DWU Athletic Department

L. Dale Roden
Head Women’s Soccer Coach
Tarkio University ’91
daroden@dwu.edu
605-995-2116

As Lucien Dale Roden heads into his third season as the head women’s soccer coach at Dakota Wesleyan University, it’s clear his program is headed in the right direction. The Tigers had undoubtedly the best season in the program’s short history in 2008, and Roden has his team poised to continue that progress in 2009.

Under Roden’s direction, DWU rewrote the school record books in the fourth season of existence. The Tigers finished 8-9-2 and qualified for its first trip to the GPAC Postseason Tournament. In conference play, Dakota Wesleyan tied for seventh place with a 5-5-2 record. DWU’s biggest win of the season was a 2-1 victory over Hastings College in Mitchell on Sept. 27, and the Tigers also scored victories over Mount Marty College, Doane College, Northwestern College and Briar Cliff University. Dakota Wesleyan had a four-game unbeaten streak and a run of three straight shutouts.

The eight wins were better than the program’s combined win total over its first three seasons. Dakota Wesleyan broke or tied 14 school records in 2008, including total goals (36), assists (25), shots on goal (127), goals per game (1.9) and shutouts (six). Ellie Peterson set new individual records for goals (13) and points (31), and she tied with teammate Kasha Roberts for a new assist record (five). Goalie Danielle Richardson set new records for saves (140) and shutouts (six).

Roden coached the 2008 Tigers to numerous postseason awards. Peterson and Richardson were All-GPAC Second-Team picks, Sarah Weidler was an All-GPAC Honorable Mention selection and Richardson earned a GPAC Player-of-the-Week award. Sarah Duff was named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete, and Roden’s team received the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award for the second straight season.

Overall, Roden is 10-25-2 after two seasons at DWU. He has coached five All-GPAC players, four NAIA All-America Scholar-Athletes, and two straight NSCAA Team Academic Award winners.

Roden, the second women’s soccer coach in school history, came to DWU from Adams State College, an NCAA Division II institution in Alamosa, Colo., where he was the first head coach at the school. He was the head coach of the Grizzlies for five seasons, leading the team to two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament berths. He compiled a 32-58-6 overall record in the first five seasons of women’s soccer at the school. Roden’s squads excelled in the classroom, earning the Team Academic Award every year from the National Soccer Coaches Association with 30 players earning Academic All-RMAC honors. He also coached three CoSIDA Academic All-District players and had 10 players earn NSCAA Scholar All-West recognition.

Roden has been a head coach for 14 seasons, compiling a 123-128-14 overall record. His 123 career wins make him one of the top 20 winningest women’s soccer coaches in NAIA history. Before starting the program at Adams State, he started the women’s soccer program at Huron University. He spent three seasons at Huron and led his team to a No. 16 national ranking in the NAIA poll.

He also was the head women’s soccer coach for four seasons at Westmar before arriving at Huron University. His Westmar team made a national tournament appearance in 1995.

Roden earned his bachelor’s degree from Tarkio College in Tarkio, Mo. He earned a master’s degree in HPERD in 2000 from the University of South Dakota. He also holds NSCAA National (1995) and Advanced National (1997) coaching diplomas.

Roden and his wife, Jaime, live in Mitchell and have two daughters, Bailey and Grace, and a son, Parker.

Brandon Ponchak
Assistant Soccer Coach
Asbury College ’07
brponcha@dwu.edu

Brandon Ponchak joins the Dakota Wesleyan University men’s and women’s soccer programs this season as the Tigers’ graduate assistant coach. Ponchak’s first foray into collegiate coaching comes on the heels of a successful playing career at Asbury College (Ky.), where he was the team’s goalkeeper.

At Dakota Wesleyan, Ponchak will be the primary goalkeeper coach for both the men’s and women’s teams. Both DWU head men’s coach Jeremy Tosaya and head women’s coach Dale Roden praised Ponchak’s knowledge of the keeper position and his passion for soccer.

A four-year starter in the net for Asbury, Ponchak already has some impressive playing and coaching credentials. He also played keeper at the Gothia Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden, for SportsTours USA, and he had a standout goalkeeper career at Morgan High School in McConnelsville, Ohio.

Before joining the DWU soccer staff, Ponchak was the head coach for the Lexington (Ky.) Christian Academy Middle School boys’ and girls’ teams. He has also worked as a goalkeeper coach at the high school level and at numerous soccer camps. He has a NSCAA Regional and State Goalkeeping Diploma and his USSF “E” License.

A McConnelsville, Ohio, native, Ponchak received a bachelor’s degree in Bible/theology: pre-seminary from Asbury College in 2007. At Dakota Wesleyan, Ponchak will pursue a Master of Arts degree in education administration.