Missouri Southern names Dwight Burgess as its new women's soccer coach
Joplin, Mo. -- Missouri Southern State University Director of Athletics Jared Bruggeman has announced the selection of Dwight Burgess as its new head women's soccer coach. He begins his duties officially at Southern on August 15.
Burgess, a veteran of nearly 30 years in coaching, has spent the past ten years as both the men's and women's soccer coach at Capital University in Ohio. He coached the men from 2000-2009, and the women from 2002-2009.
"We're very excited to have coach Burgess on our staff," Bruggeman said. "He brings in a wealth of experience and talent and I have no doubt that he can continue the success that our women's soccer program has had. I would also like to thank the efforts of the search committee. They worked hard, and under short notice, came through splendidly"
Aaron Lewis, facilities and operations coordinator at Southern and the soccer sport supervisor echoed Bruggeman's comments.
"Dwight (Burgess) stood out amongst a very talented pool of applicants," Lewis said. "We knew early on that he was a strong candidate and we're excited to have him join our staff."
"I'm absolutely elated for the opportunity," Burgess said. "I had ten great years at Capital and was very happy with what we accomplished, but felt it was time that I move on. It was late in the year and didn't know what was out there, but was intrigued by the opportunity at Southern."
"During the course of the interview process, I had a chance to spend some time with some current players and was even more drawn to the job and intrigued with their contagious excitement. I am looking forward to being a part of the tradition and being competitive in a very tough conference."
Burgess turned around a struggling Capital men's program that had in the previous seven seasons went 12-112-2 overall and just 1-62 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Crusaders men went 97-84-16 overall in Burgess' tenure and 42-42-6 in the OAC, while he led the women to an 89-61-17 overall mark and 45-21-6 record in conference action.
In his tenure at Capital, he had three All-American selections, 60 All-Conference selections, ten Conference Players of the Year, ten Great Lakes Region Selections, eight Academic All-District selections, 16 Academic All-Conference selections, one Ohio Player of the Year and one Academic All-American.
His teams won six National Team Academic Awards, five National Team Ethics Awards, three OAC Regular Season Championships, three OAC Tournament Championships and made three NCAA Tournament appearances. He was one of just eight nominees for the 2007 National Coach of the Year award, while being named the 2007 Great Lakes Region and Ohio Collegiate Coach of the Year. He was a four-time OAC Coach of the Year.
Also active in professional soccer, Burgess has served as the head coach of the Major League Soccer Columbus Crew's Juniors Developmental Program since 2006. He was a special assistant with the team from 1998-2003 and has served as the play-by-play voice of the team from its inception.
Prior to that, Burgess was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Ohio State from 1989-91 and was on the state coaching staff of the Ohio South Olympic Development Program from 1991-1994. Before getting into collegiate coaching, Burgess was a high school coach for ten years.
He played at the University of Dayton from 1981-1982 after transferring from DePauw University where he was the Conference Player of the Year and a two time All-Region selection. Burgess holds a bachelors degree from Wright State University and a masters degree from The Ohio State University.
Burgess and his wife Julie have been married for 21 years. The couple have three children: Krystin (19) a freshman at Ohio State, Michael (16) a sophomore in high school and John (9).
