(Story courtesy of Trinity University Sports Information)
KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Trinity men's soccer Head Coach Paul McGinlay has been honored as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division III West Region Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Full Release
Coach McGinlay has completed 24 seasons at the Tigers helm, and has now received the accolade for the ninth occasion. He guided the Tigers to a 24-2-0 campaign, which tied a Trinity record for victories in a season. The mark was established in 2003, when Coach McGinlay led Trinity to the NCAA Championship, with a 24-0-0 record. Trinity finished as national runner-up in 2007.
Second-ranked Trinity advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the second straight year, and the ninth overall. Eventual NCAA finalist Wheaton College (IL) edged the Tigers 2-1 at Wheaton, Illinois. In the third round, Trinity was a 2-1 winner over seventh-ranked Loras College, which eliminated the Tigers in 2013. Earlier in the Playoffs, Trinity beat Hardin-Simmons University 2-1, and the host University of Texas-Dallas 1-0 in the first and second rounds at Richardson, Texas.
"This 2014 team accomplished so much, and ultimately, these players are the reason that I have received this honor," said Coach McGinlay. "Reaching the quarterfinals in back-to-back seasons is difficult enough, but to go undefeated in conference and tie the season record for wins, shows what a talented group we had. In the end, injuries to key players proved to be an issue during the postseason."
The Tigers competed in their 13th straight NCAA postseason event, and 18th in the past 19 years. Trinity also captured its third consecutive Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship, and 17th overall. The Tigers brought home the conference crown with a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 win over Colorado College.
During the season, Coach McGinlay picked up his 400th career victory. He currently stands at 415-68-30, with a winning percentage of .838. Coach McGinlay entered the season as the winningest active coach, by percentage, in all divisions of the NCAA.
