Former Wheaton College soccer coach Joe Bean dies; won 607 games, two national championships
Former Wheaton College head men's soccer coach Joe Bean died Thursday, the school announced.
Bean, born in 1939, retired as Wheaton's men's soccer coach at the conclusion of Wheaton's 2006 NCAA Division III runner-up season. He served as Wheaton's head men's soccer coach for 37 seasons (1969-2006) and spent 45 seasons as a collegiate head men's soccer coach, also serving at Quinnipiac and Bridgeport. In his time at Wheaton, he served in many roles, including professor of physical education, director of admissions, head men's golf coach, assistant baseball coach and others.
"I have known Coach Joe Bean for as long as I can remember, going back to when I was 5 years old,“ Wheaton College President Philip Ryken said. ”He has always had an encouraging word for me. And no one has better embodied our vision for Wheaton College Athletics: spiritual formation in an environment of competitive excellence."
Joe Bean was the winningest men's soccer coach in collegiate soccer history at the time of his retirement in 2006, winning 607 matches in 45 years with a record of 607-185-61 (74.7%). Today his mark is the second-highest win total in Division III men's soccer history and is third in all of collegiate men's soccer.
"Coach Bean was one of the all-time great college soccer coaches. His coaching resume speaks for itself," said Wheaton Director of Athletics Mike Schauer. "But he was also one of the best men I have ever known. I enjoyed every opportunity I got to be around him. He will be deeply missed."
His Wheaton teams made 32 postseason appearances with a record of 44-26-3 (62.3% winning percentage). Bean guided his squads to five NCAA Division III Final Four appearances, with national championships in 1984 and 1997. His 1999 and 2006 teams were both the Division III National runner-up and Wheaton's 1990 team was also a national semifinalist.
"Joe was more than a coach, and it is a testament to him with how many people that have reached out in the last few hours to the family and his friends,“ current Wheaton men's soccer coach Steve McCrath, a longtime friend of coach Bean and the Bean family, said. ”In many cases it has been people that did not know Joe, but they know the way that he impacted my life and other peoples' lives in a positive way and because he was so special. That was Joe — he was reaching people that did not know him well." McCrath adds, "I will miss him. My heart has a gaping hole today."
The soccer field/facility at Wheaton was named Joe Bean Stadium in 2006.
Coach Bean is survived by his wife, Shirley. The couple has four children: Laurie (Narup), Pam (Thonn), JT and TJ, in addition to numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.