NSCAA Region Coaches of the Year

ELON, N.C. – Elon University head men's soccer coach Chris Little was selected as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Midwest Region Coach of the Year as announced by the association on Monday afternoon, Nov. 30.

Little is one of only eight coaches at the NCAA Division I level to receive the accolade as selected by his peers. Little will also be on the ballot for the National Coach of the Year, which will be announced during the 2015 NSCAA Coach of the Year Show on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

This year, Little led the maroon and gold to a 14-6-1 overall ledger and back to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five years with an at-large bid. The Phoenix earned its first-ever victory in the national tournament after defeating Winthrop in the opening-round, 3-0, and 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 eighth in the NSCAA Top 25 Poll. The Phoenix was nationally ranked for six consecutive weeks – its longest streak ever in program in any of the major soccer polls.

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.