Bolivar, Mo. – SBU VP for Intercollegiate Athletics, Clark Sheehy, announces Aron Bassoff as the new head men's soccer coach for Southwest Baptist University. Bassoff joins the Bearcats with 25 years of coaching experience spanning from NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA I. He enters with an intercollegiate record of 198-159-23.
 
"We are thrilled to add Coach Bassoff to our University to lead our men's soccer program," Sheehy stated. "He has a proven track record of success, and we know he will be a great fit with the mission of our University. It's a great day to be a Bearcat!
 
"I am very excited to take over as the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Southwest Baptist University," Bassoff said. "I am so thankful to God for opening this door to a school that is intentionally Christian in its integration to academics and athletics."
 
Coach Bassoff recently finished his 3^rd season as the head coach of Northern Oklahoma College-Enid (NOC) men's soccer team. In his first season there, he led the team to a 2^nd place finish in Region 2 with a record of 7-3-2. This was a fast turnaround from the 2022 team that finished in last place with zero wins in the region. Bassoff was selected as Region 2 Coach of the Year in his 1^st year at NOC. He followed that tremendous start with a solid 2^nd year record of 10-8-2 and another qualification into the Region 2 NJCAA Division I playoffs.
 
He spent five seasons at NCAA Division II school Davis & Elkins as the head coach from 2010-2015. There he guided them to a 54-30-8 record including one conference regular season title (2013), two runner-up finishes, and three conference tournament championship game appearances. His coaching produced All-American and Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) Player of the Year, James Pucci in 2013. In the same season, Bassoff coached Dan Savory to GMAC Defensive Player of the Year.
 
One of his more successful seasons came in 2012 where he led the team to a 14-4-2 overall record, qualifying them for the NCAA Division II National Tournament for the first time in 25 years. The team was nationally ranked for six weeks of the season, climbing as high as 18^th and finishing the regular season ranked 20^th.
 
In his 21 seasons as an intercollegiate head coach, he has produced 13 winning seasons, 10 teams that have won 10+ games, coached in 17 Region/Conference championships and has coached seven nationally ranked teams.
 
Additionally, he has obtained a USSF 'A' License, the highest coaching license offered, and a NSCAA Premier Diploma. He has been happily married to his wife Tammy for 28 years and they have two children Kayla (24) and Drew (21).
 
"I would like to thank my always supportive and encouraging wife," Bassoff adds. "I am looking forward to building the program to become more competitive in the always competitive GLVC, producing great Christian men, and glorifying Christ on the field through our play!"