TOM BONUS

Head Coach, Men's Soccer
Intramural and Club Sports Director
bonustp@lemoyne.edu
(315) 445-4713

Tom Bonus has guided the Le Moyne men's soccer program to unseen success since taking over the program before the 2000 season. In 11 seasons in charge of the Dolphins, Bonus has compiled a record of 130-67-21. Bonus, the 2004 Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, has posted 10 or more victories in eight of his ten seasons.

Last season, Bonus led the Dolphins to the greatest season in the history of the program. After finishing the regular season second in the Northeast-10 Conference standings, Le Moyne went on to win the Northeast-10 tournament for the second time in the last five years by defeating Southern Connecticut State at home, 2-1. After receiving a bye in the opening round of the NCAA East Regional, the host Dolphins knocked off Franklin Pierce for the third time in the year, 1-0. After battling to a 1-1 tie with Southern New Hampshire through 110 minutes in the NCAA Quarterfinals, the Dolphins defeated the Penmen, 3-2, in a shootout to advance to the NCAA Semifinals in Tampa, Fla. In the semifinals, the Dolphins had their season ended with an 8-2 loss to eventual National Champion Fort Lewis. A week and a half later, Bonus was named the 2009 NSCAA/MONDO East Region Coach of the Year. Two of Bonus' charges were recognized for their play with All-America honors. Junior Angelo Reina became the program's second First Team selection, while classmate Sean Lawlor was named to the Second Team.

In 2008, Bonus guided the Dolphins to their second consecutive NCAA tournament berth and third appearance in a four-year span. After advancing to the Northeast-10 Conference Championship game for the second time in four seasons, the Dolphins suffered a 1-0 setback at Southern New Hampshire. Bonus's charges then took on Franklin Pierce in the opening round of the NCAA tournament in Brookhaven, N.Y., but fell to the Ravens, 1-0, in double overtime. After dropping a 1-0 contest at Assumption on September 16, Bonus led the Dolphins to eight wins over the final ten games of the regular season to secure the fourth seed in the Northeast-10 tournament.

In 2007, Bonus returned his team to the NCAA tournament for the second time in a span of three seasons. The Dolphins earned a trip to the New England Regional, held in Rindge, N.H., after posting a regular-season record of 14-2-2, including a 9-2-2 mark in Northeast-10 competition. However, the Dolphins were shut out in the opening round by eventual National Champion Franklin Pierce, falling by a score of 5-0.

During the 2006 campaign, the Dolphins rebounded from a 1-2 start to the season by rattling off seven wins in eight contests, including five straight in late September. However, Le Moyne was winless over its last eight contests to finish the season at 8-8-3.

In 2005, Bonus led the Dolphins to a 14-6-2 mark, but more importantly guided Le Moyne to its first-ever Northeast-10 Conference Men's Soccer Championship and its first NCAA tournament trip. Le Moyne posted a program-record 11 shutouts and outscored its opposition 44-23 in its first conference championship season. The Dolphins rolled to their first Northeast-10 Conference Championship with a 2-0 quarterfinal win over American International, a 2-1 double overtime win over Bryant and a 1-0 title game win at Franklin Pierce. Four days after defeating the Ravens for the league crown, the Dolphins dropped their NCAA opener 5-0 to eventual NCAA runner-up Franklin Pierce.

Bonus guided the Dolphins to the precipice of the NCAA tournament with the program's winningest season in 2004. For his efforts, Bonus was named the 2004 Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year. He guided the Dolphins to an 11-1-1 league mark and the second seed in the conference playoffs. Le Moyne completed the season with a 17-2-1 overall record. The 2004 team saw its season come to an end with a 1-0 setback to UMass Lowell in the Northeast-10 Conference semifinals. Despite a ranking of No. 9 in the NSCAA/adidas national poll, Le Moyne was not selected for the NCAA tournament. The Dolphins set a new program record with 17 wins and won a program-record 15 consecutive contests in 2004. Le Moyne outscored the opposition 56-17 in 2004.

In 2003, the Dolphins went 10-7-2 overall and 8-4-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference. Bonus directed Le Moyne to a 5-0-2 home mark in 2003. In 2002, the Liverpool, N.Y. native led Le Moyne to back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the second time since soccer started on the Heights in 1955. The 10-8 Dolphins landed four student-athletes on the Northeast-10 all-conference team. In his second season, Bonus guided the Dolphins to a school-best nine wins in the Northeast-10 Conference. Under his tutelage, striker Francesco Riverso scored a program record 18 goals.

Prior to his hiring at Le Moyne, Bonus had been the assistant men's soccer coach at Hobart College for three seasons and served as the Director of Coaching and Player Development for the New York State West Olympic Development Program. In his first season at Le Moyne, Bonus led the Dolphins to a 6-9-1 overall mark. Bonus also serves as the Director of Intramurals and Club Sports at Le Moyne.

A former soccer standout at SUNY-Plattsburgh, Bonus boasts a wealth of coaching experience. Following graduation from Plattsburgh in 1993, Bonus served one season as the assistant men's soccer coach at his alma mater. Following his stint with the Cardinals, he coached Keuka College from 1994-97. As Keuka's head coach, Bonus led the Warriors to their first-ever winning season.

Bonus was an all-SUNYAC academic performer and starting center midfielder for the 1992 team that captured the SUNYAC regular season title and advanced to the final 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament, he was also named an NJCAA All-American. A graduate of nearby Liverpool High School, Bonus competed in the Empire State Games for the Central Region soccer team from 1990-92 and played with the Syracuse Blitz in the National Indoor Soccer Championship.

TRACEY LEIPOLD'95

Head Women's Soccer Coach
leipoltl@lemoyne.edu
(315) 445-4421

Director of Athletics Matt Bassett announced on July 31, 2009 the hiring of former Le Moyne College women’s soccer standout Tracey Leipold as head women’s soccer coach.

“I am very excited about returning to Le Moyne and leading the Dolphin soccer program to new heights,” said Leipold. “Le Moyne has so much to offer the student-athlete that I am anxious to begin this journey. I want to thank Matt for allowing me this opportunity.”

”Coach Leipold provides a fabulous background of Division I and Division II college soccer experience to our program,” said Bassett. ”The combination of Tracey's head coaching experience coupled with her days as a very successful student-athlete here at Le Moyne will help to ensure a seamless transition as we move forward.”

Leipold comes from Division I Coastal Carolina University where she has been an assistant for the last three seasons. During that time, Coastal Carolina as compiled a record of 41-18-4 with two regular season titles and two appearances in the Big South Championship game. Working primarily with the defense, Leipold helped guide the team to a program-record 12 shutouts in 2007.

Prior to CCU, Leipold spent four seasons as the Head Coach & Athletic Counselor at Lees-McRea College, a Division II member of the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference. In leading the program to a 41-31-7 overall record, Leipold also served the athletic department and student-athletes as an Athletic Counselor. Before joining the coaching staff as an assistant coach in 2000, she served as an Assistant Sports Information Director for four years.

As a four-year starter in goal from 1991-94, Leipold anchored a defense that guided the Dolphins to a 48-24-1 overall record. In setting a program record with 12 wins in 1992 and 1993, her four seasons on the ’Heights’ was the most successful period in program history. In her senior season, the Dolphins finished the season ranked seventh nationally.