The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Soccer Mourns Loss of Former All-American Shaun Pendleton
September 08 | Men's Soccer
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's soccer program lost one of its own Tuesday with the passing of two-time All-American Shaun Pendleton.
Pendleton, who played at UA from 1983-85, was found dead in his home at the age of 49.
"It is a sad time for the The University of Akron soccer family," said UA head coach Caleb Porter. "Shaun Pendleton was a tremendous player at Akron and in the pros and has been a great teacher and ambassador of the game for over 20 years. Our hearts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time."
To honor the memory of Pendleton, the UA men's soccer team will wear black armbands for their match against New Mexico on Sept. 16, which will be broadcast on FOX Soccer Channel.
Pendleton was in his fourth season as the head coach at Appalachian State, where he compiled a 27-26-4 overall record in his three-plus campaigns and led the Mountaineers to second-place finishes in the Southern Conference in 2008 and 2010.
Prior to his arrival at Appalachian, he spent 17 seasons as the head coach at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., leading the Knights to a pair of national championships — at the NCAA Division II level in 2003 and in the NAIA ranks in 1991. With a 347-79-18 career record, his .802 winning percentage remains the highest in Division II history (for coaches with a minimum of 10 D-II seasons).
The native of Sheffield, England, earned bachelor's and master's degrees from UA in 1985. He garnered All-American status as a defender with the Zips in both 1984 and 1985 after transferring from UNC-Charlotte as a sophomore in 1982.
During Pendleton's time at UA, the Zips posted an overall record of 41-12-8 (.738), captured three consecutive Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association (OCSA) titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament each season. During that run, Akron registered 34 shutouts in 61 contests.
Following his Akron career, Pendleton went on to play four seasons in the American Indoor Soccer Association, setting a league record by appearing in 177-consecutive matches.
