Timotheos (Tim) Tsohantaridis, who previously coached the George Fox University men’s soccer team from 1986-89 and led the Bruins to a National Christian College Athletic Association national title in 1988, enters the fourth season of his second stint as the Bruins’ coach and eighth season overall in 2011. 

A Greek-born U.S. citizen, Tsohantaridis first came to George Fox in 1985 as an assistant coach for the men’s team under Paul Berry, then stepped in as the head coach the following season.  In four seasons, he led the Bruins to four NCCAA Region 8 appearances, region titles in 1986, 1987, and 1988, and to three national tournaments.  After going 2-1 in the NCCAA nationals in both 1986 and 1987, the 1988 team defeated LeTourneau and Cedarville in the national tournament, then knocked off Bartlesville Wesleyan 3-1 in the championship game.  He was selected as the 1988 NCCAA National Coach of the Year.

In 1989, Tsohantaridis and Manfred Tschan shared head coaching duties before Tschan took over the reins and guided the Bruins through the 2007 season.  After 19 seasons, Tschan retired to go into private business with Newberg-based Action Equipment Company and Tsohantaridis returned to the sidelines for the 2008 season.  His overall record at George Fox is now 57-67-9 (.462) after seven seasons. 

Tsohantaridis played for and first coached the men’s program at Barrington College in Rhode Island, where he was 7-6-1 in his only season in 1979.  He has coached both men’s and women’s teams at the high school level, with an 11-year record of 109-57-8, and has a club team coaching record of 25-7-2 in two years.  Coupled with a 64-73-10 (.469) record in eight college seasons, his cumulative coaching record is 198-137-20 (.586) in 21 years.  He has also played for three East Coast soccer clubs and the U.S. select team. 

In announcing the hiring of Tsohantaridis for a second time, George Fox director of athletics Craig Taylor said, “I am very excited that Tim has the opportunity to shape and lead the next era of Bruin soccer.  His soccer coaching background is obviously outstanding.  He is also highly respected as a classroom teacher.”

Tsohantaridis, a professor of Biblical studies at George Fox, was named the Undergraduate Professor of the Year, an award voted on by the student body, in 1995. From 1986-1990, he served as the George Fox chaplain.  An ordained minister in the Greek Evangelical Church, he moved to Massachusetts in 1990 to pastor the largest GEC congregation in the United States.  Upon his return to George Fox in 1993, he was the men’s assistant again for four seasons, and the women’s assistant coach for three. 

In returning to the coaching ranks, Tsohantaridis said, “2007 was the first time I was not involved in soccer in some capacity, but my passion for the game never left me.  I wanted to get back into coaching, which I see as a ministry, but I also wanted to continue teaching at George Fox.  God has opened up a door for me to fulfill both of my passions.” 

Tsohantaridis has a bachelor’s degree from Barrington (1977), a master’s degree from Ashland Theological Seminary (1985), and a Ph.D. from the University of Athens (2002).  He and his wife Valerie have two sons, Demetrius and Thaddeus. 

Coach Tsohantaridis’ Record

Honors

1988 - NCCAA National Coach of the Year

George Fox Milestones

1st win - 7-0 vs. Northwest, 10/4/1986

50th win - 5-2 vs. Western Baptist, 11/3/1989 

Career Milestones

1st win - 2-0 vs. Nichols, 1979

50th win - 1-0 (f) at Warner Pacific, 10/4/1989 

Tsohantaridis vs. All Opponents

Demetri Tsohantaridis joins his father Tim, head coach of the George Fox men's soccer team, for his second season as an assistant coach in 2009.

Tsohantaridis played two seasons of college soccer, at Gordon in 1998 and at George Fox in 1999, before injuries forced him out of the game.  He graduated from George Fox in 2002 with a degree in international business and economics, then earned a law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law in 2005.