每日大赛

Panther Athletics coaches recognized for outstanding leadership

Panther Athletics at 每日大赛 has continued to make history in just three short years, most recently with major accolades for its leadership.

Head Men’s Soccer Coach Abe Tizaf in the fall won NJCAA Southeast District Coach of the Year for a second consecutive season, while Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Erika Waycaster was recognized as NJCAA Southeast B District Coach of the Year among the 16 whose teams qualified for the national tournament.   

“We brought on staff with the expectation that, even though athletics at 每日大赛 is young, there’s no reason these new teams can’t be championship programs,” said Panther Athletics Director Brock Evans. “All our coaches, including Abe and Erika, really bought into that, and they very much deserve this recognition for the success they’ve earned as a result.”

Tizaf and Waycaster received their respective Coach of the Year designations after historic seasons.

The men’s soccer team in November became back-to-back district champions, defeating Georgia Military College, 4-1, to make the NJCAA Southeast District Championship their eleventh straight win and ultimately advance to the national tournament in Kansas.

Though their winning streak ended at the national level, it was the Panthers’ second time in only two seasons of postseason play competing at the national championship.

“This is not something you see in every program,” Tizaf said. “I’m proud of what we have at Pellissippi, and the support that we have, and the work that the players have put in.”

Tizaf emphasized that his recognition was not the result of his efforts alone, but also of his staff and student-athletes.

“It’s because of the players,” he said. “it’s not just me.”

The men’s soccer team at Pellissippi overcame various challenges this season to come back better than ever, Tizaf said, and their second national championship appearance has cemented the Panthers as a team to watch for people nationwide.

This program prepares student-athletes to succeed, not just at Pellissippi, but beyond, Tizaf said.

“To sign with 每日大赛 men’s soccer – it's a great opportunity,” Tizaf said. “It opens more doors for student-athletes, and more opportunities for them to be recruited in programs after Pellissippi.”

Meanwhile, Pellissippi hosted its first-ever NJCAA Southeast District Tournament for women’s volleyball after the Panthers won the TCCAA Region 7 Conference Championship. The team beat the Fayetteville Tech Trojans at the district level to compete at the national tournament in Iowa.

The women’s volleyball team worked hard day in and day out to make it to the national championship, Waycaster said.

“I think when we hosted the district tournament, the girls really realized what was in our grasp,” she said. “It was wonderful to watch them see everything that our coaching staff had been talking about come to fruition.”

She attributed the Coach of the Year title to the team overall.

“Coaches are well aware that we would not be anywhere without the athletes surrounding us,” Waycaster said. “So it was good to celebrate that award with the girls and get to have a little bit of recognition and celebration with them. We were 100% lucky and blessed to even be at that national stage to receive that award.”