The longest-tenured head coach in the history of Nicholls women’s soccer, Dylan Harrison can lay claim to several significant program records.
In 2014, Nicholls earned the first victories in program history against both Southern Mississippi and Southeastern Louisiana. The Colonels also reached their second-consecutive Southland Conference Tournament and secured the first postseason win in school history.
In 2013, Nicholls claimed its first winning season and a program-record 12 victories, with six coming in conference play alone. The Colonels finished 12-6-2 and made it back to the Southland Conference tournament for the first time since 2004.
In 2012, Harrison took a young team with only two seniors to a 5-13 overall record. On the season, the 29 goals the Colonels scored was one shy of tying an all-time season record, while the 4.44 points per game average was the highest in team history.
In his third season on the bayou in 2011, Harrison amassed more career wins than any other coach in Nicholls history and is the only manager in club history to coach back-to-back six win teams. The 6-3-1 record the Colonels had last year was the best start to any Nicholls season heading into conference play, including a program-long five-game winning streak from Sept. 11 to Sept. 25. The five home wins are the most for any Nicholls team in school history.
In 2010 the Nicholls State University women’s soccer team won more games than any other team in school history, finishing the year 6-10-2, along with earning a tie in a Southland match for the second consecutive year. Nicholls won four consecutive games from August 22 to Sept. 5, which included an 8-0 romp over Alcorn State which is the largest margin of victory over any team in school history.
In his first season with the Colonels in 2009, Harrison led Nicholls to several milestones. Under his direction, Nicholls tied its school record for wins and several Colonels broke school offensive records. Harrison led the Colonels to their first point in conference competition in over two years when Nicholls tied Texas-San Antonio on Oct. 18 to snap a 16-match conference losing streak.
Coach Harrison puts special emphasis on academics, and the team has held a level of continued academic success over his tenure. In the 2013 academic year, Nicholls soccer had 22 players named to the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, having maintained a 3.0 GPA or higher. The team was also honored by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America with the Team Academic Award, which honors men's and women's soccer teams that have a combined team GPA of 3.0 or higher.
At Sewanee, Harrison was 25-19-2 overall as a head coach that included a 10-win season in 2008. He also assisted with the 2005 squad that garnered a NCAA tournament berth, the first in the school's history.
Prior to his time at Sewanne, Harrison was an assistant coach for the men's program at the University of the Incarnate Word from 2003-04. The Tigers finished 16-2-2 his lone season with the club, posting a No. 4 ranking in the NSCAA National Poll and claiming the Midwest Region Conference Championship.
The Napoleonville, La. native also was a standout college player at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, guiding the Tigers to three NCAA Men's Division III tournaments, including two consecutive Elite Eight appearances in 1998 and 1999. In the 2000 campaign during Harrison's junior season, the Tigers advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Harrison was twice named All-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, nabbing first team honors in 2000 and 2001. The Tigers finished 72-10-2 during Harrison's four-year playing career with him serving as the team's captain and starting center his junior and senior seasons. Harrison received a bachelor degree in business administration from Trinity University and boasts an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma.
