Liberty Athletics Mourns the Loss of Bill Bell

Liberty Athletics mourns the loss of former Head Men's Soccer Coach Bill Bell, who passed earlier this week at the age of 85 .

Bell was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011 for his coaching accomplishments.

One of four coaches to guide his program for 20 or more seasons in Liberty athletics history, Bell was integral in the men's soccer program's growth as it moved from the NCCAA to

NCAA Division I level competition and found conference affiliation in the Big South.

After 22 years playing professionally in England and Scotland, Bell, the longest-tenured coach in the men's soccer program history, led Liberty to winning seasons in 12 of his 21 years as its head coach. Liberty posted a winning record in eight of its 10 Big South Conference seasons with Bell at its helm, reaching three Big South Men's Soccer Championship games (1994, 1998, and 1999).

In 1985, he was named the South Atlantic Coach of the Year and was voted the Big South Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1999. During his tenure, he coached two All-Americans, 14 NSCAA South Atlantic All-Region players, Liberty's only Big South Men's Soccer Player of the Year and 22 Big South All-Conference players.

After retiring from Liberty in 2000, Bell returned to England and served as the Executive Director of Within the Walls, a prison ministry he started with his wife, Mary, in 1993.