By WJBC Staff
BLOOMINGTON – Anthony “Tony” Dulak, who has been an associate head coach for the Lynchburg College women’s soccer program, has been chosen to be the next head women’s soccer coach at Illinois Wesleyan University.
“During the past seven seasons, Tony has played an integral role helping lead the women’s soccer program at Lynchburg College, a consistent national power, and he has all of the attributes necessary to lead the Illinois Wesleyan women’s soccer program to the same consistent level of success,” said IWU athletic director Mike Wagner.
Dulak replaces Dave Barrett, who left Illinois Wesleyan in January after 17 seasons for a women’s soccer head coaching job at Division I Fairfield University (Conn.).
“The search committee was very impressed with his attention to detail, core value system, and desire for players to be highly successful both on and off the field,” added Wagner. “He has a tremendously high ceiling, and we are thrilled he will be joining our Titan family.”
“I’m extremely excited for me and my family to become part of the Illinois Wesleyan community,” said Dulak. “I’d like to thank Mike Wagner, Provost Mark Brodl, and the search committee for selecting me to build upon Illinois Wesleyan’s tradition of success in women’s soccer.”
In his seven seasons at Lynchburg, the Hornets were in the NCAA Division III tournament every year and captured a national championship in 2014 with a team that finished with a 27-0-1 record and defeated Illinois Wesleyan in the semifinals of the national tourney.
During his tenure, Lynchburg won six Old Dominion Athletic Conference championships and achieved an overall record of 144-15-11 and a conference record of 68-3-7.
“My goal in leading Illinois Wesleyan through the next chapter of the program’s history is to improve upon the program’s success, by integrating new ideas and philosophies into a strong foundation laid down over the last 24 years by alumni and coaches,” Dulak said. “As we move into the 25th year of the program, I look forward to creating a new environment to empower young women, while honoring the traditions and legacies that already exist.”
At Lynchburg, Dulak was responsible for assisting in all facets of the program, including the recruiting, designing individual player development sessions, practice planning and coaching, scouting, ensuring student-athlete well-being, monitoring academic progress of student-athletes, and administrative duties, including arranging travel, fostering family and alumni relations, and fundraising.
Additionally, he was responsible for directing the program’s summer and overnight camps and showcase events, including the College Showcase that brought more than 1,300 prospective student-athletes to campus.
Dulak assisted in the development of one NSCAA National Player of the Year, nine All-Americans, four Academic All-Americans, 24 All-Region Selections, 31 All-State Selections, including two All-State Rookie of the Year and five All-State Player of the Year. Additionally, the program has had 48 All-ODAC selections, which includes two Rookie of the Year and four Player of the Year awards.
A 2011 graduate of Lynchburg with a bachelor’s degree in international relations with a concentration in African studies and a minor in economics, Dulak earned a master’s degree in educational leadership in 2014. As a senior, he was recognized as the school’s recipient of the 2011 Leadership Award, because of his commitment to improving the student experience as a Connection Leader and Enrollment Student Ambassador.
During his four years as a player at Lynchburg, Dulak helped the Hornets earn back-to-back ODAC championships and NCAA tournament appearances in 2009 and 2010. The program won its first-ever NCAA tournament victory in 2009 and made an appearance in the Division III national championship match against Messiah College in 2010. Dulak is a multiple All-ODAC Academic honoree and a multiple dean’s list and athletic director’s honor roll member.
Dulak was selected as a United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 member for the 2017-18 season. Launched in 2013, the United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 Program is a year-long education and mentorship opportunity for 30 up-and-comers who have made soccer coaching their career of choice.
Dulak went on mission trips with Sports Outreach Institute to Uganda and Kenya. He assisted in the implementation of a coaching and health curriculum and lead coaching seminars to train youth coaches in Gulu, Uganda and Nairobi, Kenya on modern youth soccer coaching methodologies that would enable coaches to impact their communities on and off the field.
Dulak and his wife, Michelle, are the parents of a daughter (Ashby).
A native of Fort Carson, Colo., Dulak grew up in an Army family and played youth soccer in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Frankfurt, Germany (Rot-Weiss Waldorf); Kansas City, Mo. (Kansas City Pace); and Dumfries, Va., where he finished his youth soccer career playing for Prince William Soccer, Inc. (PWSI), Team America Premier, and Mid-Country Soccer in the National Capitol Soccer League. He played four years of soccer at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Va.
Dulak has worked summer soccer camps for the University of Virginia, coached high school soccer at Rustburg High School and at E.C. Glass High School, and worked with the Central Virginia United Youth Academy in 2012. Dulak has earned the United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) National Diploma, Advanced National Diploma, and Premier Diploma, along with the USSF Youth National License and United Soccer Coaches Level II Goalkeeper Diploma.
