McClements Named Men’s Soccer Coach 7/11/02

Tim McClements of Southern Methodist University today was named head men’s soccer coach at Vanderbilt University by Director of Athletics Todd Turner.

McClements served as an assistant coach at SMU for the past two years.  The Mustangs were ranked No. 1 in the nation each week of the 2001 season and ended with a 21-1 record.  SMU also made the NCAA Final Four in 2000 and won the Missouri Valley Conference championship both years.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity of working at one of the premier academic institutions in the country,” McClements says.  “Nashville is a great city to recruit to and to raise a family.  Vanderbilt competes in the Missouri Valley Conference, one of the nation’s top soccer conferences and it is building one of the finest soccer facilities in the nation.  I am convinced Vanderbilt is committed to building a nationally recognized soccer program and am proud to be a part of that growth.”

McClements was previously head coach at Eastern Illinois University, building that program into the upper division of the Missouri Valley in the process.  He was also head men’s coach at Baker University, where his teams were ranked among the NAIA’s Top 20. In 1995, he was named the Heart of America Conference Coach of the Year.

“We think Tim McClements is exactly the man to lead our men’s soccer program,” Turner says.  “He comes from one of the blue-chip soccer programs in America, he has a proven track record of building a program as a head coach, he understands Vanderbilt’s academic mission and he is known as an effective recruiter and tireless worker.  He is an excellent addition.”

Other coaching stops for McClements included assistantships at Midwestern State University as an assistant coach from 1992-94, where the program was ranked No. 1 in the NAIA and Northern Illinois in 1991-92.

He has also been a staff coach for the North Texas State Olympic Development Program since 2000.  He previously was a staff coach for four years (1996-2000) with the Region II Olympic Development Program.  In 1995, he was responsible for the ODP and Coaching Education program with the Kansas State Youth Soccer Association.

McClements has both a professional and collegiate playing background.  He played two years in the National Professional Soccer League, in 1989 with the Dayton Dynamo and in 1990 with the Chicago Power.  In 1988, he was with New Jersey in the American Professional Soccer League.

McClements attended Indiana University for two years, red-shirting as a freshman in 1983 when the Hoosiers were national champions and playing in 1984 when the team was NCAA runner-up.  He completed his college career (1985-87) at Wheaton College, making two post-season appearances in the NCAA Division III tournament.

Tim and his wife Karen have a daughter, Paige, 6 and a son, Ian. age 2. He replaces Randy Johnson, who resigned earlier this year after coaching the Commodores for 29 years.

Vanderbilt is currently completing construction on a new, 2,400 seat soccer stadium and playing field that will be ready this fall.