LITTLE
ROCK
- UALR Director of Athletics Chris
Peterson announced Wednesday that Adrian
Blewitt has been named the school's new head soccer coach. In 15 years as a
head coach, Blewitt has led his teams to appearances in the Sweet 16 and Elite
Eight of the NCAA Tournament, six conference championships and has won four
conference or region Coach of the Year honors. On three separate occasions,
Blewitt's teams have finished the year ranked in the top ten nationally.
"We are thrilled to have Adrian as part of the Trojan
family," said Peterson. "Adrian has had a great deal of success as a head coach
at two NCAA Division II programs and we look forward to him taking UALR soccer
to the next level."
Blewitt has compiled a 167-66-12 overall record as a
head men's and women's soccer coach at NCAA Division II schools Lees-McRae
College and Lenoir-Rhyne University, including a 36-5-3 mark in his final two
seasons as head coach at Lenoir-Rhyne.
"It feels great. I'm very excited about it," said
Blewitt. "I know that there is a lot of work to be done and there are some
challenges ahead, but I'm excited and confident that we'll be able get things
going in the right direction."
Blewitt's coaching experience includes seven years at
Lenoir-Rhyne University (2005-11), including the last five as the head women's
soccer coach.
In 2011, Blewitt led Lenoir-Rhyne to a 17-3-1 overall
record, a South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Championship and a Sweet 16
appearance in the 2011 NCAA Division II Tournament. In 2010, the Bears went
19-2-2, won the South Atlantic Conference regular season and tournament titles,
advanced to the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Division II Tournament and ended
the year ranked No. 8 in the nation. Blewitt was named the South Atlantic
Conference Coach of the Year in both 2010 and 2011.
Blewitt also served as Lenoir-Rhyne's head men's soccer
coach from 2005-08, and led the 2006 Bears to a South Atlantic Conference
Championship, an Appalachian Regional Championship and a Sweet 16 Appearance in
the NCAA Division II Tournament. The 2006 Bears finished the year with a 19-1-1
overall record and a No. 5 national ranking, while Blewitt took home Coach of
the Year honors for both the South Atlantic Conference and the NSCAA
Appalachian Region.
From 2002-05 at Lees-McRae College, Blewitt led the
Bobcats to back-to-back Carolina-Virginia Athletics Conference Championships
(now known as Conference Carolinas) and coached two-time All-American and New
England Revolution player Khano Smith.
As the head men's soccer coach at Division III member Methodist
College (now Methodist University) from 1997-02, Blewitt won 34 games and led
the Monarchs to a top-25 national ranking in 2001.
A four-year standout and two-year team captain at Lock
Haven University, Blewitt was a four-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference selection (1990-93) and was named the league's Defensive MVP in
1993. Blewitt helped the Bald Eagles to back-to-back PSAC Championships in 1990
and 1991, as well as an appearance in the Elite Eight round of the 1992 NCAA
Division II Tournament.
In his 15 years as a head coach, Blewitt has coached
five NCAA Division II All-Americans, four conference Players of the Year and
four Freshmen of the Year winners.
Blewitt earned his bachelor's degree in health and
physical education in 1994 and his master's degree in liberal arts in 1996,
both from Lock Haven University.
Blewitt is a member of numerous athletic groups and
organizations, including the National Soccer Coaches of America Association,
United States Soccer Federation, North Carolina Olympic Development Staff,
Virginia State Olympic Development Program and the Association of Football
Coaches and Teachers.
A native of Grimsby, England, Blewitt and his wife
Tamara have one daughter JoElle (6).
