WESSON – Copiah-Lincoln Athletic Director Gwyn Young announces the hiring of Junior Noel as head soccer coach. Noel will lead the women’s and men’s teams and replaces former coach David Strother, who accepted a position as women’s soccer coach at Itawamba Community College.

Noel brings extensive experience to Co-Lin and a familiarity with the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC). Noel served as the head soccer coach at East Mississippi Community College from 2007-2010. Hired initially to coach the men’s team, Noel took over both programs in 2008 and continued in that role until the college discontinued the program in 2010. The East Mississippi men’s team had won a combined eight matches in the eight seasons prior to Noel’s arrival in Scooba. In his final season, Noel led the Lions to a 5-11 record. The Co-Lin men have won a combined seven matches in their previous four seasons.

Noel took over the women’s program in 2008. A 4-7-2 record in 2008 was the best season for a Lady Lions team since 2001. The Co-Lin women have not won a match since the 2011 season in which they posted a 4-11 record.

Noel, a native of Trinidad, has experience on the international level as a player and coach. He played for the Caribbean Republic’s national soccer team and moved to the United States in 1994 after accepting a soccer scholarship to the University of Mobile. As a student-athlete at Mobile he was selected as a First Team NAIA All-American in 1995 and 1997.

Most recently he has served as the head women’s soccer coach at Cedar Valley College (Lancaster, TX) during the 2014 season. He has also previously served as the head boys’ soccer coach at Quitman High School and Lamar School in Meridian. Noel was an assistant for the University of Mobile from 1998-2000 on the women’s side and on the men’s side from 2010-2011. He has coached youth, select, and travel soccer in Trinidad, Mobile, and Meridian.

“We’re very excited about hiring someone with the type of experience that Coach Noel brings,” said Copiah-Lincoln President Dr. Ronnie Nettles. “His enthusiasm and familiarity with collegiate soccer are two of the things that impress you the most,” said Nettles.