Dan Dolan, the longest-tenured and winningest coach in the history of the Daemen women's soccer program, is entering his 15th season at the helm in 2023. He has overseen the program’s transition from National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II.

Dolan inherited a program that had posted just one winning season in its first nine years and quickly established Daemen as one of the top programs in the Northeast. Dolan has guided the Wildcats to postseason play in eight of the previous 13 seasons (excluding the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season) and has developed numerous all-conference players.

The Wildcats went 11-6-1 in his second season as head coach in 2010 and in 2011 he guided Daemen to a program record 15 wins (15-4-0) and the American Mideast Conference (AMC) regular-season championship—the program’s first ever conference title. During the 2011 season Dolan's veteran squad won eight consecutive games in an undefeated month of October, including victories against ranked opponents such as Point Park (4-3 in double overtime), Roberts Wesleyan (4-3 in double overtime), and Houghton (1-0), the latter of which was ranked No. 15 in the NAIA national poll at the time. Additionally, Daemen gained NAIA national poll votes for the first time in team history during that stretch. As a result, Dolan was named AMC Coach of the Year, and six of his players earned all-conference honors, including AMC Player of the Year Lindsay Miller, who also garnered honorable mention All-American status, along with teammate Samantha Engel.

Daemen began transitioning to NCAA Division II in 2012 and over the next three seasons the Wildcats averaged nine wins per season and advanced to the championship game of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) championship tournament each year—claiming the national title in 2012. The 2012 season included three victories over NCAA Division II opponents, which helped Daemen earn the No. 6 seed in the USCAA tournament. The team went on to win three successive games against higher seeds, defeating No. 3 Penn College (2-0), No. 2 Carlow (2-1), and No. 1 Maine-Fort Kent in overtime (1-0) to capture the USCAA National Championship. Daemen's win in the title game snapped the two-time defending champs, Maine-Fort Kent's 33-game winning streak.

The 2015 season marked Daemen’s first as a full NCAA Division II member. The Wildcats won seven games overall and finished in fifth place in the East Coast Conference (4-5-0), narrowly missing out on a bid to the four-team ECC Championship tournament in their first season of eligibility. The program’s first ECC Tournament bid came in 2018 and the Wildcats have qualified for the conference tournament three of the past four years.

The 2019 season was Daemen's most successful overall since transitioning to NCAA Division II. The team finished with an impressive 11-4-3 overall record, a 4-2-2 mark in ECC play and earned its first-ever bid to the NCAA Division II tournament. Four players from the 2019 team were recognized for their outstanding performances, earning spots on the All-ECC teams. Among them was senior forward Jamie Boyar, who capped off her career as Daemen's all-time leader in goals, with an impressive total of 55.

Dolan skillfully guided the program through the challenges and uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the disruptions, Daemen managed to have a shortened 2020 season played during the Spring 2021 semester. Dolan led a young Wildcats squad to an even 2-2 record, achieving his 100th career victory with a 4-0 shutout of D'Youville on April 11.

With the team returning to somewhat normal operations in the fall of 2021, Dolan led the Wildcats to a 9-6-1 overall record and a 7-1-1 mark in conference play--the program's best ECC campaign since joining the league. The 2021 season also included the program’s first-ever win over a nationally ranked team since gaining full NCAA stats, as they posted a 3-1 victory over No. 24 Molloy. A record seven players earned All-ECC honors, including freshman Alyssa Diaz, who was named the ECC Rookie of the Year.

The 2022 season presented Dolan with yet another challenge. Picked to finish third in the preseason ECC coaches’ poll, the Wildcats went winless early in the year while playing a very challenging non-conference schedule. Daemen rallied late in the year and went 5-1-1 over its final seven games and earned a bid to the four-team ECC Championship tournament. Six players would earn All-ECC honors.

Dolan was appointed as the third women's soccer coach in Daemen's history on March 6, 2009. Prior to joining the Daemen staff, he served as the lead assistant coach at Niagara University in 2008, contributing to their successful 12-6-1 season. Before his tenure at Niagara, Dolan spent six years as the head coach of the boys' varsity soccer team at Cardinal O'Hara High School, where he also coached the girls' varsity team in 2004.

Dolan currently holds the position of Chair of the East Coast Conference and serves on the East Region Coaches Ranking Committee. He has earned multiple coaching certifications, including the National "C" License and National Youth License from U.S. Soccer Federation, as well as the National, Advanced National, and Premier Diplomas from NSCAA. He has also obtained the English FA Psychology for Soccer - Level 1, NYSW Intermediate certificate, and various other minor certificates. In addition, Dolan has coaching experience at the Olympic Development Program (ODP) from 2009-2018 and has been coaching with the premier club Empire Buffalo Stallions since 2004, where he currently holds the position of Girls Director of Coaching since 2018. He also briefly served as Daemen's head men's soccer coach in 2015 alongside his duties with the women's program. In 2012-14, he also worked as the Director of Facilities for the Daemen Athletic Department.

Originally from North Tonawanda, N.Y., Dolan currently resides in Amherst.

Career Timeline

Year

Position

School

Location

Level

Overall Record

Conference Record

Accomplishments

2008

Assistant Coach

Niagara University

Niagara University, N.Y.

NCAA Div. I

12-6-1

5-4-0 MAAC

2009

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NAIA Div. II

7-8-1

5-5-1 AMC

2010

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NAIA Div. II

11-6-1

5-4-1 AMC

2011

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NAIA Div. II

15-4-0

11-1-0 AMC

AMC Regular Season Champions

2012

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NAIA Div. II / USCAA

11-9-0

N/A

USCAA National Champions

2013

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NAIA Div. II / USCAA

10-10-0

1-8-0 ECC

USCAA National Runners-Up

2014

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NCAA Div. II / USCAA

6-14-1

0-8-1 ECC

USCAA National Runners-Up

2015

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NCAA Div. II

7-10-1

4-5-0 ECC

2016

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NCAA Div. II

4-10-2

1-6-1 ECC

2017

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NCAA Div. II

9-7-1

3-5-0 ECC

2018

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NCAA Div. II

8-8-1

5-4-0 ECC

ECC Tournament

2019

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NCAA Div. II

11-4-3

4-2-2 ECC

NCAA Tournament

2020

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NCAA Div. II

2-2-0

N/A

2021

Head Coach

Daemen College

Amherst, N.Y.

NCAA Div. II

9-6-1

7-1-1 ECC

ECC Tournament

2022

Head Coach

Daemen Univ.

Amherst, N.Y.

NCAA Div. II

5-10-2

5-3-0 ECC

ECC Tournament

Career Head Coaching Record

School

Years

Overall Record

Win Pct.

Conference Record

Win Pct.

Daemen

2009-Present 

115-108-14

.515

51-52-7

.495

TOTALS

14 SEASONS

115-108-14

.515

51-52-7

.495

Dolan vs. Opponents

Opponent

Conference

Region (or national affilation)

Record

Pct.

Streak

Albany Pharmacy

HVIAC

(USCAA)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Alderson Broaddus

GMAC

Midwest

2-0

1.000

W-2

Alfred

Empire 8

(NCAA III)

3-0

1.000

W-3

Alfred State

AMCC

(NCAA III)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Allegheny

NCAC

(NCAA III)

0-2

.000

L-2

Assumption

NE-10

East

0-0-1

.000

T-1

Bentley

NE-10

East

0-1

.000

L1

Bloomfield

CACC

East

2-0

1.000

W-2

Bridgeport

ECC

East

1-7-1

.167

T-1

Brockport

SUNYAC

(NCAA III)

0-1

.000

L-1

Buffalo State

SUNYAC

(NCAA III)

0-1

.000

L-1

California State-San Marcos

CCAA

West

0-1

.000

L-1

Carlow

RSC

(NAIA / USCAA)

6-0

1.000

W-6

Cedarville

GMAC

Midwest

0-3

.000

L-3

Chestnut Hill

CACC

East

1-0

1.000

W-1

Clarion

PSAC

Atlantic

3-0-1

.875

W-2

Cleary

WHAC

(NAIA)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Davis & Elkins

GMAC

Midwest

2-1

.667

W-2

Dowling

ECC

East

1-2

.333

W-1

D'Youville

ECC

East

4-0

1.000

W-4

Edinboro

PSAC

Atlantic

0-1

.000

L-1

Elmira

Empire 8

(NCAA III)

0-1

.000

L-1

Findlay

GMAC

Midwest

1-0

1.000

W-1

Fisher

NIAC

(NAIA)

3-0

1.000

W-3

Goldey-Beacom

CACC

East

2-2

.500

L-1

Grove City

PAC

(NCAA III)

0-1

.000

L-1

Houghton

Empire 8

(NCAA III)

1-3

.250

W-1

Lake Erie

GMAC

Midwest

1-3

.250

W-1

Le Moyne

NE-10

East

1-4-1

.250

T-1

Lincoln

ECC

East

5-0

1.000

W-5

LIU Post

ECC

East

0-6

.000

L-6

Maine-Fort Kent

Independent

(USCAA)

3-5

.375

L-1

Malone

GMAC

Midwest

1-1

.500

L-1

Mansfield

PSAC

Atlantic

1-2-1

.375

W-1

Medaille

AMCC

(NCAA III)

2-0

1.000

W-2

Mercy

ECC

East

1-10

.091

L-4

Mercyhurst

PSAC

Atlantic

1-6

.142

L-1

Molloy

ECC

East

3-6

.333

L-1

Mount Vernon Nazarene

Crossroads

(NAIA)

0-2

.000

L-2

Muskingum

OAC

(NCAA III)

1-0

1.000

W-1

New York Tech

ECC

East

3-4-1

.438

T-1

Notre Dame (Ohio)

MEC

Atlantic

1-1

.500

W-1

Nyack

CACC

East

1-0

1.000

W-1

Ohio Mid-Western

Independent

(USCAA)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Paul Smith's College

YSCC

(USCAA)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Penn Tech

NEAC

(NCAA III)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Pitt-Johnstown

PSAC

Atlantic

1-0

1.000

W-1

Point Park

RSC

(NAIA)

4-0

1.000

W-4

Queens

ECC

East

3-5-1

.389

L-1

Rio Grande

RSC

(NAIA)

2-1

.667

W-1

Roberts Wesleyan

ECC

East

7-6-3

.531

W-2

Rochester (Mich.)

WHAC

(NAIA)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Saint Anselm

NE-10

East

0-2

.000

L-2

Saint Michael's

NE-10

East

0-1-1

.250

T-1

Saint Rose

NE-10

East

0-4

.000

L-4

Saint Thomas Aquinas

ECC

East

7-2-1

.750

W-3

San Diego Christian

GSAC

(NAIA)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Seton Hill

PSAC

Atlantic

2-0

1.000

W-2

Shawnee State

Mid-South

(NAIA)

0-1

.000

L-1

Shepherd

MEC

Atlantic

4-0

1.000

W-4

Sheridan

OCAA

(Canada)

2-0

1.000

W-2

Slippery Rock

PSAC

Atlantic

0-1

.000

L-1

Southern New Hampshire

NE-10

East

0-1

.000

L-1

Spring Arbor

WHAC

(NAIA)

0-1

.000

L-1

Staten Island

ECC

East

2-0

1.000

W-2

Stonehill

NE-10

East

0-1

.000

L-1

SUNY-Canton

NAC

(NCAA III)

2-0

1.000

W-2

SUNY-ESF

Indpendent

(USCAA)

3-0

1.000

W-3

Tiffin

GMAC

Midwest

2-0

1.000

W-2

Urbana

MEC

Atlantic

1-0

1.000

W-1

Ursuline

GMAC

Midwest

2-0

1.000

W-2

Walsh

GMAC

Midwest

4-1-1

.750

T-1

Warner University

The Sun

(NAIA)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Washington Adventist

Independent

(NAIA / USCAA)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Westminster (Pa.)

PAC

(NCAA III)

0-1

.000

L-1

West Virginia Tech

RSC

(NAIA)

1-0

1.000

W-1

Wilkes

MAC

(NCAA III)

0-1

.000

L-1

Wilmington (Del.)

CACC

East

0-2

.000

L-2