Under the leadership of eight-year head coach Ryan Huber, William Peace has established itself as a men’s soccer force in the USA South Conference. He is the winningest men’s soccer coach with 70 victories heading into the 2025 season.
With a tough start to the 2024 season, the Pacers found themselves win-less in conference play halfway through October. A win against Southern Virginia on October 19th sparked a 6-game win streak, leading them to their first ever USA South Conference Championship. After finishing 4th overall in the conference, the Pacers blanked #5 seed Methodist at home, went on to beat #2 seed N.C. Wesleyan 2-1 on the road in overtime, to then finally leading them to beat #1 seed Brevard with a score of 2-1 to claim the conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Pacers experienced their first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament hosted by Mary Washington University. The Pacers at the #4 seed played the #1 seed UMW and came up short 3-1 in the first round to put an end to their most historic season yet.
The Pacers have posted a winning record in seven of the eight seasons that Huber has coached at WPU. In 2022, they recorded a season-best 12-2-1 mark with the 12 wins setting a program record. That year, the Pacers captured the USA South Eastern Division Title which was the first championship for a WPU men’s sports program.
The men’s soccer program took off after a losing record in Huber’s first year. He has led the Pacers to a 56-25-17 mark in the last six seasons, including a 29-19-8 record in the USA South. The Pacers finished no lower than third in the East Division from 2018 to 2021 (counting the 2021 spring season) before divisions were eliminated in the USA South.
Under Huber, the Pacers played in the finals of the USA South East Division Tournament (Spring Season 2021) and the USA South Conference Tournament (2022). The Pacers have appeared in the USA South semifinals the last three seasons.
Huber has coached one USA South Player of the Year, two USA South Rookies of the Year and two USA South Goalies of the Year. He was named conference coach of the year in 2018. The Pacers have received 24 all-conference selections, 15 all-division picks, one USA South honorable mention selections and nine United Soccer Coaches All-Region selections.
Huber is an experienced coach who has worked at several high profile soccer camps including N.C. Wesleyan College, University of South Carolina, University of North Carolina, Duke University, Wake Forest University, Hampden Sydney College, Randolph Macon College, Mary Washington University, Louisburg College, University of Mount Olive, and Capital Area Soccer League.
Prior to coaching at WPU, Huber was the Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach at N.C. Wesleyan College from 2011-2016. He served as the Assistant Men's Soccer Coach, Recruiting Coordinator, Goalkeeper Coach, and Head Reserve Team Coach during his time at N.C. Wesleyan. The NCWC men's soccer program finished in the top four in the conference five out of six years that Huber was on the coaching staff.
Along with coaching at N.C. Wesleyan, Huber worked at the Tar River Youth Soccer Association as Director of Coaching (2016), Assistant Director of Coaching (2015-2016), U-13 Boys Head Coach (2016), U-12 Boys Head Coach (2015-2016) and U-14 Boys Head Coach (2015). At Tar River, Huber was responsible for the overall development of the club including: staff recruitment, staff development, coaching philosophy, playing philosophy, player recruitment and player development.
Before coaching at N.C. Wesleyan, Huber was the Assistant Men's Soccer Coach at Louisburg College from 2008-2011. During his time at Louisburg, the team was ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation for junior colleges. Prior to Louisburg, Huber spent one season on the sidelines as an Assistant Men's Soccer Coach at Guilford College in 2008 where he also started a club soccer program at the college.
Coach Huber obtained his Bachelor of Science in Sport Management in 2008 and later on went on to earn his Master’s in Sports Management and Athletic Administration from Liberty University in 2014.
William Peace University Coaching Highlights
| Year |
Overall Record |
Conference Record |
Conference Finish |
Highlights |
| 2024 |
9-7-3 |
3-3-1 |
4th |
- USA South Conference Champions (First in school & program history)
- First ever NCAA Tournament Appearance
- 6 All-Tournament Team Members - 1 Tournament MVP
- Two Second Team All-Region Selections
- One First Team All-Conference Selection
- Two Second Team All-Conference Selections
- One USA South All-Sportsmanship Selection
- Three CSC Academic All-District Selections
|
2023
|
10-5-3 |
5-2 |
3rd |
- Third straight USA South semifinal appearance
- Third consecutive year with 10 or more wins
- Sixth straight winning conference record
- One Second Team All-Region Selection
- Two First Team All-Conference Selection
- Two Second Team All-Conference Selection
- One USA South All-Sportsmanship Selection
|
| 2022 |
10-4-4 |
5-1-1 |
2nd |
- USA South Conference Championship appearance
- One Second Team All-Region Selection
- Two Third Team All-Region Selections
- Swept USA South "Of The Year" Categories
- USA South Player of the Year (First in program history)
- USA South Rookie of the Year
- USA South Goalkeeper of the Year
- Six First Team All-Conference Selections
- One Second Team All-Conference Selection
|
| 2021 |
12-2-1 |
5-1-1 |
East Division Champions |
- USA South East Division Regular Season Champions
- First title win in program history
- First title win in school history for a men's program
- Most wins in the regular season (11)
- First USA South Goalkeeper of the Year award (Jacob Smith)
- Three First Team All-Conference Selections
- Six First Team East Division Selections
- Two First Team East Division Selections
|
| 2021 SPRING |
6-2-2 |
4-1-1 |
2nd in the East |
- First USA South East Division Championship appearance
- First Conference Tournament Championship win for a men's program in University history
- Three First Team East Division Selections
- Three Second Team East Division Selections
|
| 2019 |
9-7-2 |
7-5-1 |
3rd in the East |
- Best record in program history
- Second USA South Conference Tournament Appearance
- One First Team All-Conference Selection
- Two Third Team All-Conference Selections
|
| 2018 |
8-5-5 |
6-3-3 |
3rd in the East |
- First USA South Conference Tournament Appearance
- USA South Rookie of the Year
- Two First Team All-Conference Selections
- Two Second Team All-Conference Selections
- One Third Team All-Conference Selection
- Coach Huber Named USA South Coach of the Year
|
| 2017 |
6-12-1 |
2-8-1 |
6th in the East |
- Program's first All-Conference Selection
|
P
