Roy Gurnon begins his fourth season as an assistant coach with the Nichols College women’s soccer program in 2020.
In 2019, the Bison posted their highest win total in nearly a decade (10) and posted the second-most shutouts in program history with seven. They ripped off a seven-match win streak – the third-longest in program history – and three student-athletes were named to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Academic All-Conference Team.
In his first season as an assistant coach in 2017, the Bison improved on their win total from a year ago and saw nine student-athletes named to the CCC Academic All-Conference Team. The team more than doubled its offensive output under Gurnon and increased its conference winning percentage by nearly a full point. In 2018, the Bison lowered their goals against average and saw seven student-athletes named to the CCC Academic All-Conference Team. Additionally, Maddie Clark garner CCC Third Team honors.
Gurnon has served as the head coach of the boys varsity team at Ellington High School since 1987, coaching the program to the state tournament in 25 of his 30 seasons at the helm, winning three Class M State Championships (2007, 2008, 2014). Gurnon has also been an assistant coach for the Eagle Elite Premier Soccer Club U-17-18 Girls Team (2002-04) and the New England Mutiny of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), and the head coach of the Mutiny from 2013-14. He is currently the head coach of the Northeast United Premier Soccer Club U-18 Boys and U-15 Girls. The father of head coach Karen Gurnon, he was an assistant coach for the Newbury College women’s soccer team last fall.
Gurnon – whose teams at Ellington captured the North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) Championship in 1994, 2003, 2007, and 2008 – has been named the NCCC Coach of the Year seven times and the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2014. Additionally, Gurnon was the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and an Adidas Connecticut Small School Coach of the Year Finalist in 2005. His teams at Ellington H.S. received the NSCAA High School Team Academic Award every year from 2010-15, and he was named a National Coach of the Year Finalist by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 2009.
A 1979 graduate of the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Horticulture, Gurnon later earned his Masters of Science from Central Connecticut State University in 1994. He has been a member of the Central Connecticut Officials Association since 1983, the National Soccer Coaches Association since 1993, and the Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association since 1988.
