EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University athletic department announces the promotion of former assistant coach Jonathan Rea to head up the women’s soccer program. Rea will begin his coaching duties immediately.
Athletic Director Corey Anderson said, “Whenever you have the opportunity to promote from within and when it is a good fit for the campus, program and student-athlete, then you make that decision. Jonathan Rea has been dedicated to the NCU community in many different facets for the past three years. I am very pleased to announce Coach Jonathan Rea as our new women’s soccer coach.”
Rea, who has been an assistant coach with the women’s soccer team since the program’s inception in 2006, has an extensive background in the local soccer community. He was a coach with the Thurston United Soccer Club for eight years and was a coach at Thurston High for a six-year stint.
“I am extremely excited for this opportunity,” said Rea. “I have a responsibility to the players that I have helped recruit and I love teaching soccer and working with the student athletes. I love the opportunities that a small Christian University offers to students and I enjoy being part of the NCU community.”
Coach Rea is a retired Army Master Sergeant who was in the service for over 24 years and he is currently working for the Military Personnel Services Corporation, assisting with recruitment and training. He played collegiately at Concordia College in Portland and has a B.S. degree from Excelsior College.
Coach Rea added, “I am excited about the players we have coming back. We were a young team last year and competed hard. I am thrilled to see them mature as players and as a team. We will have our challenges in front of us, especially with a very competitive non-league schedule this fall, but I have full confidence that we will be up to the task.”
Rea will begin recruiting immediately for the 2009 season, set to kick off in late August.