MUNCIE, Ind. – After a tough end to the season and a head coach's departure in the offseason, the Ball State soccer team was in the hunt for new leadership ahead of their next season. On March 11, it was announced that the position had been filled by Andy Stoots.
As a seasoned collegiate coach with 22 years of experience, Stoots felt that Ball State was the perfect place to start his first head coaching campaign.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and certainly being a first-time head coach there are things we’re going to learn no doubt about it, but I’ve worked for a lot of really good head coaches so I do feel prepared in that way,” Stoots said.
After a three-year stint with the University of Missouri as their associate head coach, Stoots brings a championship-oriented mindset with him to Ball State.
“That’s why we play, we play because we’re competitive and because we want to win championships at the end of the year,” Stoots said.
On top of wanting to win championships, Stoots said he was drawn to Ball State because of the people he met on campus.
“From my first conversations with Jeff [Mitchell] and his staff, I was really blown away with the people first and foremost… that really reeled me in,” Stoots said.
After the Cardinals lost their last five games, Stoots said he is ready to implement his own play style.
“Something really exciting, we want to play, if we can, a really fast-paced and attacking style of game… I think it's a style that players want to be a part of… and I think our fans are going to really enjoy it also,” Stoots explained.
Fans can get a glimpse of the new Cardinal team in the Fall when their season kicks off at Briner Sports Complex.
Contact Stephen Grata with comments at stephen.grata@bsu.edu.
