Dibbini named Great Plains Regional Coach of the Year
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Kansas Wesleyan University women’s soccer coach Mike Dibbini has been named the Great Plains Regional Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

He will travel to Baltimore, Md., on January 16 and be presented his award at the annual NSCAA Convention.

Dibbini was also named as the NAIA Region IV Coach of the Year in November. He led the Coyotes to a second consecutive regular season KCAC Championship, a third straight KCAC Tournament Title and coached the Coyotes to their first ever NAIA National Champion berth with a 3-0 defeat of Park (Mo.) in the regional championship match. It was the first ever berth to the NAIA National Tournament for a women’s team from the KCAC since the National Tournament began in 1984.

Other region winners were: Central - Mark Persson, Southern Nazarene University (Okla.); West – Jason Surrell, Azusa Pacific University (Calif.); South – Ty Brewer, Northwood University (Fla.); Southeast – Matt Yelton, Lee University (Tenn.); Mid-West – Tim Strange, McKendree University (Ill.); Great Lakes – Derek Begich, St. Xavier University (Ill.); and Southwest – Gerry Cleary, Martin Methodist (Tenn.).

Kansas Wesleyan finished its season with a 21-2-1 overall record, and advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Championships, where the Coyotes eventually bowed out to No.4 seeded Concordia (Ore.).

-- KWU SI --