Prominent longtime Macalester College soccer coach John Leaney retired from coaching at the conclusion of the 2009 season and remains on the Macalester athletic staff as the department's Recruiting Coordinator.
Coach Leaney came to Macalester as head men’s soccer coach in 1986 and two years later also took control of the women’s program, which went on to win the NCAA Division III national championship in 1998 and finish second the following year. He gave up his men’s coaching duties to concentrate on the women’s team in 2006.
Leaney’s men’s and women’s teams at Macalester were usually among the top teams in the conference and regular participants in the NCAA playoffs. He guided his teams to 17 MIAC championships and 22 national playoff berths, while coaching 19 All-Americans and an MIAC Player of the Year 14 times.
