Two former Seasiders, and former teammates, were recently announced as the newmen’s and women’s head soccer coaches, respectively, at Brigham YoungUniversity Hawaii. Jeff Miller, a former standout and team MVP, will begin torebuild a men’s program that was dropped while he was an assistant duringthe 2000 season. The women’s team also announced a new head coach—JustinWagar, who spent the past season as the interim head coach of the women's soccerteam at Utah Valley State College. Wagar will have the task of building a programfrom the ground up as BYU-Hawaii adds women's soccer to its athletic programfor the 2006-07 academic year.
BYU-Hawaii Athletic Director Ken Wagner said the school is excited about thenew coaches and expressed confidence in their abilities to build their respectiveprograms.
Speaking first of Miller’s return to coaching at BYU-Hawaii, Wagner said, "Jeffhas excellent coaching skills. He's a good organizer and will bring a lot ofenthusiasm to the program."
For the past few years, Miller has been a successful businessman, operating hisown companies first in Hawaii and then in Idaho. He has continued to be activein soccer coaching, participating in soccer camps, and youth soccer programs.
Before suiting up at BYU-Hawaii, Miller played for one year at Cerritos Collegewhere he was awarded the team’s most valuable player. As a Seasider, Millerwas also awarded team MVP, as well as team captain.
"I am extremely excited that BYU-Hawaii has brought back men's soccer," Millerstated. "BYU-Hawaii has an outstanding sports history and I hope we canbuild a soccer program that will add to that tradition."
Justin Wagar gained his coaching experience as an assistant at UVSC. Last season,he filled in as head coach just two weeks before the start of the season whenthe previous coach resigned abruptly.
Wagar's college soccer career started in 1998 at BYU-Hawaii. By the end of hisfreshman season, the Seasiders had completed their most successful season inschool history going 10-5 (6-5 in league play) and Wagar was selected as oneof the team captains where he became one of only two players who started everygame that season.
"I believe that Hawaii is really a soccer paradise," he said. "Thereis really no place like Hawaii to play soccer. The whole state has a great socceratmosphere. I really look forward to building the program at BYU-Hawaii."
Both coaches are returned missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints. Wagar served in the Denver, Colorado North Mission; Miller was in theTampa, Florida Mission.
"We're very pleased with out coaching selections," Wagner said in speakingabout Miller and Wagar. "These two young coaches are energetic and talentedand we look forward to having them develop a strong program here."