Ward Named NSCAA West Region Coach of the Year
12/23/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
NSCAA REGIONAL COACHES OF THE YEAR
MALIBU, Calif. - After leading the Pepperdine women's soccer program to its third Sweet 16 appearance in program history, head coach Tim Ward was named the NSCAA West Region Coach of the Year.
Ward, who is in his 17th year at the helm for the Waves, led Pepperdine to a 16-3-4 record and its eight NCAA postseason appearance. All eight postseason appearances have come under Ward's tenure and the 16 wins is the second most in program history.
Pepperdine finished the season ranked No. 10 in the NSCAA Coaches Poll, matching the second-highest final-season ranking in program history. The 2002 squad, which also made a Sweet 16 run, finished the year ranked fifth in the country and the 2011 team finished the year ranked No. 10. Pepperdine has finished the year ranked in the Top 25 six times, all coming during Ward's watch.
The Waves climbed as high as No. 7 in the coaches poll this season after picking up signature non-conference wins over No. 8 North Carolina, No. 17 Kentucky and USC, as well as six WCC victories, which included wins over No. 22 BYU, Santa Clara and Portland.
Pepperdine grabbed a #4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and defeated USC in a penalty shootout to advance to the second round for the first time since 2005. The Waves then downed Illinois State, 4-0, to advance to the Sweet 16, where they would eventually fall to then top-ranked UCLA in a match that stayed scoreless until the 88th minute.
Ward led a squad that featured a good mix of young talent and veteran leadership, highlighted by first-team All-American senior forward Lynn Williams and WCC Freshman of the Year, Hailey Harbison. The veteran coach won his third WCC Coach of the Year award this season when he took home co-Coach of the Year for the conference. The Waves had eight players earn All-WCC honors and five Waves took home NSCAA All-West Region awards.
It is also the third NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year award for Ward as he won the honor in 2002 and 2011. He is the only coach in program history to be named West Region Coach of the Year.
