Empire 8 Mourns the Loss of Doug May
April 22, 2004
From Nazareth Sports Information Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (April 21, 2004) -- The Nazareth College community is in mourning today following the death of longtime men's soccer coach Doug May. He was 54.
Renowned as an excellent tactician and defensive strategist, May coached at soccer Nazareth for the past eight seasons and led the Golden Flyers to a record of 8-5-3 and the co-championship of the Empire 8 Conference last fall. He coached the men’s soccer team at Rochester Institute of Technology for 16 seasons before that and built the Tigers into a perennial contender for the national championship. Under his guidance, RIT made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, four trips to the Final Four and one appearance in the Division III title game. His career record was 251-120-38 for 24 seasons.
“You can talk all you want about wins and losses, but Doug May’s life extended far beyond that,” said Nazareth Athletic Director Pete Bothner. “He had a unique way of breaking everything down into a philosophical lesson. He was undefeated in coaching life.”
A native of King Ferry, N.Y., May earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from SUNY Brockport and was a standout soccer player there in leading the Golden Eagles to three straight conference titles. He was co-captain of the 1970 team and led Brockport to the NCAA East Region title.
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of North Carolina, where he earned a master’s degree in arts and teaching. He had coaching stints at Wayne Central, New Lebanon High, Dean Junior College, and Eisenhower College before becoming head coach at RIT in 1980. His first team at RIT finished 3-10-2, but two years later the Tigers were 14-2-3 and competing in the NCAA Tournament.
RIT won a school-record 19 games under May’s direction in 1984, then 16 games in 1988, when RIT competed in the Division III title match, losing to UC-San Diego.
At Nazareth, May will be remembered for being more than a soccer coach. He was director of the college’s Wellness Program, a role he embraced with passion. He served as an unofficial mentor to many of the athletic staff’s younger coaches, often focusing on elements of the human spirit.
“He touched so many people that you can’t detail his life in just a sentence or two,” said Doug’s younger brother Jim May. “He made an impression on everyone – family, friends, and everyday people.”
May is survived by his mother, Maureen; brother, Jim; son, Kevin, 27; and daughters Kaitlin, 24; Erin, 22; and Meghan, 20.
Calling hours will be Sunday, April 25 from 1-5 p.m. at Bean and Sons Funeral Home, 2771 Chili Ave., Rochester. Funeral service will be Monday, April 26 at 10 a.m. at St. Pius X Church, 3000 Chili Ave., Rochester. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Doug May Memorial Fund, c/o Pete Bothner, Nazareth College, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, N.Y. 14618.