Rob Podeyn named SBU women’s soccer coach

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Southwest Baptist University has announced the hiring of Rob Podeyn as head women’s soccer coach. Podeyn becomes the eighth head coach in the history of the SBU program. He joins the Bearcats after serving as the head women’s soccer coach at Northwood University in Cedar Hill, Texas, a position he held since 2006.

Podeyn (pronounced po-DINE) has taken NAIA Northwood from a #212 national ranking and 3-12 conference record to a #34 national rank and two consecutive conference championships. His teams have produced 16 all-conference players, two all-region players and one All-American in three seasons. For the last two seasons, Podeyn’s teams were recognized by the NAIA as Academic All-American teams with a 3.18 GPA.

Prior to Northwood, Podeyn was head men’s and women’s soccer coach at William Woods University in Fulton, Mo., from 2003 through 2006. The women’s program went from #104 to as high as #27 in three seasons. The program ranked first in improvement in the country in NCAA or NAIA in 2003-04 to 2004-05 after a 50-goal improvement.

Podeyn and his wife, Sondra, have two sons: Roby, 14, and Matthew, who turns 12 this week. Coach Podeyn will begin his duties with the Bearcats on May 1.

PS – the Southwest Baptist Bearcats play against the Drury Panthers in a Spring exhibition game this evening at Harrison Stadium, beginning at 7 pm.