It can be easy for most first-year head coaches to feel overwhelmed by what lies ahead, especially when you are expected to take over a program from a hall of fame coach.
However, second-year Cougar mentor Philip Wolf, a decorated college player and assistant coach at small college power Wheaton (Ill.) College, was anything but overwhelmed.
Wolf replaced Azusa Pacific Hall of Fame coach Don Lawrence, who retired from coaching in January of 2001 to become the director of Azusa Pacific's Yosemite Sierra Semester. After 16 seasons at the helm, Lawrence, who guided Azusa Pacific to the Golden State Athletic Conference title in 3 of the past 5 seasons, stepped away as the GSAC's all-time winningest coach, compiling a 180-105-18 record since 1985.
In Lawrence's place, Wolf inherited an Azusa Pacific team that graduated just 2 players from the 2000 squad that finished 17-2-1, won the GSAC crown and was ranked No. 2 in the final NAIA Coaches' Poll.
In his first season last year, Wolf led the Cougars to one of the finest seasons in school history. The Cougars finished 15-1-3, clinching a share of a second straight GSAC title and advancing to the NAIA Region II championship game—not too bad for a rookie.
Wolf came to Azusa Pacific after 5 seasons as an assistant at Wheaton, serving for legendary head coach Joe Bean. He was a key assistant on Wheaton's 1997 NCAA Division III national championship team and was on staff when the Thunder set an NCAA all-divisions record with 66 consecutive matches without a loss.
Azusa Pacific is Wolf's first opportunity as a head coach on the collegiate level. He did serve one season (1999) as head coach of the boys' soccer team at Wesleyan Academy in High Point, N.C.
As a player, Wolf was a 3-time NCAA Division III All-American at Wheaton, earning third-team recognition as a 1989 sophomore and first-team honors in 1990 and 1991. He led the Thunder to a combined 4-year record of 77-10-6, a mark that produced 4 conference titles and an appearance in the 1990 NCAA Division III Final Four. By the time he graduated he was the program's third all-time scorer with 135 career points (now fifth within a program that has produced 24 All-Americans and 2 NCAA championship teams).
Wolf went on to play 5 seasons of professional soccer, 3 campaigns of indoor play with the Dayton Dynamo (NPSL) and then on the outdoor circuit with the Charlotte Eagles (USL), Rockford Raptors (USL) and the Chicago Stingers (USL).
Phil prepped at Wheaton North High School and graduated from Wheaton College with a bachelor's degree in communications in 1992. He completed his master's degree in evangelism from Wheaton in May.
Phil's older brother, Dave Wolf, is the athletic director and men's soccer coach at GSAC rival Westmont College.
Phil is married to the former Melanie Culbreth. They have one son, Barrett (2) and one daughter, Maggie (born May 17, 2002).
