D'Anna Named NSCAA/Adidas Region Coach Of The Year

December 12, 2007

HARROGATE, TN – Less than a week after Lincoln Memorial University’s first ever appearance in a national championship game, Railsplitter Head Soccer Coach Helio D'Anna has been named National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Adidas Appalachian Region Coach of the Year.

Having now completed his fifth season as head coach of the Lincoln Memorial University soccer programs, D’Anna guided the Railsplitters to their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four this season, including their first national championship match last Sunday. 

D’Anna and his Railsplitters won the 2007 South Atlantic Conference Regular Season title, the 2007 South Atlantic Conference Tournament Championship, the 2007 Appalachian Region Championship, defeated Northern Kentucky University in the Elite Eight and knocked off the University of Montevallo in the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Tournament Semifinals to advance to this year’s NCAA title match.  In addition, the Railsplitters set a program record for most wins in a season by turning in a record of 20-4-1 following last Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Franklin Peirce University in the NCAA Division II National Championship.

D’Anna now becomes a candidate for NSCAA/Adidas National Coach of the Year along with seven other coaches from other NCAA regions from across the county.  Other coaches on the ballot include Marcus Ziemer (Sonoma State University), Marco Koolman (Franklin Pierce University), Jerry Sheska (East Stroudsburg University), Doug Elder (Midwestern State University), Chris Whalley (Lees-McRae College), Bill Elliott (University of West Florida) and John Basalyga (Northern Kentucky University).