Northern Illinois has not renewed the contract of menÆs coach Willy Roy, ending the National Hall of Famer's 16-year tenure with the Huskies.
The 60-year-old Roy — the winningest soccer coach in NIU history with a 142-131-22 won-lost-tie record — is the only coach to have won more than 100 games outdoors in the NASL (117), indoors in the NASL and MISL (133) and Division I college (142).
Roy was born in Germany but graduated from high school in the United States. After wrestling at the University of Illinois, he went on to be the top American striker in the late 1960s and early '70s. He was Rookie of the Year in the National Professional Soccer League with the Chicago Spurs in 1967, the first year of pro soccer in North America.
He later played for the Kansas City Spurs, St. Louis Stars and Chicago Sting of the NASL and scored 10 goals — six in World Cup qualifying — in 20 games for the United States. He coached the Sting to two NASL titles (1981 and '84).
''Academically, our menÆs soccer program is in great shape,'' NIU director of athletics Cary Groth said. ''Grade-wise, it is ranked among the top 20 nationally of all Division I soccer programs. Willy has done a tremendous job in regard to academic achievement, but we need the program to be more competitive.''
The last two years, Roy's Huskies finished 4-12-1 and 4-13-1.
''IÆve been extremely fortunate to have seen my kids [sons Willy, Jr., plus twins Karsten and Markus] go through Northern Illinois, which is an outstanding academic institution and earn their degrees along with the many other young men IÆve coached,'' Roy told the DeKalb Daily Chronicle. ''IÆll always have fond memories. If thereÆs one regret, itÆs that I will not have the opportunity to continue working with a group that I feel was truly coming together at the end of last season. IÆll always be rooting for them.''