Jacksonville University dips to the Space Coast to hire Ryan Moon as women's soccer coach

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville University has gone to the Space Coast to hire Ryan Moon as its women's soccer coach, making him the fourth in seven years at a program that has fallen on hard times in the last decade after eight winning seasons and three ASUN Championships in its first 14 years.

Moon played and coached at Florida Tech in Melbourne, and during the last three seasons as the Panthers' coach, compiled a 35-12-15 record and reached the NCAA Division II Final Four in the 2023 season with a 17-3-3 record.

Florida Tech beat four seeded teams in the NCAA Tournament, including No. 2 Lee University (Tenn.) in the second round and top seed Leonoir-Rhyne (N.C.) in the national quarterfinals.

JU AD said Moon was targeted early

JU athletic director Alex Ricker-Gilbert said a nationwide search was conducted but Moon was always on their radar.

"Throughout the search, we kept coming back to Ryan as our choice," Ricker-Gilbert said in a statement. "He is going to build meaningful relationships with our student-athletes and will embrace our university. Coach Moon is a proven winner with Florida roots who will be a great culture fit for our department. I'm proud of the search committee for their efforts, and I look forward to the future of the women's soccer program here at JU."

Moon understands he has a big task ahead.

"I am grateful to Alex Ricker-Gilbert and the entire search committee for placing their trust in me to lead the women's soccer program here at Jacksonville University," Moon said in his statement. "I am eager to work collaboratively with the players, staff, alumni and community to build a competitive and inspiring soccer program."

Moon called leaving Florida Tech 'bittersweet'

Moon said he did not take the decision lightly to leave Melbourne. A native of Bideford, England, Moon was the team's top defender from 2008-2010, starting 42 of 43 games and serving as the team captain his last two years. He scored two game-winning goals as a senior and was All-Sunshine State Conference.

"It is bittersweet saying goodbye to Florida Tech," Moon said. "I have been extremely lucky to have played with, coached and worked with a lot of fantastic people throughout my time as a Panther, and to that, I will always be grateful. My family and I look forward to the challenges and triumphs ahead as we embark on this new chapter."

Florida Tech athletic director Jamie Joss lauded Moon as a "beloved and dedicated coach."

"Ryan has accepted an incredible opportunity to coach at the NCAA Division I level," Joss said in a statement. "We are incredibly proud of his accomplishments and the impact he has made on our programs. We will miss his passion, dedication and leadership, but we wish him the best of luck in this new chapter of his coaching career."

Moon has played and coached in two Florida Tech programs

Before coaching the Florida Tech women's team, Moon was on the staff of the men's team from 2011-2019 and was the associate head coach his last two seasons. He also coached the Satellite High boys team, and the Scorpions went 12-8-1 and won the District 7-2A championship in 2012-13. Moon was named by the T-U's sister paper, FLORIDA TODAY, as Boys Soccer Coach of the Year, and he also was named FACA Coach of the Year.

Moon was the captain for three years on the Wales National Youth team and also played with Plymouth Argyle, Cambridge United, and Boston United.

He holds an FA Level 3 Coaching License (UEFA B), USSF National C License, and USSF National B License. Notably, he was honored with the Bob McNulty Award for his exemplary representation of coaching and its crucial role in the development of young people.

Moon has a master's degree in business administration at Florida Tech.

Dolphins fortunes have sagged

Moon has a formidable task ahead of him. While JU has won ASUN titles in recent years in women's basketball, track and field and lacrosse, soccer has experienced the least success over the course of nearly a decade. Jacksonville's last ASUN title in women's soccer was in 2013.

JU and former coach John Constable mutually agreed to part ways on Oct. 31 after four seasons and a 17-34-1 record. The Dolphins were 3-11-4 overall and 1-8-2 in the ASUN in 2023 and failed to qualify for the conference tournament.

The Dolphins have not won more than seven games in one season since going 10-8-1 in 2014 under Brian Copham. Since then, JU has gone 33-91-21 overall (.245) and 16-46-10 in the ASUN (.222).

The JU roster listed 35 underclassmen on this year's team, 19 of them freshmen.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ryan Moon hired as new Jacksonville University women's soccer coach