Willy Merrick

Biography

Willy Merrick is in his 19th year at Ohio Dominican University and 16th as Head Coach. He graduated from Marshall University in 1993, where he was a three-year letter winner in both soccer and football and was a member of the Division I-AA National Championship football team in 1992. Before joining ODU, Merrick spent seven years playing professional soccer with the Buffalo Blizzards, Columbus XOGGZ, Cincinnati Silverbacks, Lexington Bandits and Indiana Blast of the USISL. At the high school level, he spent five years as head varsity soccer coach at Thomas Worthington High School, leading the team to the 2001 State Championship, 2002 State Runner-Up, and earning a No. 6 ranking in the National Top 25 Boys High School Soccer poll. He was named Ohio Capital Conference Coach of the Year in 2000. At Ohio Dominican, Merrick has guided the Panthers to two NCAA Division II Tournament appearances (2013, 2021 fall) and won the 2013 NSCAA Division II Midwest Region Coach of the Year award. In 2013, his team won the GLIAC Championship and a school-record 12 consecutive matches. In 2021, ODU reached the G-MAC Tournament Championship game. Under his leadership, the program has produced 13 NCAA Division II All-Midwest Region performers, 45 All-Conference honorees, and 128 Academic All-Conference selections.