Around the Region: Carson-Newman hires Lyons from TWU for men's soccer

Assorted Sports Equipment on Black
Assorted Sports Equipment on Black

Stephen Lyons is leaving the Tennessee Wesleyan men's NAIA soccer program after nine years as coach to become the men's coach at NCAA Division II member Carson-Newman. A former Wesleyan star player, the Middlesbrough, England, native played professionally two years in New Zealand and joined the Middlesbrough FC Youth Academy coaching staff in 2005. He was a graduate assistant for two years at Saint Mary in Kansas before compiling a 74-59-15 record at his alma mater. His Bulldogs went 58-28-9 the past five years, 35-9-5 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference, and went to the NAIA nationals in 2012. They were 11-4-4 this year with a 2-1 win over CNU. "Stephen Lyons has competed at the elite level in the NAIA for years," Carson-Newman athletic director Allen Morgan said in Thursdays release. "He brings international and domestic experience. In talking to colleagues and coaches, the term a lot of individuals used was 'grand slam.' That term was used to describe his abilities as a mentor, role model and coach." Said Lyons: "I have to thank my alma mater for giving me the opportunity to grow as a coach. It was a tough decision to leave a place that I consider home. That said, the facilities, the athletic department and what student-athlete development is about at Carson-Newman is very exciting." He succeeds Richard Moodie, who was the men's and women's coach but recently was hired for the South Alabama women's program.

- The Covenant College women's team has received a team ethics honor from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for the 10th time since 2001. Coach Mark Duble's Lady Scots, who went 13-5, were one of 19 teams, women's and men's, to get a bronze award for the 2016 season. There also are platinum, gold and silver awards recognizing fair play, sporting behavior and adherence to the rules, according to the Thursday release. Tennessee Tech's women were gold recipients.

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