opportunity to compete for titles from day one here at LEC and I am going to work hard to ensure Louie has the support he needs to run this program effectively, and that our student-athletes feel they are being put in a position to succeed on the pitch and in the classroom. I am thankful for Ambassadors FC for the opportunity to develop as a coach and person over the past decade, and to my family for their continued encouragement and support as I pursue a career in this very competitive field. I am grateful to be here in Painesville and know that it's going to take hard work and profound commitment to realize our goals over the coming years. Go Storm!"
Dean attended Malone University where he was a member of the men's soccer team. During his playing career with the Pioneers, he appeared in 26 matches over two and a half injury-hit seasons. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science 2023.
