Dr. Brian Crossman, a Covenant College professor of physical education who coached the Scots soccer team for 21 years, was inducted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame at the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship.
 
Crossman’s first year coaching at Covenant was also the sophomore year for Warren Smith ’87, a former Scots soccer team member. “While the team was young and inexperienced,” says Smith, “we were all immediately impressed with Brian’s knowledge of soccer and the passion he had in training us.  His fiery confidence instilled in us a desire to work hard.  By his third season at Covenant, he had us playing in the NAIA national soccer tournament.”
 
Smith makes it clear that Crossman’s influence reached far beyond the field. “As my coach and professor he stressed personal responsibility and character development.  He wanted me (and all of us on the team) to take seriously our call to be kingdom workers here on earth – and he took his responsibility seriously to train us to do just that.”
 
“I’m still thankful to Coach Crossman,” says Troy Duble ’93, vice president for advancement at Covenant, “for the training that ingrained into me a strong consistent work ethic and prepared my teammates and me, both physically and mentally, for whatever task God places in front of us.”
 
Crossman currently chairs the ethics committee for the National Soccer Coaches Association.
 
Covenant transitioned from the NAIA to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III in 2009.