Loyola Hall Of Fame Coach Bill Sento Passes Away
Via Loyola Athletics
BALTIMORE – Bill Sento, Loyola University Maryland's all-time winningest men's soccer coach, passed away Monday. Sento led the Greyhounds for 20 years and was inducted to the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
"We are saddened to learn of Bill's passing, and we will hold his wife, Audrey and children Terri and Bill, Jr., in our prayers along with the rest of his family," said
Donna M. Woodruff, Loyola's assistant vice president and director of athletics. "On the few occasions I had the chance to meet Coach Sento, I was struck by the deep love and affection he had for his players and they for him. His Loyola family will miss him dearly."
Sento compiled a record of 255-112-40 (.676) in his 20 seasons (1980-1999) at the helm of Loyola's program after taking over for another Hall of Fame coach, James Bullington, prior to the 1980 campaign.
He took over a team that had recently moved to the NCAA Division I level (1979), and by 1986, he had the Greyhounds playing in the final eight of the NCAA College Cup.
The 1986 Greyhounds went unbeaten through the regular-season and earned a bid to the NCAA College Cup for the first time at the Division I level. There, the Greyhounds defeated Virginia and George Mason in the first two rounds to claim the NCAA South Atlantic Region title before they had a 2-1 setback in the quarterfinal round against Duke.
A year later, Loyola opened the season ranked No. 1 in the nation before going 1-3-1 in its first four contests. Sento's team rallied, however, going unbeaten in 15 matches, including winning its last 11 of the regular-season. In NCAA play, Loyola scored home-field victories over William & Mary and Virginia to advance to the quarterfinal round for the second season in row; there, the season came to an end with a 1-0 loss to North Carolina.
"Coach Sento took this program to levels it had never been to before at the Division I level, and in the process, he changed so many people's lives in both soccer and the real world," said current Loyola Head Coach
Steve Nichols, a 1992 graduate of Loyola who played for Sento from 1989-91. "As tough as he was, he had an incredible heart and cared deeply for you on and off the field.
"One of the main reasons I came back here to Loyola was because of him. I wanted to fulfill what he had started. When I wake up, I look at myself in the mirror, and what motivates me to do my job is to get the program back to where he had it at No. 1 in the nation and in the final eight. The way I act today is a reflection of him; as a program, we stand for what Bill Sento stood for, and that is who we are today."
Sento coached the Greyhounds to five ECAC Metro Conference – the precursor to the Northeast Conference – titles and an ECAC South Atlantic crown in 1981. After Loyola joined the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), Sento and the Greyhounds continued their excellence, winning eight-straight league titles from 1989-96.
His 1993 team reached the NCAA College Cup for the first time since 1987, and he then guided the 1994-96 teams to NCAA Play-In Game appearances.
"Today is a sad day for the Loyola community, as well as the soccer and athletic families," said Joe Koziol '89. "Coach Sento was instrumental in the soccer program's transition to the Division I level as evidenced by his immediate impact and success. His former players continue to honor his legacy as shown by their success in the business world, academic and athletic communities. It was an honor and privilege to have been associated with Coach Bill and his life-long lessons will never be forgotten. The world became a better place because of our coach. He will be truly missed, and his legacy will live on. Our thoughts go out to his wife Audrey, daughter Terri, son Billy and all his grandchildren."
Sento was a two-time ECAC Metro Coach of the Year before winning the honor four times in the MAAC.
He coached players who earned a total of six National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-America honors: Craig Callinan (1983, third team), Stan 'Stas' Koziol (1986 and 1987, second team), Joe Koziol (1988, third team) and Zach Thornton (1993, first team; 1994, third team). Jeff Nattans was also a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American for the program in 1988 and 1989, the first player in program history to earn the honor.
Additionally, more than 30 of his players went on to play soccer professionally.
"Coach Sento was always teaching, not only soccer, but for everyday life," said Nattans, a 1989 Loyola graduate. "You want people who care deeply and believe in you, as well as someone who will challenge and inspire you. He inspired us to be our best in soccer and life, and he continues to have a tremendous impact on people he coached even today. We are all grateful for the lessons we learned from his coaching and the legacy he built."
Sento came to Loyola in December 1979 after putting together an 82-8 record as a coach at nearby Loch Raven High School in Baltimore County. There, he helped the Raiders win three Maryland State titles and as many county championships. He sent 28 players to play at the collegiate level while also helping develop two All-Americans, eight All-South Team honorees and a foreign tour team player.
The native of Western Pennsylvania, Sento was a schoolboy standout at Donora High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. He went on to play collegiate football at San Diego State for two years before returning to his home state to play at California (Pa.).
He graduated from California with a Bachelor of Science in education before earning his Master of Science in guidance counseling from Western Maryland (now McDaniel). Prior to joining Loyola's athletic department, he was a guidance counselor in the Baltimore County Public Schools system in addition to his coaching duties.
Sento, who was 80 at the time of his passing, moved to Southern Maryland after leaving Loyola, is survived by his wife, Audrey and his two children, Terri (Cox) and William Jr., respectively 1988 and 1991 graduates of Loyola.
Memorial service information will be released when it is available.