At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Sara Fjell

Name of High School Program: Bellevue East Girls Varsity Soccer

Occupation Outside of Coaching: Teacher and Instructional Coach for Bellevue East

Favorite Professional Soccer Team: USA Women’s National Team

Soccer Idol (Player or Coach): Mia Hamm and Julie Johnson-Ertz

Who would you consider to be your soccer mentor? What is the story behind your selection? How did they help you in your soccer journey? 

My Dad, my father has always been one of my biggest fans both as a player and a coach. He also would watch the game with me when I was younger and we would talk and discuss the games as we watched. I think this is what would eventually lead to my interest in coaching. I grew up watching and playing a lot of soccer and became very passionate about working with kids as I became a teacher. Also, playing at the collegiate level gave more confidence in my understanding and playing of the game.

Describe a favorite soccer memory that you have been involved with. This memory could be from your playing or coaching experiences. Tell us the story and impact of this memory.

One of my all time favorite soccer memories is when Bellevue East made the state tournament in 2007. It was my first year as head coach, and we were the 3 seed. We upset Burke who was the 2nd seed, and then beat Papio South in a shootout to go to state. It was an unbelievable game and so much fun celebrating with the team afterwards, a great day for Bellevue East Soccer.

List and describe three important pillars or values of your program. What is the culture of your program built on? What do they mean to you? 

Teamwork, Hard work, Commitment 

We strive to always bring our best not only for the improvement of ourselves as players and coaches but also when representing our school. The group I have this season is extra special because they take pride in these three pillars and it shows each practice and day at school.

What is your motivation for coaching? This is a time-consuming and challenging occupation. Why do you do it? 

I coach because I love working with kids and teaching them the game of soccer. It is so empowering to help and develop student athletes over a four year period of time. You don’t just see them develop as soccer players but also as young women. I have loved every minute of coaching at the high school level!

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison

Although it is rarely covered by the traditional media giants of the state, Nebraska is filled with exciting and competitive collegiate soccer programs. In fact, Nebraska contains a grand total of THIRTY programs for men and women. Those thirty programs compete across a wide variety of collegiate levels including Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college.

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to examine, cover, and promote all of these teams. This task has been made a bit more challenging by the circumstances created by COVID-19. Depending on the playing level, conference, and school, the season outlook changes drastically. Roster information can also be in flux, depending on the school. Despite these challenges, our staff attempted to put together the best program summaries possible. To our knowledge, we are the only outlet providing such coverage to our state’s college programs.

Just like Nebraska Soccer Talk, this column will grow and become more in depth as the years pass. In the future, we hope to provide sideline coverage of games, facility features, coach and player interviews. We look forward to the journey ahead. Thank you for being a part of our community. The sport of soccer is growing in Nebraska, and we intend to see it thrive.

Disclaimer – In the making of this article, team websites and other research sources were utilized. Although we attempt to avoid them whenever possible, errors can occur. Please contact us directly with corrections.

Bellevue University

Head Coach – Tom White

Assistant Coaches – Amy Tilley

Mascot – Bruins

Previous Records

Nebraska Homegrown Players On Roster – 

• #2 Kaycee Driver – So – Nebraska City – F
• #3 Jaycee Billings – Fr – Gross Catholic – M
• #4 Jaedyn Tryon – Fr – Omaha Burke – F
• #5 Taylan Murphey – So – Waverly – M
• #6 Emah Maahs – Jr – Waverly – D
• #8 Daisy Ochoa-Rojas – Jr – Omaha South – M
• #9 Courtney Wallingford – Jr –  Bellevue West – M
• #11 Britney Nolte – Fr – Platteview – F
• #12 Morgan Mcllnay – Fr – Millard North – D
• #13 Emma Phillipson – Sr – Millard South – D
• #17 Chloe Madigan – Sr – Omaha Central – D
• #19 Maddy Vasquez – Fr – Omaha Central – M
• #21 Jenna Curtis – Fr – Conestoga – D
• #25 Angela Miranda – So – Omaha Bryan – F
• #26 – Abril Mendez – So – Omaha Bryan – D
• #27 Emma Stock – Fr – Papillion La Vista South – D
• #29 Jayda Noble – Sr – Bellevue West – F
• #30 Sinai Bernal – Fr – Elkhorn – M

18/25 = 72%

NEST Analysis – An exciting program, the Bellevue University women’s team has a bright future if their recent history is any indication. Coach Tom White is currently in his 2nd season as head coach with Bellevue University. In that short amount of time, an uptick in roster numbers and talent has occurred. It is a roster full of homegrown playmakers that will be able to compete at a very high level within the North Star conference. Recent transfers from Division I and II programs will bolster this team’s performances throughout the coming seasons. In addition, the Bruins have done very well in terms of branding which often goes overlooked in the grand scheme of things. 

Finally, from a recruiting and living standpoint, Bellevue University has advantages simply because of its placement in Sarpy County. Newly constructed  facilities located at Papillion Landing give the Bruins a major upgrade. Bruin home games are now played at this first rate facility. Unlike many other small-town NAIA schools, the allure of the Omaha metro area is there for the Bruins to exploit.  With all of those recruiting pulls, the Bruins are a team with a positive trajectory. 

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison

Although it is rarely covered by the traditional media giants of the state, Nebraska is filled with exciting and competitive collegiate soccer programs. In fact, Nebraska contains a grand total of THIRTY programs for men and women. Those thirty programs compete across a wide variety of collegiate levels including Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college.

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to examine, cover, and promote all of these teams. This task has been made a bit more challenging by the circumstances created by COVID-19. Depending on the playing level, conference, and school, the season outlook changes drastically. Roster information can also be in flux, depending on the school. Despite these challenges, our staff attempted to put together the best program summaries possible. To our knowledge, we are the only outlet providing such coverage to our state’s college programs.

Just like Nebraska Soccer Talk, this column will grow and become more in depth as the years pass. In the future, we hope to provide sideline coverage of games, facility features, coach and player interviews. We look forward to the journey ahead. Thank you for being a part of our community. The sport of soccer is growing in Nebraska, and we intend to see it thrive.

Disclaimer – In the making of this article, team websites and other research sources were utilized. Although we attempt to avoid them whenever possible, errors can occur. Please contact us directly with corrections.

Concordia University

Head Coach – Jason Weides

2020 will be Coach Weides 13th season as head coach of the bulldogs program. Throughout his years in charge, his squad has compiled a 117-89-24 record and consistently achieved program firsts. Overall, this is a great coaching story as Coach Weides worked his way through the high school ranks and served as an assistant coach before getting a chance to lead a program. Since that time, Concordia has been a consistent winner in a tough GPAC field. With Weides at the helm, Concordia will have a stable and successful program for many years to come.

Mascot – Bulldogs

Nebraska Homegrown Players On Roster – 

• #9 Isaiah Shaddick – Soph – Lincoln – F
• #19 Braden Spath – Fr – Kearney – Mid
• #27 Caleb Goldsmith – Jr – Lincoln – Mid
• #28 Moises Jacobo – Soph – Grand Island – Mid
• #29 Daniel Campbell – Jr – Bellevue – F
• #30 Matt Schultz – Soph – Lincoln – Mid

6/28 = 21%

Known Recruiting Class – Carter Hinman (Gretna High School)

NEST Analysis – Concordia is a solid Nebraska program that represents the state very well on the collegiate stage. Concordia has elevated itself to a contender status in the GPAC. The roster is filled with international talent from Nebraska to England to Columbia. With that type of variety, some teams would fail to develop proper on-field chemistry. However, that is simply not the case with these bulldogs, which is a testament to the strong team culture. We can’t wait to cover this program for years to come.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison

Although it is rarely covered by the traditional media giants of the state, Nebraska is filled with exciting and competitive collegiate soccer programs. In fact, Nebraska contains a grand total of THIRTY programs for men and women. Those thirty programs compete across a wide variety of collegiate levels including Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college.

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to examine, cover, and promote all of these teams. This task has been made a bit more challenging by the circumstances created by COVID-19. Depending on the playing level, conference, and school, the season outlook changes drastically. Roster information can also be in flux, depending on the school. Despite these challenges, our staff attempted to put together the best program summaries possible. To our knowledge, we are the only outlet providing such coverage to our state’s college programs.

Just like Nebraska Soccer Talk, this column will grow and become more in depth as the years pass. In the future, we hope to provide sideline coverage of games, facility features, coach and player interviews. We look forward to the journey ahead. Thank you for being a part of our community. The sport of soccer is growing in Nebraska, and we intend to see it thrive.

Disclaimer – In the making of this article, team websites and other research sources were utilized. Although we attempt to avoid them whenever possible, errors can occur. Please contact us directly with corrections.

Bellevue University

Head Coach – Mark Heath-Preston (5th Season)

Assistant Coaches – Scott Robertson, Graeme Eaglesham

Mascot – Bruins

Nebraska Homegrown Players On Roster – 

• #7 Juvenal Jacinto – Sr – Omaha South – Mid
• #8 Zach Robbins – Jr – Omaha Burke – Mid
• #10 Ricky Reyes – Jr – Omaha Burke – Mid
• #13 Jack Finocchiaro – Jr – Omaha Westside – F
• #14 John Cover – So – Gretna HS – Mid
• #15 Morgan Penn – Sr – Columbus HS – Mid
• #17 Eli Brown – So – Lincoln East – Mid
• #18 Nate Fibich – So – Gretna HS – Mid
• #19 Marvin Ramirez – Jr – Omaha Westside – Mid
• #22 Alan Mendoza – Fr – Omaha South – GK
• #24 Jared Robles – So – Nebraska City HS – GK
• #25 Eduardo Castillo – So – Omaha South – D
• #29 Max Lambert – Fr – Papillion-La Vista South – F
• #31 Ivan Hernandez – Omaha South – D

NEST Analysis – The men’s program at Bellevue University is one of the intriguing squads in the state for several reasons. First and foremost, there are many homegrown Nebraskans that have been given an opportunity to play at the next level by the Bruins. Secondly, there is an overhanging feeling that this program is at the cusp of becoming a consistent title contender in the conference. Their 2018 season demonstrated how far this program has come in recent years, and they are looking for that to become the norm. Finally, from a recruiting and living standpoint, Bellevue University has advantages simply because of its placement in Sarpy County. Newly constructed  facilities located at Papillion Landing give the Bruins a major upgrade. Unlike many other small-town NAIA schools, the allure of the Omaha metro area is there for the Bruins to exploit.  With all of those recruiting pulls, the Bruins are a team to watch.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through multiple different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison

Previewing an upcoming season is never an easy task. To do so properly takes countless hours of emails, observations, statistical research, conversation, and reflection. Adding onto that difficulty are challenges, such as a cancelled 2020 season and lingering COVID restrictions, making our preview preparation feel almost impossible.

Despite these obstacles, the approaching 2021 season and its participants – whether that be players, coaches, fans, or families – deserve some semblance of normalcy. Soccer in Nebraska and all those who participate deserve to be promoted. Over the course of the next several weeks, the NEST will overview EVERY high school soccer program in our state. This was done to the best of our ability using all of the information we could collect.

Nebraska Soccer Talk is here to support many fantastic teams, coaches, players, fans, and referees that make our game possible. One mission of this venture is to discover and centralize newsworthy information. This can only be done in collaboration with individual programs. As a whole, our sport must better promote itself in order to grow the player and supporter pool. We encourage every team to proudly and consistently advertise itself to us and the general public. The more information available, the more our game will grow. Soccer is a game historically left behind to linger in the background in the United States. That circumstance is changing, but that change will not happen automatically. Growing and covering all aspects of our sport will take effort from all of those who love it.

Disclaimer – To prepare for these articles, a questionnaire was sent to every school’s head coach and athletic director. Many of these questionnaires were returned in a timely fashion, others were not. Nebraska Soccer Talk prides itself on equal and in-depth coverage but cooperation is needed to meet that goal. Please consider this to be our reasoning when it comes to article length and accuracy.

Bellevue West

Head Coach – Alan Carr

Previous Records

Players to Watch – Cole Hoppe

State Status – Front Runner, Contender, Dark Horse, Up-And-Coming, Building, Too Early To Tell

NEST Analysis – The Thunderbirds participated in three shootouts in 2019. They were competitive in virtually every game, which is the reasoning behind our “building” status. Victories over programs like Millard West, Omaha Westside, and Elkhorn South are fantastic focus points for any program. 

Anyone that has been around the game long enough has known a time like this. Bellevue West is just waiting to turn the corner and enter into contender status. There is no guarantee that such a change takes place, but there are two reasons for optimism. One of those reasons paces the sideline; the other displays his skills on the field. Coach Alan Carr is a well known and respected soccer mind throughout the metro area. His expertise is essential to the squad’s success. On the field, Cole Hoppe will be a focal point during the 2021 season. His teammates will need to compliment his play, but Hoppe is a good player to build around.  

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast on Spotify.

Chace Hutchison