Ryan Lakin, a three-time “Coach of the Year” in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin while at Millikin, was named head men’s soccer coach at Illinois Wesleyan University in June 2005.

A 1995 graduate of Illinois State, Lakin will also serve as assistant women’s basketball coach at IWU. He takes over the men’s soccer job from David Barrett, who will concentrate on coaching the women’s team only.

Lakin was the men’s and women’s soccer coach at Millikin from 1998 to 2002. His men’s teams compiled a record of 54-29-3 (.645) in five seasons with a league co-championship in 2001 and he earned the CCIW coaching honors in 1998, 1999 and 2001.

His Big Blue women’s teams were 27-60-4 (.319) over the same period.

After playing soccer and basketball at St. Charles, Ill., High School, Lakin was a soccer letterman at Illinois State and earned “Most Improved Player” for the 1992 Redbirds team and was the 1993 team captain. He was chosen to the Missouri Valley Conference all-league and all-tournament squads. He was named to the all-Midwest region team.

He was an assistant coach for the Lincoln College men’s soccer team in 1994 and was director of coaching for the Bloomington-Normal Soccer Club from 1995 to 1998, when he started at Millikin.

Most recently, Lakin has been assistant director of coaching at Barrington (Ill.) Area Soccer Association and FC Barrington, where he was responsible for the operation and oversight of 2,000 recreational players, 35 travel teams and 15 staff coaches.

He is also part of the Olympic Development coaching staff and an instructor on the coaching education staff for the State of Illinois. With the Illinois Youth Soccer Association and FC Barrington, Lakin co-developed and co-instructed the first pilot program for the development of a recreational coaching license, which will eventually be implemented throughout the state, region and national levels.