Missouri Valley College men’s soccer Head Coach Vladimir Simic has earned another coaching award following the team’s National championship season. Wednesday, Simic was named the NAIA Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year.
Simic earned the NAIA coaching award after guiding the men’s soccer team to a National championship, the first in program history, and an 18-4-2 overall record. Four members of his team were named All-Americans by the NAIA, including NAIA Player of the Year Senior Midfielder Luka Gluscevic (Belgrade, Serbia).
“We are all extremely proud of Coach Simic, and excited for him to receive this much deserved honor,” said Executive Vice President/Director of Athletics Tom Fifer. “Coach Simic has done a tremendous job of building his program into one of the premiere men’s soccer programs in the country. His teams have always represented the college well. Coach Simic is also a well-respected member of our campus community, and we all congratulate him on his success.”
Simic completed his 19th season leading the men’s soccer program, and has compiled an overall record of 223-106-33 during his tenure. This is the second National coaching award this season, as he and his staff were named the United Soccer Coaches NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaching Staff of the Year last month. His staff was also named the NAIA Regional Staff of the Year twice (2014, 2017) by United Soccer Coaches, and Simic is a three-time winner of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year award (2011, 2014, 2017). He has guided the program to four regular season Heart championships (2010, 2011, 2014, 2017), four Heart Postseason championships (2011, 2015, 2017, 2018), ten appearances in the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship (2010-15, 2017-2020), Four National semifinal appearances (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020), three National final appearances (2017, 2018, 2020), and the 2020 National championship. His program has compiled a National tournament record of 20-8-1 since 2010.
— Story and photo by Andy Pulverenti, Missouri Valley College S.I.D.