By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University men's soccer Head Coach Lloyd Fobi has announced that he will be leaving the Bearcats at the end of December. Fobi has served as Willamette's head coach since the start of the 2011 season.

"Lloyd has done an incredible job with our soccer program," said Willamette Director of Athletics Rob Passage. "People obviously see the outstanding performance on the field, but what they may not see are the great things his student-athletes are doing in the classroom and within our community. He has transformed the entire program during his time here and should take pride not only in what they have accomplished, but also what comes in the future from the standard he has helped set."

In eight years with the Bearcats, Fobi earned an overall record of 74-57-18 (.557), including a 56-43-15 (.557) mark in the Northwest Conference. The Bearcats attained records of .500 or better during six seasons with Fobi leading the team. Willamette tied the team record for wins at 13-5-2 in 2014, while setting a record for conference wins at 10-2-2.

"It was an uphill climb, but we made it together," Fobi said. "As we moved toward our goals, step by step, we showed that 'I am' because 'we are.' In the spirit of togetherness, we pushed Willamette University men's soccer into new territory."

The Bearcats tied for their first ever NWC championship in 2017 and received the NWC's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament. It was Willamette's first NCAA Tournament berth. Over the past two seasons, Willamette has gone 21-11-6 (.632), including 17-6-5 (.696) in the NWC. The Bearcats tied a school record by allowing only 18 goals in 2018. WU's four losses in 2018 tied the school record for fewest losses.

"We focused on growth and improvement, knowing the process would not be an overnight success," Fobi noted. "Indeed, as I look back at what we have done and what we have become, I feel blessed to have learned and grown so much.

"I need to take a moment to express my deepest, most heartfelt, and most profound sense of appreciation for the support I have been given along the way," Fobi said.

Assistant Head Coach Jared Rust has been named as Fobi's replacement. Rust served as an assistant on Fobi's staff on two separate occasions for a total of six years (2011-13 and 2016-18), and has been the assistant head coach for the past two seasons. He was the head coach at his alma mater, Simpson University in Redding, California, in 2014 and 2015.