INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI Athletics Department and longtime Head Men’s Soccer Coach Steve Franklin have agreed to part ways, ending his 16-year tenure with the soccer program. Franklin took over the program in 1995 and is IUPUI’s all-time winningest soccer coach with 125 career victories. Franklin also guided the men’s soccer team to IUPUI’s first NCAA Tournament in any sport at the Division I level, taking the Jaguars to the Mid-Continent Conference title in 2000.

 

“I join the entire IUPUI community in thanking Steve for his service to the institution as well as the men’s soccer program,” IUPUI Athletics Director Mike Moore said. “Steve has established a solid foundation for the men’s soccer program to continue to grow in stature. I wish him well in all future endeavors.”

 

Franklin closes his IUPUI career as the second-longest tenured head coach at the school in any sport and the men’s soccer team’s lone head coach at the Division I level.

 

“Looking back, I’m thrilled at what I’ve been able to do here at IUPUI. I’ve had the chance to coach three Hall of Famers and a handful of All-Americans. We were able to take the program from (NCAA) Division II to Division I and get to the NCAA Tournament. That was always a career goal of mine – to be able to build a program from the ground up,” Franklin said. “And, personally, I have to thank (former IUPUI AD) Hugh Wolf for giving me that opportunity. He opened the door for me and I’m forever grateful to him for that.”

 

Franklin had immediate success at the Division II level, winning 14 matches in 1996 and a school record 15 games in 1997. The 1997 squad set a slew of additional school records including highest winning percentage (.816), most shutouts (11), fewest times shutout (1), most goals scored (56) and fewest goals allowed (12). Following the season, of the 11 spots on the NSCAA All-Mideast Team, six came from IUPUI.

 

After moving to the Division I level in 1998, IUPUI enjoyed a 10-win season in 1999 before going 11-9-2 in 2000. The 2000 campaign ended with the Mid-Con Tourney title and a spot in an NCAA Play-In game. From there, IUPUI hosted Marist at Mike Carroll Stadium and claimed a 1-0 triple overtime victory, advancing to face SMU in the NCAA College Cup.

 

IUPUI has reached the four-team Summit League Tournament in each of the past five seasons and reached the championship game in 2007 in Indianapolis. Since 2004, IUPUI has earned a regional ranking in three different seasons including climbing to No. 7 in the region in 2010. This past season, Franklin’s squad played the nation’s No. 7 team, Butler, to a scoreless tie stopping the Bulldogs nation-best 12-game winning streak.

 

Individually, former Franklin players Armando Femia, Thies Hermann and Ben Higginbotham later went on to IUPUI Hall of Fame inductions while four others have earned Academic All-America honors. Sixteen Jaguars have earned First Team All-Summit League honors, highlighted by Vangel Nacovski’s being named league Player of the Year in 2007.

 

Off the field, Franklin’s teams have performed well in the classroom and within the Indianapolis community. The men’s soccer team has won five of the past seven Jag Cups, given annually by the IUPUI Athletics Department. The Jag Cup competition is used to gauge student-athlete involvement off the playing fields as points are awarded based on academic honors, community outreach, attendance to IUPUI athletic events, SAAC communication and personal/team enhancement. In addition, seven of his student-athletes have been awarded the Mike Carroll Scholarship since 1999, given annually to the top returning senior student-athlete based on commitment to community service, academic prowess and athletic achievement. Twelve different Franklin coached soccer student-athletes have been chosen among IUPUI’s Top 100 students dating back to 2001.

 

Franklin has been instrumental in the Urban Soccer Development Program and has been the director of the IUPUI Sports Complex Soccer Camps.

 

“It’s been fascinating to see the growth of the program and the university as a whole the last 16 years,” Franklin said. “I’m extremely proud of what we’ve built, in terms of solidifying the foundation of the program. In terms of alumni base, we’ve got a solid foundation of quality individuals who are doing outstanding things since they’ve graduated. That’s something I take great pride in.”

 

A national search will be conducted to find a replacement.