STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford's coaching staff was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Regional Staff of the Year in the Pacific region, as announced by the organization recently.
The Cardinal staff is led by head coach Paul Ratcliffe and assisted by Hideki Nakada, Margueritte Aozasa and Rodrigo Baptista.
The award, which was separated into head coach and assistant coach categories in previous years, is the first full staff award in program history. It is the sixth time in 14 seasons Ratcliffe has been recognized as the Pacific Region Coach of the Year.
Ratcliffe earned the second straight Pac-12 Coach of the Year recognition and seventh of his career during 2016. No other coach has won the award more than twice in conference history. Ratcliffe guided Stanford to its second consecutive Pac-12 title and sixth under his leadership in the past eight years.
Nakada completed his third season with the Cardinal and continued to provide assistance in coaching, recruiting, game-planning, scouting and video. He worked closely with the goalkeepers, which limited opponents to 17 goals in 21 games and held a 0.79 goals-against average.
Aozasa continued to contribute in a variety of ways during her second season with the team, while Baptista brought a wealth of knowledge and experience in his first year with the program.
Stanford's coaching staff is among 24 NCAA Division I, II and III women's soccer programs recognized. Each of the regional staffs will be honored at the College Coaches Awards Reception, presented by Surf Cup Sports, on January 12, 2017 at the JW Marriott Los Angeles in conjunction with the 2017 NSCAA Convention.
The eight NSCAA Regional Staff of the Year recipients in each NCAA Division will be placed on the ballot for NSCAA National Staff of the Year consideration within their respective NCAA Division. The ballot will also include the addition of coaching staffs from any schools which advance to the semifinals of their NCAA Championship.
The NSCAA will announce the men's and women's National Staff of the Year for all NCAA divisions on Dec. 20.