It is not often that soccer players at the college level get the opportunity to play for a coach with International coaching experience. Even rarer is when that happens at a school affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). However, that is exactly what the men's soccer team at Mid-Continent University will get the chance to do this fall.
Mid-Continent Athletic Director Kevin Imhoff is pleased to announce that the Cougars have reached an agreement with Hannibal Najjar to be the school's fourth head coach in the program's 15-year history. The announcement of Najjar as head coach actually marks a return of sorts for Najjar, as he was responsible in part for starting the soccer program at MCU.
"I am so very excited to welcome Coach Najjar to our staff," Imhoff stated. "He is not only one of the best soccer coaches around, he is a man dedicated to Christ and to the mission of Mid-Continent University."
Najjar, a professional player himself in his younger days, is very familiar with competition on the International stage. His coaching stints around the world include time on five different squads for his native Trinidad and Tobago. He coached the T&T National Team in the Qualifying run-up for the 2006 World Cup – the only World Cup for which they have ever qualified – during 2002 and 2003. He also spent time as the head coach for the T&T U-20 National Team (1986-88), the T&T U-17 National team (1985-86), the T&T National and Senior Olympic Team (1984-85), and the T&T U-21 National Team (1983-84).
Najjar will also be Mid-Continent's Director of Coaching. In this role, all coaches in all MCU sports will report to Najjar, and he will help monitor and develop systems and uniformity throughout the Mid-Continent Athletic Department.
Najjar holds three master's degrees, as well as several international Coaching Licenses. He holds a class A UEFA License, a Class A English FA Full Badge & FA Goalkeeping License, a USSF Class A License, and a Class A Goalkeeping License. Najjar also has a long history with MCU President Robert Imhoff, having worked with him at two other universities.
"We are indeed blessed to have one of the very best coaches in the country coming to MCU," President Imhoff remarked. "This is going to be exciting for Kentucky soccer."
Najjar currently resides in St. Louis, Mo. with his wife, Dr. Annette Najjar. The two both currently teach at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo.