Three new members elected to United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 17, 2019) – United Soccer Coaches has announced the election of three individuals as the newest members of its Hall of Fame. All three will be inducted as members of the Class of 2020 during the 80th Annual United Soccer Coaches Convention, Jan. 15-19, in Baltimore, Md.

George Herrick, a legendary youth and high school coach in New York, and Schellas Hyndman and Dr. Jay Martin, two of the winningest men’s college coaches of all-time, will be honored at the association’s annual Awards Banquet on Jan. 18 at the Baltimore Convention Center. The three individuals will become the 66th, 67th, and 68th inductees into the Hall of Fame, which was established in 1991 to honor achievement by coaches with an emphasis on success and a lifetime devotion to the association and the game. Herrick was elected via the veteran’s balloting of the Hall of Fame Committee.

“We are excited to recognize three coaching legends with one of the highest honors bestowed by the association,” said Jeff Farnsworth, United Soccer Coaches President. “Paying tribute to two of the winningest coaches in college soccer history, and past presidents of this association, as well as a high school icon from my home state of New York is so gratifying for me as president. Not only have they been extremely successful on the field, but they’ve contributed so much to the association.”

As the Head Coach at Vestal High School (Vestal, N.Y.), George Herrick compiled a 469-88-38 record, an .820 winning percentage, during his 29-year career that spanned from 1968-1996. His teams won 14 Southern Tier Athletic Conference titles, including 10 undefeated conference seasons. They won 18 Section IV Championships, one New York State Championship and one Co-Championship. He coached eight High School All-Americans and six players that went on to earn All-America honors in college. He was a four-time New York State Coach of the Year and the 1990 National High School Coach of the Year.

Herrick served as the Empire State Games Men’s Soccer Committee Chair for 30 years and was an active New York State West Youth Soccer Instructor and Director of Coaching. He served on the United Soccer Coaches High School All-America Committee for 11 years. He has been inducted into three Halls of Fame and the varsity field at Vestal High School bears his name, “George F. Herrick Field.”

Currently the head men’s coach at Grand Canyon University, Schellas Hyndman has compiled a 503-162-59 (.735) collegiate record in this, his 36th season as a college head coach. His career winning percentage is the 12th highest in NCAA Division I men’s soccer. He was head coach at Eastern Illinois from 1977-83, where his teams finished as national runner-up once and finished third twice. He guided the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament in each of his seven seasons and was the 1981 National Coach of the Year. He took over at SMU in 1984 and produced winning seasons in each of his 24 years at the helm of the Mustang program. SMU made 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, advancing to the quarterfinals 11 times and the College Cup twice. He coached a Hermann Trophy Winner, two National Players of the Year and 21 All-Americans at SMU.

After SMU, Hyndman served as Head Coach for FC Dallas of MLS from 2008-13. He was named MLS Coach of the Year in 2010 when he took FC Dallas to the MLS Cup Final. He served as United Soccer Coaches President in 2005 and was previously honored in 2003 as Director of Coaching Emeritus and in 2011 with the Bill Jeffrey College Long-Term Service Award.

Dr. Jay Martin is the winningest coach in men’s college soccer history and was the first men’s coach to reach the 700-win plateau. He entered the 2019 season, his 43rd at Ohio Wesleyan University, with a 708-145-70 all-time record and his .805 career winning percentage is 14th best among all men’s college coaches. Under his tutelage, OWU has captured two National Championships (1998 and 2011), the Battling Bishops were national runner-up twice, they’ve made nine NCAA Division III National Semifinal appearances and they hold the NCAA Division III record with 40 playoff appearances. OWU has never had a losing season under Martin.

A 16-time Regional Coach of the Year, Martin has also been named National Coach of the Year three times in 1991, 1998 and 2011. He served a six-year term on the NCAA Division III Selection Committee, including four years as Chair. He was United Soccer Coaches President in 1996 and has been the Editor of Soccer Journal since 2003. He received the Bill Jeffrey College Long-Term Service Award in 2005 and the Honor Award in 2007.

The United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame was established in 1991 to honor achievement in coaching, work on behalf of the association and lifetime contributions to the game of soccer. Each year, up to three inductees are elected into the association’s Hall of Fame based on selections made through balloting of the Hall of Fame Committee. Click here for a list of previous United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame inductees.