chardin@marian.edu	317.955.6117

 

INDIANAPOLIS - Chad Hardin has been named head men's soccer coach at Marian University, Director of Athletics Joe Haklin announced on Tuesday. Hardin becomes the program's fourth head coach after spending the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the Knights' women's soccer program.

"We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Chad Hardin as the head coach of the Marian University men's soccer program," said Haklin. "Chad brings a wealth of coaching experience and a thorough knowledge of the soccer recruiting scene throughout Indiana and beyond. Over the past four years, he has helped build Marian University women's soccer into a two-time conference champion and we feel Chad is well-suited to continue that surge for soccer on the Marian campus. We are excited to begin a new era of excellence under his leadership."

Hardin, who was named head men's and women's bowling coach in June, has spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach and has been an integral part of the success of Marian University women's soccer over the past two years. During his tenure, the Knights won their first-ever Mid-Central College Conference regular season championship in 2008 with its best-ever record of 16-1-2. After graduating 11 seniors, the Knights reloaded and had an even more impressive 17-2-1 campaign en route to the 2009 MCC regular season title. Hardin has worked with the 2008 MCC Offensive Player of the Year and the 2009 MCC Player of the Year as well as numerous All-Conference selections, NAIA Scholar Athletes, and NAIA All-America honorable mention players.

"I am excited and enthusiastic about this opportunity to continue to coaching in the Marian University community," said Hardin. "It is a good fit for me personally and professionally. I really have to thank the administration for this wonderful opportunity. Marian University is a great academic institution and it is both flattering and an honor to be named the new head men's soccer coach."

During his time as assistant coach, the program has been on a consistent upswing with a record of 54-17-4 since 2006 and a 45-8-4 record since 2007. While winning two conference titles, the Knights have been 14-1-1 in MCC play in the last two seasons and 19-11-2 since Hardin became a part of the program. The defense has also improved during his tenure as the Knights set a school record for shutouts (12) in 2008 and increased that school-record total to 15 in 2009.

Hardin brings more than 25 years of playing experience and eight years of coaching experience. In addition to the four years at Marian University, where he also served as the Physical Education Center supervisor, he spent five years at Plainfield High School where he was the boy's varsity assistant coach and junior varsity head coach. During his tenure with the Quakers, they combined for a 47-11-4 record in his five years and were county, sectional, regional, and semi-state participants in 2002 and 2004. The Quakers were ranked as high as eighth in the state in 2002 and fifth in 2004. In every season during his tenure the Quakers won the conference championship. He was also instrumental in producing 13 collegiate soccer players during his tenure.

In the fall of 2003, Hardin served as head coach of the Westside United '94 club team that won the league title with a 7-1-2 record. He was integral in the development of players that eventually won the Indiana State Cup title. That same spring, Hardin served as the head coach of the Fury Rampage '93 club team that won the league title with an 8-1-1 overall record and it was the first time the team had finished over .500 in its history.

He inherits a program that finished the season with a 3-14-1 and earned a trip to the MCC Tournament where they fell to No. 1-seeded Bethel College. However, since winning the 2005 MCC Tournament title the Knights are 28-39-5 over the last four seasons. Coach Hardin has been charged with bringing the Knights back to the level of the 2005 title-winning team.

"I am looking forward to working with the returning players and the rest of the staff on a daily basis," Hardin added. "We are going to work hard to get the program back to a level where we are competing for championships again. We are going to hit the recruiting trail hard and bring in players who will raise our level of play and complement the players that are returning. My overall goal is to develop each student-athlete for life after soccer and have our team be successful and competitive at the same time."

Hardin earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Marian University in 2003 and a bachelor of science in Kinesiology in 2000 from Indiana University-Bloomington. He resides in Indianapolis.

Ajay Silva is entering his first season as an assistant coach at Marian University. Silva has been coaching soccer at different levels for more than 15 years.

He serves as Director of Player Development at the Indianapolis Rangers Football Club and is part of the Indiana Olympic Development Program coaching staff. Prior to serving in these capacities, Silva was the director of coaching and a coach for the Westside United Football Club from 2005-07. He was also an assistant coach at Center Grove High School during the 2006 season.

From 2000-02 Silva served as an assitant with the Center Grove Soccer Club, Perry Meridian High School, South Central Select Soccer Club, and the Junior Hoosier Football Club.

Prior to his time in Indiana, Silva was a coach with the San Diego Aresenal Soccer Club and a coach for the San Diego Flash from 1996-99.

He resides, with his wife, in Indianapolis.