Schneweis Announces Position Change
MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/21/21)---Ben Schneweis announced that he will resign as head coach of the Concordia-Moorhead men's soccer program effective May 1.
"I have been so fortunate to coach so many incredible young men and to have forged so many meaningful relationships over nine years here, Schneweis commented. "It's bittersweet to be moving on, but I'm doing so knowing the program has a strong foundation, is trending upward, and the future is undoubtedly bright because the team is full of exceptional people who are also really talented soccer players.
Schneweis will remain with the Concordia athletic department as the Associate Athletic Director and Director of Compliance.
"Ben has done an outstanding job with the men's soccer program," Athletic Director Rachel Bergeson said. His commitment to the student-athletes, devotion to the program and the institution has been inspiring, especially with all that has happened in the past year."
This spring marked the ninth season as head coach of the Cobbers for Schneweis. He came to Concordia in 2012 after serving as an assistant coach at North Dakota State University for the women's soccer program. Schneweis has steadily moved the Concordia program forward and posted his most successful season in 2019 when the team went 9-7-2. The nine overall wins marked only the fourth time in the past 18 years that the Cobbers have won more than eight games in a season.
Schneweis' 2020-21 team has a 4-1 record which is the best of any team in the MIAC, and he has guided the offense to a league-best 2.8 goals per game average.
During his tenure, Schneweis won 48 games, had 20 players earn MIAC All-Conference honors and 32 of his players were named to the Academic All-Conference Team. Former 2-time All-Conference award winner, and current assistant coach Austin Peterson, went on to play professional soccer in Germany after graduating from Concordia in 2019.
"I'm incredibly thankful to Rich Glas for giving me the opportunity to become a head coach and to Rachel Bergeson for her continued and unwavering support, as well as for this next opportunity within the athletics administrative team," Schneweis said. "I will miss so much about coaching but I'm looking forward to the challenge of working to help all our athletic programs, coaches, and student-athletes be successful."
Although Schneweis will finish the remainder of the season, the athletic department will begin a search for the next men's soccer head coach immediately.
"To say it's been a privilege to serve as the sixth men's soccer head coach at Concordia is an understatement," Schneweis added. "The game of soccer, this institution, the alumni, the fans, and all the student-athletes I have coached have given me far more than I could have ever given them."