Dale White

Dale White

White begins his fourth season as the Gannon men's soccer head coach in 2018. He previously served in a dual position as an assistant coach for the University's women's soccer program during his first season in 2015.

White has wasted little time getting the Gannon men’s soccer program back to prominence, needing only three years to reach the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship match for the first time in program history last season. After a slow 0-4 start during a stretch that included three nationally-ranked opponents, the Golden Knights ripped off an eight-match unbeaten streak. Gannon eventually earned a PSAC Quarterfinal bye with a 4-2 victory at Millersville on the final day of the regular season and moved into the finals with a 2-0 shutout of the Marauders five days last in the conference semifinals at McConnell Family Stadium.

Gannon finished the 2017 campaign with 11 victories, reaching double digits in consecutive seasons for the first time since doing so in four straight years from 2005-08.

White returned to Gannon in 2015 and needed only two years to lead the Golden Knights to the postseason. Two years after assuming the reigns for a program that finished 5-11-1, White had Gannon ranked nationally and regionally throughout the 2016 campaign. The Golden Knights rose as high as 17th in NCAA Division II and second in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Atlantic regional rankings.

Gannon made its first postseason appearance since 2012 when it hosted a PSAC quarterfinal match against Millersville in 2016. The Golden Knights finished 11-6-1 overall and 7-3-1 in conference action. It represented the program's most victories since the 2012 squad went 13-6.

White has emphasized a combined effort on and off the field. Academically, Golden Knights have been named PSAC Scholar-Athletes 53 times and received the Division II Athletics Directors Association (ADA) Academic Achievement Award 18 times during his three years at the helm. His program produced the highest men’s soccer team grade point average (3.428) among PSAC programs last year after ranking third during each of his first two years. A two-time College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District II first-team selection and the 2017 PSAC Champion Scholar, Joshua Ott was named to the Academic All-America second team last year.

On the field, Golden Knights received conference player of the week honors 10 times last year and 22 times during the last two campaigns. White’s student-athletes have earned all-conference accolades 12 times, all-region honors five times and all-america accolades once during the last two years.

White came back to his alma mater in 2015 after a stellar five-year run as the head coach at Mercyhurst (Pa.) University. The Lakers qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament all five years, won the PSAC Tournament Championship twice (2012 and 2014) and captured three consecutive PSAC regular-season titles (2012-14). The program posted a 76-25-5 overall record and 35-11-3 conference mark under White's direction.

"Dale brings proven success and experience to our men's soccer program," said Gannon Director of Athletics Lisa Goddard McGuirk upon his hiring. "He is dedicated to excellence with an approach that is balanced and centered around the student-athlete experience. Those qualities are vital to a program's success. Dale will be a tremendous addition to our department and Gannon University."

White was a three-year starter for the Golden Knights from 1999-2001. The midfielder started all 28 matches he played in, but was limited throughout his collegiate career due to injuries. He led Gannon to a 13-6 record during his first season in 1999, helping the Golden Knights end the campaign with eight consecutive victories.

"I am thrilled to have this opportunity with my alma mater," said White upon his hiring. "I'm looking forward to working with the current group of student-athletes, coaches and administrators. It is an exciting time to be joining the University because of its strong vision and facility developments."

White led Mercyhurst to back-to-back NCAA Division II Atlantic Region championships in 2012 and 2013. The Lakers advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four for the first time in a decade during the 2012 season, before following up with an NCAA Division II Quarterfinal appearance in 2013.

Mercyhurst was consistently among the nation's best throughout White's five years as head coach. The Lakers finished ninth in the 2014 NSCAA Top 25 Poll after rising as high as seventh during the regular season. The program's highest national ranking was No. 4 during his first year at the helm in 2010.

White was named NSCAA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 2012 and selected as the 2014 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Coach of the Year after a season that included 15 consecutive victories.

Mercyhurst also excelled academically under White. The Lakers led all PSAC men's soccer programs with a 92-percent Academic Success Rate (ASR) in the 2010 freshman cohorts released in January of 2015. Forty-three Lakers were named PSAC Scholar-Athletes during his first four seasons as the men's soccer head coach.

White began his Mercyhurst career as an assistant coach for both the women's and men's soccer teams in 2003. He was elevated to the associate head coach for both programs in 2007, before assuming the head coaching reigns of the men's program in 2010.

White began the rebuilding process at Gannon during his first season in 2015. Following back-to-back losing seasons, White assumed the reigns and guided the Golden Knights to a 7-9 overall record during his first campaign. The squad won its last two regular-season matches and four of its last six.

A 2001 Gannon graduate with a bachelor's degree in advertising communications and minor in marketing, White played for the South Jersey Barons of the Professional Development League (PDL) prior to arriving at Mercyhurst. He currently holds an NSCAA National Soccer License. White resides in Erie with his wife Jennifer and children Juliana Lynn (17), Samuel Douglas (7), Kenna Rose (5) and Asa Alexander (3).

WHITE'S COACHING RESUME
Season Overall PSAC Postseason
2010 13-3-3 4-2-3 NCAA First Round
2011 10-8-0 4-5-0 NCAA First Round
2012 17-6-1 7-2-0 NCAA Semifinals
2013 17-5-1 10-1-0 NCAA Quarterfinals
2014 19-3-0 10-1-0 Atlantic Regional Final
2015 7-9 5-6
2016 11-6-1 7-3-1 PSAC Quarterfinals
2017 11-7-1 8-2-1 PSAC Runner-Up
Career 105-47-7 55-22-5   
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