For immediate release
Contact: Paul Worstell, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu
William Jewell men’s soccer defeats UMKC
October 12, 2006

The #11 nationally ranked William Jewell College men's soccer team continued their winning ways with a 3-2 win over NCAA Division I University of Missouri-Kansas City on Wednesday night, October 11. Twenty minutes into the match, WJC junior forward John Barber used fancy footwork to move past a UMKC defender before centering a pass for onrushing Jewell sophomore midfielder Austin Williams, who finished from close range to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

UMKC scored two minutes later to even the score at 1-1. About 10 minutes later, WJC junior midfielder Kevin Nekuda served a corner-kick that Cardinal junior defender Josh Howard headed cleanly into the goal to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. That lead stood until halftime.

Ten minutes into the second half, Kevin Nekuda intercepted a UMKC clearance, dribbled past one player and blasted a 20-yard, left-footed shot to the far post that extended the William Jewell lead to 3-1.UMKC scored the final goal of the match on a penalty-kick in the 65th minute. The Cards then held on for the impressive win.

"We scored three nice goals tonight and attacked from all areas of the field," said WJC head coach Chris Cissell. "It was a solid team performance."

The men improve to 11-2 on the season and will travel to Canton, Mo., on Saturday, October 14 to take on Culver Stockton College in a Heart of America Athletic Conference match up.

For immediate release
Contact: Paul Worstell, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu
William Jewell College men’s soccer team ranked #4 in the nation
November 1, 2006

The William Jewell men’s soccer team climbed one point in the NAIA national rankings this week, moving from #5 to #4. Jewell defeated Avila and Missouri Valley this past week and also received some help as the previous #4 team, Concordia University from Irvine, Calif., suffered a loss.

“The #4 national ranking is great for the school and for our program,” said WJC Head Coach Chris Cissell. “We continue to work hard on and off the field and now our focus is on the regional playoffs, where we’re seeded first this year.”

The # 4 ranking is the best ranking in the history of the WJC men’s soccer program (the WJC women have been ranked as high as #3 in the nation).

For immediate release
Contact: Paul Worstell, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu
William Jewell College men’s soccer player receives national honor
November 1, 2006

William Jewell senior Allan Nekuda was named the NAIA Men's Soccer National Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, October 29, 2006.

Nekuda tallied three goals and three assists this week in two conference matches to lead William Jewell to a 9-0 record and a conference championship. The Liberty, Missouri native broke the all-time assist record with an assist against Missouri Valley and now has 50 career assists. He finished the week with 9 points.

The Cardinals, 16-2 on the year, will open the Region V playoffs as the number one seed and will host a Region V opponent on Wednesday, November 8, at Greene Stadium on the Jewell campus in Liberty, Mo.

For immediate release
Contact: Paul Worstell, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu
William Jewell men’s soccer dominates Heart of America All Conference Team
November 3, 2006
The post season accolades just keep rolling in for the #4 nationally ranked William Jewell College men’s soccer team. Defender Josh Howard, midfielders Kevin and Allan Nekuda and forward Matt Happy were named to the Heart of America All-Conference first team. Goalkeeper Andy Shields, defenders Justin Park and forwards John Barber and Austin Williams were named to the All-Conference Second team. In addition, Josh Howard was named as the Heart of America Conference defensive player of the year and Allan Nekuda was awarded the title of MVP of the Conference. Jewell men’s soccer also set a HAAC record this year for placing the most players on the All-Conference team.
William Jewell Coach Chris Cissell, who was named HAAC men’s coach of the year is very proud of the selections. “It just goes to show how strong our entire team is,” said Cissell. “To have eight of our players named is quite an achievement but as I have said many times individual honors are great but we have pretty high team goals and we are focused on the regional playoffs right now.”
The Cardinals open the Regional playoffs at Greene Stadium in Liberty on Wednesday, November 8 against the winner of Columbia College and Lindenwood University. The kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

For immediate release
Contact: Paul Worstell, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu
William Jewell men’s soccer wins Region V honors
November 7, 2006
The post-season awards continue to come in for the #4 nationally ranked William Jewell College men’s soccer team. Defender Josh Howard, midfielder Allan Nekuda and forward Matt Happy were named to the Region V All-Region team. In addition, Allan Nekuda was awarded the title of Region Player of the Year.

William Jewell coach Chris Cissell, who was named Region Coach of the Year, is happy for the recognition. “I am thrilled for Josh, Allan and Matt,” said Cissell. “Along with our whole team, they have worked so hard. It is great to see them and the team recognized for their hard work.”
The Cardinals open the regional playoffs at Greene Stadium in Liberty on Wednesday, November 8 against Columbia College. The kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

For immediate release
Contact: Paul Worstell, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu
Jewell Headed to NAIA Soccer Final Four
November 7, 2006 
William Jewell College goalkeeper Andy Shields is getting used to these Penalty Kick games. Shields came up big for the second day as the No. 4 nationally ranked William Jewell Cardinals advanced on a 3-1 shootout victory over the tournament’s No. 4 seed The University of Rio Grande in quarterfinal action of the 2006 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship Saturday, November 18 at Embry-Riddle Soccer Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla.

William Jewell took an early 2-0 lead into halftime with goals from Manny Tovar and Austin Williams. Rio Grande was then able to tie the game in the 61st minute of the game.

The score then remained tied at 2 after two overtimes and Jewell had to go into a shootout for the second day in a row. Shields rose to the occasion yet again in the shootout by stopping two kicks.

“This has been an exhausting couple of days to say the least,” said Head Coach Chris Cissell. “It is great to get to the final four but now we have to focus on our semifinal game.”
William Jewell will now face the tournament’s No. 8 seed Azusa Pacific University in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Monday, November 20 at Embry-Riddle Soccer Stadium.

For immediate release
Contact: Paul Worstell, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu
William Jewell men’s soccer players earn All-American honors
November 27, 2006
Coming off a final four appearance at the National Tournament the William Jewell College men’s soccer team has more reasons to be proud. Three members of the team were named National Association of Intercollegiate Activities All-Americans. Midfielder Allan Nekuda, was named to the NAIA All-American first team. Defender Josh Howard was named to the NAIA All-American second team and forward Matt Happy was named as an Honorable Mention All-American.

“This is quite an honor for our program,” said Head Coach Chris Cissell. “I am extremely proud of these three young men and for our team. They all have invested countless hours of hard work into the season and are now being rewarded for it.”
The Cardinals finished their historic season 18-3-3 with a Final Four appearance at the NAIA national tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla.



For immediate release
Contact: Paul Worstell, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu
William Jewell soccer coach makes NAIA History
November 30, 2006

Six-time Heart of America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Chris Cissell can add another distinction to his already growing number of coaching achievements. By earning a spot in the final four of the men’s National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Soccer Tournament, Cissell is the first coach in NAIA history to guide a men’s and women’s team to the final four. The William Jewell women’s team qualified for the final four back in 2003 with a record of 21-1-1.

The 2006 season was a historic one for Cissell and for the men’s team as well. The Cardinals became the first team in HAAC history to go undeafted in the conference without any ties. They also won the HAAC Championship for the first time in over 20 years. The men’s team finished the 2006 campaign with a record of 18-3-3.

Cissell is overwhelmed by the distinction. “I am thrilled beyond belief,” said Cissell. “I owe so much of my success to our teams. They work so hard and believe in our system, and it feels good to know that our program is now being recognized for the effort we put in. I am also very happy that William Jewell is now getting some well-deserved national attention.”

Cissell has guided the William Jewell College women’s program since 1999 and the men’s program since 2002. On the women’s side, Cissell owns a 113-36-4 record. More impressively, Cissell has 113 of 122 wins in team history. For the men, Cissell currently stands at 66-26-8 since he took over the program. He has already led the women’s programs to three women’s NAIA National Tournament appearances (2003, 2004 and 2005) and two men’s NAIA National Tournament appearances (2004 and 2006). In addition, both William Jewell College programs have become staples in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America national rankings and regularly produce All-Americans and nationally recognized scholar athletes. The men’s team placed three players from this year’s squad on the All-American teams and placed three players on the Academic All-American team. The women also placed three members from this year’s team on the Academic All-American team.

Cissell was also a standout player at William Jewell College from 1990-94. Chad Jolly, currently Vice President for Institutional Advancement at William Jewell and a former Cissell teammate, knew that Jewell had something special during their playing days together. “He was definitely one of the most skilled players to come to Jewell in a long time,” Jolly said. “What he could do with the ball in the midfield was very impressive. He also red-shirted one year so by the time he was a senior he started taking more of a player-coach role. He was a team captain and a great leader for those Jewell teams.”

Cissell’s accumulating coaching credits include HAAC Women’s Coach of the Year four times (2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005) as well as NAIA Region V Women’s Coach of the Year in 2003. In addition, he was named NSCAA/Adidas Midwest Coach of the Year in 2003. On the men’s side, Cissell has earned the HAAC Men’s Coach of the Year designation two times (in 2003 and 2006). He was also Region V Coach of the Year this season.

Besides his coaching responsibilities, Cissell directs the William Jewell College All Star Soccer Camps. The All Star Soccer Camps have grown to be one of one of the larger camps in the Midwest and are very well attended.

A 1994 graduate of William Jewell College, Cissell also has a United States Soccer Federation national coaching license and is a member of various coaching associations, including the NSCAA, United States Soccer Coaches Organization and the United States Youth Soccer Coaches Connection. He is also the chairman of the NAIA Region V Men’s Soccer Committee.

Cissell currently resides in Liberty, Mo., with his wife, Heather, a 1997 graduate of William Jewell College. They have four children.

For immediate release
Contact: Paul Worstell, 816-415-5959; worstellp@william.jewell.edu
Jewell player drafted by Major Indoor Soccer League
March 19, 2007

William Jewell College senior Allan Nekuda has become the latest member of the Cardinal men’s soccer squad to enter the professional soccer arena.

Nekuda, a 2001 graduate of Liberty High School and co-captain on William Jewell College’s NAIA National Final Four soccer team, was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Ignition in the 2007 Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) college draft.

Nekuda follows former Cardinals teammate Blake Ryan to the Major Leagues. Ryan was drafted in 2005 by the Kansas City Comets in the sixth round.

“I am excited for Alan and his family,” said Jewell coach Chris Cissell. “Alan has worked extremely hard for this opportunity and it is great to see him get a chance. I had general managers from other teams calling me wishing that he would have lasted longer in the draft. Apparently since he has been training with the Kansas City Wizards his stock really went up right before the draft.”

Nekuda was a vital part of the historic 2006 season for William Jewell. The Cardinals became the first team in Heart of America Conference history to go undefeated in the conference without any ties. They also won the HAAC Championship for the first time in over 20 years. The men’s team finished the 2006 campaign with a record of 18-3-2.