Former men's soccer head coach Pat Nearing has been named this year's winner of the Austin-Matthews Award for outstanding contribution to U SPORTS.
Austin-Matthews Award (Outstanding Contribution): Patrick Nearing, ±«Óătv
Patrick Nearing took over as head coach of the ±«Óătv Tigers menâs soccer program to start the 1999 season â one that ended with an AUS title â and held the post until the completion of the 2019 campaign.
During his 21-year tenure, he has accumulated a .631 winning percentage in regular season play, finishing his career with a record of 128-75-59. The AUS and U SPORTS Menâs Soccer Fox 40 Coach of the Year in 2008, Nearing led the Tigers to an AUS championship and a sixth-place finish at the national championship that season. Nearing is also the reigning AUS menâs soccer Coach of the Year.
Off the pitch, Nearing has also served on several U SPORTS committees during his career, including compliance, eligibility, and athletic financial awards, while holding the roles of Chair of the menâs soccer sport technical subcommittee and as President of the menâs soccer coachesâ association.
Before assuming the reigns of the ±«Óătv menâs soccer team, he was the Technical University of Nova Scotiaâs (TUNS) menâs soccer coach for 17 seasons, leading them to nine Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) championship titles. He also chaired the league from 1992-2000 while serving as TUNSâs athletic director. When TUNS amalgamated with ±«Óătv University, he continued his tenure as director of the newly named Sexton Campusâs athletic program, eventually becoming ±«Óătvâs assistant director of athletics and recreation.
A ±«Óătv University grad (BPE â79), he also spent 30 years as a club soccer coach in Bedford, N.S., coaching at the grassroots level all the way up to U18. He was also the head coach of the Dartmouth United senior menâs team for 15 seasons, leading them to a number of Nova Scotia provincial and Atlantic championship wins.
âPat has been an instrumental part of the success of our student-athletes and programs at ±«Óătv,â said ±«Óătv Executive Director of Athletics and Recreation Tim Maloney. âHeâs had an outstanding impact on the future of university sport serving for many years on several national committees. I canât think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.â