John Dempster was named Manor College Director of Athletics in January, 2017.  He is also been the Blue Jays Men’s Soccer Head Coach since 2010.

Since Dempster was named Director of Athletics, Manor has added seven varsity programs (Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field, and Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field).  Women’s Soccer was reinstated in 2017 after a three-season absence. 

Under Dempster’s leadership, Manor was accepted into the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) in July, 2020, competing in eight sports (Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, and Women’s Volleyball).  The remaining sports (Men’s and Women’s Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field) will compete independently.  The Blue Jays also joined with the Bucks County Community College Centurions, Central Pennsylvania College Knights, and Williamson College of the Trades in forming the Eastern States Athletic Conference (ESAC) in the Fall, 2021. The Christdendom College Crusaders (Virginia) was added in the Summer, 2023.

Academically, fifty-seven different Manor Student-Athletes were named to the USCAA, Eastern Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (EPAC), and ESAC All-Academic Teams since he was named Director of Athletics in January, 2017.

Two Blue Jay Student-Athletes, Neysha Medina (2023) and William Rodebaugh (2019) received Manor College's Mother Josephat Medal since 2018.  Remy Bou gave the the 2022 Commencement Address, representing those receiving Associate's Degrees.  Rodebaugh gave the 2021 Commencement Address, representing those receiving Bachelor's Degrees.  Thomas Hipwell gave the Valedictorian Address at the 2017 Commencement. He also received the 2017 Mother Josephat Medal.

As Manor’s Men’s Soccer Head Coach, Dempster has coached 205 overall matches at the USCAA Division I and National Juinor College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I and III levels (including 82 in NJCAA Region XIX and 18 in ESAC action). He has won 100 career matches.  Dempster posted a 22-17-3 overall record in USCAA Divsion I (including 11-6-1 in ESAC action).  He has a 44-22-4 overall record in NJCAA Division III (33-19-4 in Region XIX Division III and 23-1-0 in the EPAC).  Including his NJCAA Assistant Coaching experience, Dempster has coached 231 overall matches (including 107 in NJCAA Region XIX play) for the Blue Jays. 

Altogether, sixteen of his soccer players went on to the NCAA since he was promoted to Head Coach in 2010.  Dempster has coached a NJCAA Region XIX Division III Player of The Year (Mark Colville in 2012). Nine of his players have been voted to the All-ESAC Team since 2022. Nine of his players were voted All-Region XIX Division I and three voted to the Division III squad (2010-2019).  Eight of his players were voted to the All-EPAC Division III team (2012-2013). Dempster has coached an ESAC Player of the Year (Eddie Fortescue, Jr in 2023). He has coached an EPAC Division I (Emmanuel Caire in 2017) and Division III (Colville in 2012 and 2013) Players of The Year.  Four of his players were named to the USCAA Division I Men's Soccer All-Academic Team since 2021. Eight of his players were named to the EPAC Fall Semester All-Academic Team (2017-2019).  Five of his players have been voted All-Americans (Fortescue Jr in 2023, Fortescue Jr and Aiden Holman in 2022, Rolph Miot and Jonathan Ventura-Garcia in 2021, and Colville in 2012 and 2013). 

Dempster was on the NJCAA Region XIX Soccer Committee, serving as an EPAC Division I Representative from 2016 to 2020.

He has served as the emcee for Manor’s Annual Student-Athlete Awards since 2017. 

Manor College Awards/Honors: Dempster won the Manor College Coach of The Year at the 2023 Athletics Awards Ceremony.  He also received an award at the Manor College 2020 Employee Service Awards Ceremony for his 20 years of dedicated service.

Coaching Awards/Honors: He was voted 2012 and 2013 EPAC Division III Coach of The Year and shared the 2007 Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (EPCC) Coach of The Year.

2023: Manor finished 7-7-2 overall (4-3-0 ESAC) and won the ESAC Postseason Championship in a 4-3 second-half comeback win at Central Pennsylvania College on October 28. The win was Dempster's 100th career head coaching win at Manor. This was also his first postseason conference championship as head coach and his first conference championship of any kind since winning the 2012 and 2013 regular season EPAC titles. They were 0.500 at home (3-3-1).  This was third straight season that the Blue Jays had a 0.500 or better win-loss record at home.  Manor was also 0.500 on the road (4-4-1).  This was the second straight season they had a 0.500 or better win-loss record at home.  The Blue Jays' match at Pennsylvania State University-Mont Alto on October 16 was Dempster's 200th as Manor's head coach.  They finished the season, winning six of its last eight matches.

The Blue Jays finished in the top-half (out of 16 schools) in USCAA Division I in the following categories: overall shots (396) and per match (24.8 in 16), goals for (27) (tied for fourth), assists (23) (third), points (77) (third), corner kicks (91) (third), fewest goals allowed (29) (tied for eighth), goal against average (1.81) (29 in 1440:00) (seventh), saves (119) (second), and total shutouts (eighth).  Individually, Fortescue Jr led USCAA Division I with 82 overall shots.

Forstescue Jr (senior forward) was voted USCAA Division I First-Team All-American for the second straight season and named to the All-Academic Team for the third straight season.  He was named USCAA Division I Men's Soccer Player of the Week (October 24-October 30).  Raphael Sobiac (freshman goalkeeper) was named USCAA Division I Men's Soccer Goalie of the Week (October 10-October 16).

Fortescue Jr, Holman, and sophomore goalkeeper/forward Jacob Torres were named to the USCAA Division I Men's Soccer All-Academic Team.

Junior midfielder Abubakarr Bangura, sophomore forward/defenseman Kounda Doucoure and seniors Gabriel Elliott (defenseman) and Fortescue Jr were selected to the All-ESAC First Team. Junior defenseman Maximo Chavez and freshmen Adan Crispin-Morales (midfielder) and Lucas Dolchanczyk (defenseman) were selected to the second. 

Bangura, Fortescue Jr, Holman, sophomore defenseman Wayne Nembhard, and Torres were named to the ESAC Fall Semester All-Academic Team.

2022: The Blue Jays finished 10-5-1 overall (4-1-1 ESAC) and qualified in the USCAA Division I National Championship Tournament for the first time and competed as the sixth seed.  Manor also competed in the inagurial ESAC Championship at Bucks County Community College.  They finished unbeaten at home (7-0-1) for the first time since the 2013 season when they were in the NJCAA.

Manor finished in the top-half (out of 12 schools) in USCAA Division I in the following categories: overall shots (308) and per match (20.5 in 15) (first), goals for (42) (sixth) and per match (2.80) (42 in 15) (fifth), assists (38) (tied for first), points (122) (fourth), corner kicks (76) (fourth), and saves (114) (fourth).  Individually, Fortescue Jr led USCAA Division I in goals (18) and points (44).

Fortescue Jr (junior midfielder) was voted USCAA Division I First-Team All-American and named to the All-Academic Team.  He also twice won USCAA Division I Men's Soccer Player of the Week (September 20-26 and October 25-31).  Holman (freshman goalkeeper) was voted USCAA Division I Second-Team All-American.  

Fortescue Jr., Mamadou Ba (sophomore defenseman), and John Levy (junior midfielder) were voted to the inaugural All-ESAC First Team. Bangura, junior midfielder Keith Donofrio, Fortescue Jr., Holman, and freshman forward Michael Varallo were named to the ESAC Fall 2022 All-Academic Team.

2021: Manor finished 5-5-0 overall (2-2-0 ESAC) in its first year in USCAA Division I competition.  The Blue Jays won in its USCAA debut, defeating Pennsylvania State University-Hazelton, 6-1.  They finished with its first above-0.500 home won-loss record (4-3-0) since 2018 (4-2-0). 

The Blue Jays finished in the top-half (out of 15 schools) in USCAA Division I in the following categories: overall shots per match: 21.0 (210 in 10 matches) (first), overall shots: 210 (fourth), goals per match: 2.50 (25 in 10 matches) (fourth), and assists: 18 (seventh).  Defensively, they finish in the top-half in the following: goals against average: 1.14 (12 in 947:00) (third), fewest goals allowed: 12 (fourth), total shutouts: 3 (tied for fifth), and saves: 80 (seventh). 

Miot (freshman midfielder) and Ventura-Garcia (sophomore goalkeeper) were voted USCAA Division I Second-Team All-Americans.

Sophomore midfielders Donofrio and Fortescue Jr. were named to the USCAA Division I 84 Lumber All-Academic Team. 

Ventura-Garcia was named USCAA Division I Goalie of the Week (October 19-25).

2019: The Blue Jays finished 6-8-0 overall (0-5-0 Region XIX Division I).  Manor’s season and home opener versus Division III Middlesex County College on August 27 was Dempster’s 150th match as the Blue Jays’ Head Coach.  The Blue Jays’ 5-1 victory at USCAA member Pennsylvania State University-Lehigh Valley was Dempster 75th win as Manor’s Head Coach. 

Manor finished in the top-half (out of 158 schools) in NJCAA Division I in the following categories: shots on goal (147, 43rd), shots (224, 47th), and corner kicks (57, tied for 71st).  Defensively, they finished 13th with 136 saves.

Sophomore defenseman Justin Dillon (First Team) and freshman midfielder Jared Laudenslager (Second) were voted to the NJCAA All-Region XIX Division I.

Freshman goalkeeper Moussa Kallo, sophomore midfielder Shawn Wood, and freshman defenseman Rodrigo Zurita were named to the EPAC Fall 2019 Semester All-Academic Team.

2018: Manor finished 7-6-1 overall (0-4-0 Region XIX Division I) and qualified for the Region XIX Division I Postseason Tournament for the first time since moving up to Division I for the 2014 season. 

The Blue Jays finished in the top-half (out of 152) in NJCAA Division I in the following offensive categories: shots on goal (160, 37th), shots (228, 45th), corner kicks (67, tied for 56th), and goals (38, tied for 72nd).  Defensively, Manor’s 96 saves were tied for 68th.

Freshmen Kelvin Siem (midfielder, First) and Dillon (defenseman, Second) were voted to the NJCAA All-Region XIX Division I Team.

Siem was named EPAC Athlete of The Week (October 8-October 14). 

Freshman midfielder Jordan Gillies was named to the EPAC Fall 2018 Semester All-Academic Team.

2017: The Blue Jays finished 8-9-1 overall (1-4-0 Region XIX Division I).  The eight wins were the most by Manor since moving up to Division I for the for 2014 season.

Defensively, Manor finished in the top-10 (out of 149) in NJCAA Division I with 151 saves.

Freshman forward Zola Makanda was voted to the NJCAA All-Region XIX Division I Second Team. 

Caire was voted EPAC Division I Player of The Year. 

Sophomore defenseman Jon Cabrera, freshman midfielder Moussa Kanate, freshman midfielder Mason Maglio, and sophomore defenseman Damian Schweizer were named to the EPAC Fall 2017 Semester All-Academic Team.

2016: Manor finished 5-11-0 overall (0-5-0 Region XIX Division I).

Sophomores Kyle Goldbloom (defenseman) and midfielders Kevin Rodriguez and Cole Speiser were voted NJCAA All-Region XIX Division I Second Team. 

Thomas Hipwell received Manor's Mother Josephat Medal at the College's Founders Day in January, 2017.  He gave the Valedictorian Address at the College's 66th Commencement in May, 2017. 

2015: The Blue Jays finished 6-10-0 overall (0-4-0 Region XIX Division I).  The Blue Jays’ October 17 match versus Division I Rowan College at Burlington County was Dempster’s 100th as Manor’s Men’s Soccer Head Coach.

Freshmen Don Georges (defenseman) and Hipwell (goalkeeper) were voted to the NJCAA All-Region Division I Second Team. 

Sophomore goalkeeper Andrew Clark Jr. won the Brian Barry Award at the 2016 Manor Annual Athletic Awards.

2014: Manor played its first season as a Division I Men’s Soccer program.  They made its Division I debut versus Division III Bucks County Community College on September 2.

2013: The Blue Jays finished the season 17-1-0 overall (12-0-0 Region XIX Division III, 12-0-0 EPAC Division III).  They were Region XIX and EPAC Division III Regular Season Champions.  Manor qualified for its third straight Region XIX Division III Postseason Tournament.  Manor won its second straight EPAC Division III Regular Season Championship.  The Blue Jays finished the regular season undefeated for the first time since joining the NJCAA for the 2008 season.  The Blue Jays’ 33 wins in two seasons are the most since the 2006 and 2007 seasons (30) when they were in the EPCC. 

Manor spent seven straight weeks in the NJCAA Division III polls, peaking at fifth on October 1 and October 8.  They also received votes in another poll. 

The Blue Jays finished in the top-five in Division III (out of 77 schools) in the following offensive categories: assists (77, 2nd), points (239, tied for 2nd), and goals (81, 5th).  Defensively, they led Division III in the following categories: fewest goals allowed (four) lowest goals against average (0.22), and shutouts (14).  They finished tied for 21st in Division III with 108 saves.  

Colville was voted for the following awards for the second straight season: Division III First Team All-American, All-Region XIX Division III First Team and All-EPAC Division III and Player of The Year. 

Freshman goalkeeper Damilare Adeleye, freshman midfielder Bill Jarwee, and sophomore defenseman Mohammed Mayah were also voted All-EPAC Division III. 

2012: Manor finished the season 16-2-0 overall (11-1-0 Region XIX Division III, 11-1-0 EPAC Division III).  They were EPAC Division III Regular Season Champions.  The Blue Jays qualified for its second straight Region XIX Division III Postseason Tournament.  Manor’s 16 wins were the most since 2007 (16) when they were in the EPCC.  They also won 16 straight regular season matches to start the season.

The Blue Jays four straight weeks receiving votes in the NJCAA Division III polls. 

They finished in the top-10 in Division III (out of 77 schools) in the following offensive categories: goals (81, 4th), points (221, 5th), and assists (59, tied for 7th).  Defensively, Manor finished in the top-10 in the following: lowest goals against average (0.56, 7th) and shutouts (13, tied for sixth).  They were 14th in fewest goals allowed (nine).  Individually, Colville was second in Division III in points (63), third in goals (24), and fourth in assists (15).  Individually, Colville led Division III in assists (22), shots on goal (69), and game-winning goals (10).  He was second in points (68) and overall shot (86) and seventh in goals (23)

Colville was voted for the following awards: Division III First Team All-American, All-Region XIX Division III First Team and Player of The Year, All-EPAC Division III and Player of The Year.

Sophomore goalkeeper Nick Ferry and freshmen Agyapong Johnson (midfielder), Wilo Mimbar (forward), and Brian Wright (midfielder) were all voted to the All-EPAC Division III Team. 

Freshman midfielder Anthony Curcio won the Brian Barry Award at the 2013 Manor Annual Athletics Awards. 

2011: The Blue Jays finished the season 9-7-2 overall (8-6-2 Region XIX Division III) and qualified for the Region XIX Division III Postseason Tournament since joining the NJCAA for the 2008 season.  Manor clinched its Postseason Tournament berth with a 2-1 victory at Division III Sussex County Community College on October 15.  The Blue Jays finished the regular season 7-0-2 and outscoring its opponents, 16-7.  They started the season 2-6-0 and were outscored 22-13.  Dempster won his first road game, 3-1, at Middlesex County on October 1.  Manor won its first game versus a Division I school, 2-1, at Salem Community College on October 5. 

Freshmen Pavel Surmach (Midfielder, Second) and Usufu Johnson (Forward, Third) were voted to the All-Region XIX Division III Team. 

2010: Dempster made his Manor head coaching collegiate debut at home versus Division III Montgomery County Community College on August 31 (1-1 tie).  He won his first collegiate game versus Division III Passaic County Community College on October 5 (4-1 at home). 

2002-2009: Dempster was Manor’s Men’s Soccer Assistant Coach. 

2000-2001: Dempster was Manor’s Men’s and Women’s Soccer Goalkeeper Coach. 

College: Dempster received his Associate’s Degree from Manor in 1996.  He was a Men’s Soccer goalkeeper for the Blue Jays (1994-1995) and member of the 1995 EPCC League and Postseason Tournament Championship team.  Dempster was a goalkeeper for Men’s Soccer and played right wing for Rugby at NCAA Division II Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania (1996-1997).  He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Cabrini University in Wayne, Pennsylvania. 

High School: Dempster graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1994.  He played first base and right field for Baseball and was a Men’s Soccer goalkeeper.

Personal: Dempster lives in Philadelphia with his wife Kristine and two daughters, Lyla and Kalina.