WATERTOWN, Wis. -- The NCCAA Midwest Region has announced that Coach Jeff Pill has been named as the Men's Soccer Regional Coach of the Year for the 2025 season.* Pill earns the award after he led the Sabercats to their first winning record since the 2014 season and led the return to the NCCAA Top 10 Rankings for the first time since 2019. On the season, the Sabercats finished with a 5-2-1 record against Midwest Region opposition.

The 2025 season was filled with ups and downs for the Sabercats, who broke into the NCCAA Top 10 with a win over 10th-ranked Great Lakes Christian and followed that up with four consecutive wins, including a 1-0 home shutout over Faith Baptist two weekends later. 

On the year, the Sabercats recorded an 8-6-3 record which included six shutout wins and the first win at Rockford University since 2012.

When the postseason came around, the Sabercats outlasted the hosts, Great Lakes, with a 1-0 win to sweep the three-game series on the season. But a difficult 1-0 loss in the regional final to Grace Christian was the death blow to the Sabercats' memorable 2025 campaign, which included a 6-2-1 NCCAA record.

"Coach Pill has been a staple an example of what a Coach of the Year recipient looks like," said Paul Brown, Maranatha Director of Athletics. "He has taken the guys he has and coached them up getting them to play at the peak level of performance, getting some quality wins this year that in previous years we just didn't pull off. He had some players that he used well in certain situations and games that ended up working for team success. I am overjoyed that our region coaches recognized his hard work over the season. We all recognize that his core beliefs and his unwavering foundation of who God is in his life has made Coach Pill who he is. His consistency and love for his players and for His Lord is to be commended and modeled. To see his love for the game, his passion for players, and his character shine through is another reason why we have seen success for our men's soccer program."

Pill's honor is the first "Coach of the Year" honor from the NCCAA since he was named as the 2019 NCCAA DII North Region Coach of the Year.

^{*the award was given to both Jeff Pill and Grace Christian University's Dustin Buchanan after a tied vote. The Midwest Region Selection Committee elected to give two awards instead of calling for a second vote.}