MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As a 19-year-old nearing the end of his high school career in London, Dan Stratford was asked if he had any interest in coming to the United States to play collegiate soccer.
The answer was an emphatic no.
That question was proposed in February 2004 and by August that year, Stratford was in Morgantown getting set to begin his freshman year at WVU.
It all came full circle for Stratford on Saturday, officially being introduced as the 10th head soccer coach in the history of the Mountaineers program.
“I joked the other day that my former head coach would have a hard time believing that I would ever be in this position,” Stratford said. “I have a lot of gratitude for everyone in the athletic department to promote me and endorse me.
“I’m incredibly grateful to be here.”
Athletic director Shane Lyons said the search went nationwide, but when it came down to it, all signs continued to point to Stratford, who was just 155 miles down Interstate 79. Those signs appear to have the right idea.
Stratford, who played at WVU from 2004-07, came back to Morgantown after leading the University of Charleston to two Division II national champions in three seasons. During his stint with the Golden Eagles, they compiled a 61-4-5 record, and prior, he was an assistant at Charleston under Chris Grassie, who is now the head coach at Marshall.
Stratford served as an assistant for the Mountaineers from 2011-13 under the previous head coach, Marlon LeBlanc.
In 2011, WVU reached the NCAA tournament second round, and Stratford also helped the Mountaineers make the transition from the Big East to the Mid-American Conference in 2012.
As a player at WVU, Stratford finished No. 1 in WVU history in matches played in a season (23) and career (85), as well as No. 1 in career game-winning assists (13) and game-winning points (31). Additionally, Stratford, an All-Big East and all-region selection as a senior, sits No. 2 in school history in career assists (27), shots on goal (86) and multi-assist games (4), No. 3 in matches started (79), No. 4 in game-winning goals (9) and No. 9 in career points (67).
Outside of his stint as a professional player with D.C. United in 2008, Scottish club Inverness Caledonian Thistle from 2009-10 and Hereford United (England) from 2010-11, Stratford has made his home in West Virginia.
LeBlanc, West Virginia’s head coach since the 2006 season, announced his resignation from the position on Dec. 12, citing a want to see his kids play AAU in Philadelphia. The Mountaineers are coming off back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances.
“Collectively, as a program, this isn’t broken and in need of fixing,” Stratford said. “The first month or so, I need to be gathering as much information as I can, learning about the players, learning what the needs are of the program before I come in and do what I did at UC. What is there in place that might be better? I still want to develop and grow myself.”
Charleston was a defensive juggernaut under Stratford’s watch – in 2018, the Golden Eagles allowed just four goals all season, which is a record at the Division II level. While he hopes that carries over at WVU, Stratford doesn’t have a system he’s set on running. He will rely on the personnel he currently has to play to the players’ strengths.
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