Concordia University WI Women's Soccer

Ryan Middendorf returned to his alma mater in 2003 and has since become the winningest women’s soccer coach in program history. Since taking over the program, Middendorf's teams have consistently produced double-digit win seasons and competed for conference championships. In 2024, Middendorf finished his 22nd season at the program's helm. The All-Conference honors are nothing new to the Falcons under the tutelage of Middendorf. Since the NACC began (2006), he has coached 53 players who have received First Team All-Conference honors. He also had 33 players who were second-team selections. In 2024, the Falcons posted an overall record of 11-5-3 with an 8-1-2 record in conference play. Following her play, Brooke Braga became the first Falcons to claim the NACC Goalkeeper of the Year award. She was also named to the All-NACC First Team along with Carmen Rowe. Braga and Rowe also became the third and fourth players in program history named to the CSC Academic All-America Second Team, demonstrating their exceptional abilities on and off the field. The senior duo would also take home USC Region VIII honors as Rowe was named to the Second Team while Braga made the Third Team. Meanwhile, Sabrina Moore and Jacey Read were named to the All-NACC Second Team. Also earning all-conference recognition was Bella Rapp, who was voted to the Honorable Mention Team. In total, the Falcons had six members claim CSC Academic All-District honors.  The 2022 season saw the Falcons tie the school record for wins as they posted an overall record of 17-4-2 and claimed their second-ever NACC Tournament Title with a 1-0 win over Illinois Tech to send CUW to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time since the 2019 season. Selena Esten, Karoline Haugland, and Carmen Rowe all claimed All-NACC first-team honors, while Brooke Braga, Isabel Downs, and Jordan Lafferty received All-NACC second-team honors. Downs and Lafferty also earned CSC Academic All-America Second Team while Esten, Haugland, and Rowe all were named to the USC All-Region VIII Third Team. The Falcons claimed another NACC Regular Season title in 2021 at 12-1-0 and a 14-4-0 overall record. Selena Esten was named the NACC Offensive Player of the Year. CUW also earned national honors with Karoline Haugland and Selena Esten earning USC All-Region honors and Jordan Lafferty claiming CoSIDA Academic All-District accolades.  The Blue and White were NACC North Division champions in the 2020-21 season. The Falcons earned six All-NACC North Division selections for the 7-1-0 campaign.  The Falcons soared to new heights in 2019, capturing a school record of 17 victories. The Blue and White also clinched their first-ever NACC Tournament title with a 2-1 victory at Dominican to send CUW to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time since 2004. Freshman Karoline Haugland was named the NACC Freshman and Offensive Player of the Year, while Middendorf was named the NACC Coach of the Year. Karoline Haugland was a USC All-Central Region First Team selection, while junior Allison McElwee was a USC All-Central Region Third Team selection. CUW tied the program record with seven All-NACC selections. Under Middendorf, the Falcons were the NCAA Division III Statistical National Champions in Shots on Goal Per Game at 14.41. CUW was also ranked second in the top-10 rankings in seven other categories. The 2018 Falcons finished with an 11-10 mark and an 8-3 NACC record. CUW landed five All-NACC selections. The 2017 Falcons reached 10 wins and posted a 7-2-1 record in NACC play, good for a tie for third in the league. Middendorf's teams have now won 10 or more matches in 11 of the past 12 seasons. His teams have also posted an impressive 132-32-8 record in conference matches during his tenure. The 2015 season was one of the best in program history as the Falcons captured their first Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Championship, posting a perfect 10-0-0 mark in league games. For Middendorf, it was his second conference championship, also guiding CUW to a Lake Michigan title in 2004. The Falcons won 14 games in 2015, the third time in the last four seasons they have reached at least 14 victories. In 2015, Middendorf led a CUW team that had a NACC-record seven players earn First Team All-Conference honors. In addition, he was named NACC Coach of the Year while also coaching the NACC Defensive Player of the Year (Faith Palmreuter) and NACC Freshman of the Year (Josie Dombrowski). In 2014 Middendorf helped the Falcons to an appearance in the NACC Tournament Championship game. CUW finished the year with a 14-6-0 record, including an 8-2-0 mark in NACC play. As is usually the case with Middendorf's CUW teams, the Falcons were outstanding defensively in 2014, recording eight shutouts. The 2014 season also saw the Falcons net their first-ever NSCAA First Team All-Region selection, that honor going to junior Carley Pfannerstill. CUW had three players earn All-Region honors, a program record, as Brittany Klumpp was placed on the second team, while Ashley Apazeller earned Third Team honors. Apazeller became the first Falcon to be named All-Region three times in her career. In 2012 his program finished with a 15-4-1 record, tying for the best mark in Concordia Wisconsin history. The Falcons have qualified for the NACC Tournament every season since joining the conference prior to the 2006 season. In just his second season at the helm (2004), Middendorf led the Falcons to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament. His 2004 team rolled through the Lake Michigan Conference and was unscored upon in league games. Middendorf is no stranger to CUW soccer. After an outstanding high school career at Greendale Martin Luther, he competed for four years (1998-2002) for the CUW men's soccer program under current head coach Tom Saleska. In January 2014 Middendorf was selected to the CUW Athletics Hall of Fame for his playing career. A defensive midfielder for the powerful Falcons, Middendorf won Lake Michigan Conference All-Conference and NSCAA All-Region honors and was named team MVP as a senior. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in physical education, along with a minor in coaching. Middendorf is currently teaching in the Health and Human Performance Department at CUW. He has a United States Soccer Federation National License. Middendorf's coaching resume includes stints with the Cedarburg Striker Soccer Club, three years as the junior varsity coach and varsity assistant at West Bend East, and a season as the Falcon's men's assistant. He currently coaches for the Milwaukee Sport Club. Season Overall Conference Conference Finish 2024 11-5-3 (.685) 8-1-2 (.818) T-2nd (NACC) 2023 6-10-3 (.395) 5-6-2 (.462) 5th (NACC) 2022 17-4-2 (.783) 9-2-1 (.792) 4th (NACC)  2021 14-4-0 (.778) 12-1-0 (.923) 1st (NACC) 2020-21 8-3-0 (.727) 7-1-0 (.875) T-1st (NACC North) 2019 17-5-0 (.773) 10-2-0 (.833) 2nd (NACC) 2018 11-10-0 (.524) 8-3-0 (.727) 3rd (NACC) 2017 12-7-3 (.575) 7-2-1 (.750) T-3rd (NACC) 2016 5-11-1 (.324) 5-4-1 (.550) 7th (NACC) 2015 14-2-3 (.816) 10-0-0 (1.000) 1st (NACC) 2014 14-6-0 (.700) 8-2-0 (.800) 2nd (NACC) 2013 10-8-1 (.553) 8-2-1 (.773) 3rd (NACC) 2012 15-4-1 (.775) 10-2-0 (.833) 3rd (NAC) 2011 10-7-1 (.583) 9-3-0 (.750)  5th (NAC) 2010 11-9-1 (.548) 7-4-1 (.625) 5th (NAC) 2009 12-6-2 (.650) 8-1-2 (.818) 3rd (NAC) 2008 12-7-1 (.625) 9-2-1 (.792) 4th (NAC) 2007 10-9-1 (.525) 8-4-0 (.667) 5th (NAC) 2006 12-9-0 (.571) 9-2-0 (.818) 3rd (NAC) 2005 9-11-1 (.452) 5-2-1 (.688) 3rd (LMC) 2004 15-7-1 (.659) 6-0-1 (.929) 1st (LMC) 2003 12-10-0 (.545) 4-2-0 (.667) 3rd (LMC)  Career 257-154-25 (.618)   172-48-14 (.765) 

Hannah Kaul joined the Concordia University Wisconsin Women's Soccer team before the 2015 season, and the Falcons instantly saw results after her addition to the coaching staff.  In Kaul's first season as a full-time assistant coach, the Falcons captured their first Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Championship, posting a perfect 10-0-0 mark in league play. In addition, CUW had seven First Team All-Conference performers, which is a NACC record. From 2017 to 2019, the Falcons consistently finished near the top of the regular season conference standings, taking third place in 2017 and 2018, along with a second-place finish in 2019. The Falcons recorded 7-2-1, 8-3-0, and 10-2-0 in conference play in those three seasons.  In 2019, the Falcons would win their first conference tournament championship with a 2-1 victory over Dominican, punching their ticket to the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time since the 2004 season. In total, the Falcons finished with an impressive 17-5-0 mark, setting the program record for wins in a season. The Falcons would continue their successful program with the help of Kaul as they finished with an 8-3-0 record overall and were 7-1-0 in conference action in 2020, finishing tied for first in the conference regular season standings. But in 2021, the Falcons would win the title outright, posting an impressive 12-1-0 record in conference play.  Meanwhile, in 2022, the Falcons would make a deep playoff run and win the NACC Tournament for the second time in four seasons. After a 9-2-1 conference mark, the Falcons made a playoff run, which saw the women's soccer team take down Edgewood 6-0 in the opening round before defeating Dominican 3-1 on the road. The Falcons would punch their ticket to the NCAA Division III Tournament with a 1-0 win over the Scarlet Hawks of Illinois Tech. During that 2022 season, the Falcons finished with a record of 17-4-2, tying the program record for wins a season, a record that was set during the 2019 season. In 2024, the Falcons posted another strong season as they took second overall in the conference and finished with an 11-5-3 overall record with an 8-1-2 record in the conference.  Before coaching, Kaul had a successful playing career at NCAA Division I UW-MIilwaukee. While playing at UWM, Kaul was a team captain during her senior year. She also helped the program to four consecutive Horizon League Championships, resulting in four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. She also was a member of the Panther women's basketball team for two seasons. Kaul graduated from UW-Milwaukee in May 2015 with a Bachelor's Degree of Communications Sciences and Disorders.  Outside of CUW and UWM, Kaul has worked as a youth soccer coach and camp instructor for Northwestern University this past summer. She coached at Butler University as a youth soccer coach during the summer of 2012, working with players ages 8-14.