Burger named NSCAA North Coach of the Year; up for National honor

Barton County Community College men�s soccer coach Joe Burger was named as the North Regional Coach of the Year at the Junior College Division I level by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. This is the 2nd time Coach Burger has won the award, winning the honor in his 2nd season as Barton in 2002.

By winning the award, Burger, along with the 3 other Regional winners will be up for the NSCAA National Junior College Coach of the Year. Those three coaches are Atlantic Regional winner Dave Sexton (Louisburg College, NC); Central winner Steven Peck (Jefferson College, Mo); and South winner Marc Zagara (Georgia Perimeter College). Zagara and Georgia Perimeter won the NJCAA National title this past season. Louisburg and Jefferson both made the NJCAA Tournament as well with Louisburg taking 4th place.

Burger, in his 5 seasons at Barton has compiled a record of 63-30-11 � almost 13 wins per season on average. This past season Barton did not lose a contest until the Region VI Championship game. Barton finished with a 16-1-2 mark, setting school records for most wins, longest unbeaten streak (18) and longest winning streak (10). During his 5 years at Barton, the Cougars are 39-8-4 the Jayhawk Conference.

Burger also received the Jayhawk Coach of the Year honors earlier this season. It was the 2nd time he won that award as well but this is the 1st time he has won both awards in the same season.

Coach Burger started the Barton soccer program from scratch and is the only coach the school has ever had. During his 5 season, Barton has posted at least a .500 record every season and has won the last 3 Jayhawk Conference titles.

The NSCAA will announce its National Coach of the Year at the annual NSCAA Awards Banquet on Jan. 20 in Philadelphia.

Coach Burger Comments

�What a great honor this is for our program. This is more of a relection of our team and it is of me. It is thanks to the hard work and willingness of players to overachieve that allows me receive this kind of recognition.�

2005 season information

More information can be found at www.bartonccc.edu/sports

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Check out Barton County Soccer Online at www.bartonccc.edu/sports