The head coach of Elon's men's soccer team led the Phoenix to a 14-6-1 overall record this season and back to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five years.
Elon University head men’s soccer coach Chris Little has been named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Midwest Region Coach of the Year.
Little is one of only eight coaches at the NCAA Division I level to receive the accolade bestowed by peers. He will also be on the ballot for the National Coach of the Year, which will be announced Dec. 16 during the 2015 NSCAA Coach of the Year Show.
This year, Little led the maroon and gold to a 14-6-1 overall record and back to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five years. The Phoenix defeated Winthrop in a 3-0 opening-round victory, which sent the team advanced to the second round of the tournament for the second time in school history.
Elon also achieved its highest national ranking ever in the major soccer polls rising as high as No. 8 in the NSCAA Top 25 Poll. The Phoenix was nationally ranked for six consecutive weeks – its longest streak ever in any major soccer poll.
Little, who was also the NSCAA South Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2012, helped the Phoenix to a share of the Colonial Athletic Association regular-season title in 2015. Under his guidance, Elon had eight players earn All-CAA honors including Defensive Player of the Year Nathan Diehl.
Diehl was also one of three Phoenix players to receive first team All-CAA honors along with James Brace and Miguel Salazar.