Adam Cooper named Regional College Coach of the Year
Honor follows record-breaking year at St. Marys College

Posted: 1/25/2010 
Updated: 2/1/2010

Dec. 14, 2009

Moraga, CA - Saint Mary’s men’s soccer head coach Adam Cooper was named the NSCAA/MONDO 2009 Senior College Men’s West Region Coach of the Year. Cooper was also named the West Coast Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Gaels to the best season in SMC men’s soccer history(10-5-5, 6-3-3 WCC) and its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Six Diablo FC alumni played for the Gaels this fall.

Cooper serves as Diablo FC coaching director for the Under 9-11 age group and has been with the club since 2003.

Cooper was named the WCC Coach of the Year after guiding the Gaels to their best season in SMC history and surprising all critics with a second-place WCC finish and their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Going into the 2009 season, SMC was projected to finish last place according to the pre-season coaches poll.

Under Cooper’s leadership, Diablo FC alumnus Jordan Grider was named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the All-WCC First Team. Cooper had eight players earn all-conference honors, including two newcomers named to the all-freshman team. Also playing key roles for the SMC team this year from Diablo FC were Boyah Kaar, Justin Grider (Jordan’s twin brother), Jason Coehlo, Jose Cabeza and goalkeeper Jason Badger.

The regional coach of the year is selected based on a vote of their peers within their region. Regional coaches of the year are finalists for the NSCAA/MONDO National Coach of the Year award. In NCAA play, any coach who is not selected as a regional coach of the year, but advances to the national tournament semifinals, is added to the ballot for the National Coach of the Year as well.