Coach of the Year has been touched on and discussed some in other threads, but thought it might be worth it to create a unique thread for the topic in conjunction with the poll on D3soccer.com.
Below are the candidates listed in the poll (in alphabetical order). Please suggest others that should be part of the discussion and why. I've tried to not just list those with the best records, but ones that have guided their teams to marked improvement this season. Sometimes it almost seems like two COY honors would be appropriate--one awarded much as it always has been to the coach of one of the most successful teams and another which looks more for best job improving, over-coming challenges, etc. So the list includes both types of candidates.
Jimmy Banks, Milwaukee Engr. (17-4-1) - set school record for wins in a season, increased win total by 7 over last year, first team in 8-year history of NACC to beat Dominican in the tournament and claim NACC title
Chris Brown, Kenyon (18-2-2) - nation's best start to season (12-0-0), nation's 2nd best defense (0.31 GAA) with 3rd most shutouts (16)
Iain Byrne, Oneonta St. (21-0-2) - only remaining undefeated team, 8-game improvement (11 more wins) over last year, nation's 4th best defense (0.43 GAA), SUNYAC title, reached Final Four on 14-game win streak
Morgan Cathey, Whitworth (17-2-3) - opening weekend win at Wheaton (Ill.), NWC title, excellent tournament showing despite cross-country travels both weekends
Michael Coven, Brandeis (19-3-1) - nation's 3rd best defense (0.38 GAA) with 2nd most shutouts (17), no goals allowed in three matches vs. NESCAC's three NCAA tournament teams
Seamus Donnelly, PSU-Harrisburg (14-6-2) - 9-game improvement (11 more wins) over last year's 3-13-1 record included wins over Salisbury and Chris. Newport, CAC #2 seed, set program record for wins
Michael Giuliano, Wheaton-Ill. (21-3-0) - CCIW title, on 19-1-0 run to reach Final Four including 5-0 dismantling of Wartburg in Sweet 16
Chris Keller, Wabash (13-3-3) - 8.5 game improvement over last year's 4-11-2 record included handing Kenyon their first loss, set program record for wins
Rod Lafaurie, Occidental (13-6-1) - 10-game improvement over last year's 3-16-0 record, picking up wins over Redlands, Claremont, Chapman, and Pomona-Pitzer, made SCIAC playoff for first time ever
Brad McCarty, Messiah (21-1-1) - Commonwealth title, had 22-game undefeated streak, nation's best defense (0.30 GAA) and best goal difference (+2.83), second last undefeated team
Jay Martin, Ohio Wesleyan (17-4-4) - NCAC title despite Kenyon challenge, back in Final Four despite not having one of his better/complete teams
Michael Runeare, UC Santa Cruz (11-6-1) - 7-game improvement over last year's 3-12-2 record
Josh Shapiro, Tufts (14-2-4) - NESCAC #1 seed, top NESCAC offense and defense, swept four challenging tournament opponents including defeat of Messiah to reach Final Four, only Final Four team to have won four tournament road games (three by shutout)
Ryan Souders, Calvin (18-2-3) - perfect 14-0-0 MIAA campaign plus two more wins for MIAA title, had 17-game win streak, nation's 7th best defense (0.46 GAA), undefeated since Sept. 5
Dan Wagner, F&M (16-2-3) - 17-game unbeaten streak to open season, third last undefeated team
I would rank them:
1. Shapiro
2. Byrne
3. Banks
1. Shapiro
2. Byrne
3. Banks
1. Byrne
2. Guiliano
3. Martin
4. Shapiro
5. Brown/Cathey/Coven
Shapiro
Byrne
Martin
Very good list of coaches but one name I see missing is Sean Topping Muhlenberg
2013- 10-8-1 4-4-1 ECAC SEMI
2014- 15-2-3 7-1-1 NCAA Sweet 16
This is a great example of the Weasel's argument a few weeks ago about teams taking advantage of a end of year tournament(ECAC) and progress the next year.
Intriguing to me is this turn around came in a top 4 conference which is even more challenging
Byrne, Shapiro, Coven, Martin would be my top 4 in order...
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 28, 2014, 07:11:31 PM
Very good list of coaches but one name I see missing is Sean Topping Muhlenberg
Sean Topping was a name I considered and in trying to keep the list from getting too long I left him out. This thread is exactly for recognizing all the great coaching jobs this season and pointing out who I missed (whether by choice or oversight), so I'm glad you brought him up. Another name I left off, but considered was Cortland State's Steve Axtell. He's taken a team that was 3-8-5 in 2011 and in his third year in charge was only edged to the SUNYAC title by Oneonta St. (the only remaining undefeated team in the nation) and reached the Sweet 16. You can question how they play and how he's built the team, but it's still a pretty remarkable turnaround in just three years.
Byrne
Brown
Banks
Potsdam State's Parker.
Has done an amazing job over the last 4 years.
This team is on the rise in SUNYAC.
I'm curious as to why Coach Guiliano for Wheaton is lagging behind in the Coach of the Year voting. Byrne and Shapiro, and certainly both of them are very deserving, have healthy leads over the rest of the pack.
Wheaton suffered a shock loss on its home field in the round of 32 last year with pretty much the same team, and in the coach's final season the Thunder have basically steamrolled through their schedule since their 3rd loss, and they head into the weekend at a minimum as the slight favorite. Yes, this team has a lot of talent, but there was a ton of pressure on this team to deliver from Day 1 this season, with the added pressure of the coach announcing he would be leaving, and here they are.
I tend to think this goes back to the East Coast/New England theme. Imagine if this was Russo who had gotten Williams to the Final Four again in his last season. I'm guessing Russo would be leading the votes by a significant margin.
When is this award announced?
Coaches have until Dec 14th to vote and the winner is announced at the NSCAA convention in the middle of January.
Shapiro has to be the favorite now......
Gotta be a lock. Brandeis coach for NE region. Shapiro national COY
Quote from: lastguyoffthebench on December 11, 2014, 10:08:53 PM
Gotta be a lock. Brandeis coach for NE region. Shapiro national COY
Ditto!