2022-23 ACAC Men's Soccer Coaches of the Year
Edmonton, AB (October 27, 2022) –
North Coach of the Year:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is proud to announce Jeff Paulus of the NAIT Ooks has been named the ACAC Men’s Soccer North Coach of the Year.
Jeff Paulus took the reins of the NAIT Ooks this season and led them to first place in the ACAC north division. The NAIT Ooks finished the regular season with an 11-0-1 record. NAIT finished first in points in the ACAC with 164 and a shooting percentage of .263%.
Paulus is no stranger to the NAIT Ooks program. In 2004 he made his NAIT men’s soccer coaching debut. He stayed with the team until 2012, when he accepted a position with FC Edmonton. He was initially brought in to develop and lead the FC Edmonton Academy. Still, he saw his role advance to the assistant coach of the senior professional team, where he was then promoted to the Head Coach when FC Edmonton moved to the Canadian Premier League. Paulus left FC Edmonton in November 2020, and in 2021, Paulus returned to NAIT as the women’s soccer head coach for one season before shuffling back to the men’s program in 2022. Paulus has also had opportunities to coach in Canada Soccer’s National Training Centre and help with various provincial programs throughout his career.
“Jeff is very deserving of this award. This season saw him return to coaching our men’s soccer program, and he had immediate success. Jeff’s resume brings instant credibility to our soccer program, and his vast experience is invaluable. The men’s soccer team’s undefeated season is a testament to Jeff’s constant attention to detail. NAIT Athletics would like to congratulate Jeff on this prestigious honour,” said NAIT Athletics Manager Jordan Richey.
This prestigious award will be recognized at the 2022 ACAC Men’s Soccer Championship hosted by Lethbridge College in Lethbridge, AB.
South Coach of the Year:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is proud to announce Allan Siwela of the Olds College Broncos has been named the 2022-23 ACAC South Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year.
Originally from Harare, ZIM, Siwela took over the Broncos men’s and women’s soccer and futsal programs after serving as an assistant coach (2017-18, 2021) with the Medicine Hat College Rattlers, where he was previously a CCAA All-Canadian in 2011-12. Siwela also played with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns for two seasons before returning to Medicine Hat to complete his playing eligibility.
Under Siwela’s tutelage while abiding by the coaching foundation of Trust, Leadership, and Commitment (TLC), the Broncos have undergone a significant transformation, finishing third in the ACAC South with a 4-2-4 regular season record while conceding just 10 goals, good for the third-lowest mark in the conference prior to being eliminated in the ACAC South play-in match on Tuesday.
Notably, the Broncos conceded one fewer goal than they did in the six-game regular season of 2021-22.
“Allan has been a tremendous addition to our Men's and Women's Soccer Program,” said Trina Radcliffe, Athletics Manager at Olds College. “As a first year Head Coach in the ACAC, he has exceeded expectations on and off the field. His players and colleagues have tremendous respect for the impact he has had on the competitiveness, development and growth of our programs.”
This prestigious award will be recognized at the 2022 ACAC Men’s Soccer Championship hosted by Lethbridge College in Lethbridge, AB.
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About the ACAC: The ACAC is the governing body for intercollegiate athletics in Alberta. Its mission is to provide competitive collegiate sport experiences, promote academic achievement and be a leader of sport development in Canada.
For more information on the ACAC, please visit our website: www.acac.ab.ca
For additional information, contact:
Mark Kosak, ACAC
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
markk@acac.ab.ca
Jordan Richey, NAIT Ooks
Athletic Director
780-471-7579
jrichey@nait.ca
Trina Radcliffe, Olds College
Manager, Athletics & Student Life
403-556-8351
tradcliffe@oldscollege.ca
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