Bud Lewis

Leon "Bud" Lewis (born January 29, 1953) is an American former professional soccer player and coach. Known for his versatility on the field as a midfielder and forward, Lewis represented the Cincinnati Comets in the American Soccer League and the Buffalo Blazers in the Canadian National Soccer League in the mid-1970s. After retiring as a player, he served as the head coach for the men's soccer team at Wilmington College between 1975 and 2017.

Playing career

Early career

High school Lewis, a native of Penfield, New York, began his competitive soccer career at Penfield High School in 1967. A four-year letter winner with the Bowling Green Falcons men's soccer team, he was named an NSCAA All-American in 1974. Lewis' contributions to the Bowling Green Falcons soccer team were recognized in 2000 when he was inducted into the Bowling Green State University Athletic Hall of Fame. After only one season with the Comets, he joined the Buffalo Blazers of the Canadian National Soccer League in 1976. In 1977, he was part of the Blazers team that played a friendly against the Serie A team Lazio at the War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo, New York. Lewis started as a forward in a 1–6 loss. In 1977, he became the full-time head coach for the team, known as the Fightin' Quakers. In 2004, Lewis was awarded the Bill Jeffrey Award for reaching more than 400 victories and for his services to the NSCAA's All-America program. In 2021, Lewis was inducted into the Wilmington College Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his coaching achievements.

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Honors

Player Penfield High School

New York State Section V Boys' Soccer: 1970

Individual

National High School All-American: 1970 NSCAA All-Region (Midwest): 1974 1992, 1993, 2004 NSCAA Mideast Coach of the Year: 6 times 2017 Bill Jeffrey Award: 2004 Wilmington College Athletic Hall of Fame: 2021 Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association (OCSA) Hall of Fame: 2024