Lewis University Men's Soccer

Fiffles took over as the Lewis University head mens soccer coach in 1992, following what was one of worst seasons in school history as the Flyers finished the 1991 campaign with a mark of 3-15-1.      Fiffles hit the ground running and never looked back. Since his arrival, his Flyers have winning records in 23 out of 24 seasons, eight top 25 finishes, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, six Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Championships, nine regular season GLVC Championships or co-Championships, four trips to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 and two berths in the NCAA Division II semifinals.    In all, Fiffles has totaled the most victories in school history (302) and owns a winning percentage of .672, which also is a school-record.    Simply put, Fiffles has built a winning tradition on the Romeoville campus and the Flyers often find themselves among the nations best soccer teams.    Since the turn of the 21 st century, Fiffles has guided the Flyers to their only two NCAA Division II National Semifinal berths in school history, with the most recent one coming in 2009.      That season was highlighted by a 4-1 win over Charleston (W. Va.) in the Elite Eight at the Lewis Soccer Field in front of over 1,000 fans. Prior to that victory, Fiffles last led Lewis to the Final Four in 2000, as the Flyers finished that campaign ranked fourth overall in the nation.    In 2010, Lewis won its first GLVC regular-season championship since 2002 and earned a 2-0 road victory over then No. 4 and eventual National Champion Northern Kentucky.    Numbers wise, Fiffles best campaign came during the 2001 season, as the Flyers went 20-1-1, tops in school-history, and found themselves ranked No. 1 in the nation on two separate occasions.    10 Flyers have earned All-America honors playing for Fiffles, including Zac Bond (Honorable Mention, 09); Cathal Brady (Third Team, 03, 04, 05); Joey DeFrancesco (Third Team, 08); Nestor Hernandez (Second Team, 08; Third Team, 07, 09); Cory Mastey (First Team, 08; Honorable Mention, 08); Alec Pickett (NSCAA Second Team, 13; Daktronics Third Team, 13); Justin Sanabria (Second Team, 04);  Sean Seaberg (Second Team, 94); John Thompson (First Team, 99, 00, 01) and Serafin Vega (Third Team, 02).    Fiffles often has been lauded for his teams accomplishments. He was named National Soccer Coaches Association of America NCAA Division II Central Region Coach of the Year and GLVC Coach of the Year in 2000, and he captured the GLVC Coach of the Year award in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1998.    Fiffles coached his 1996 team to an unprecedented 14-0 mark against conference teams (11-0 regular season, 3-0 GLVC Championship). The Flyers, whose 0.40 GAA that year was third best in Division II, posted 15 shutouts (including 10 straight) and allowed just one goal to a GLVC opponent.    Fiffles coached the Flyer womens soccer team in 1989 and 1990 before guiding the 1991 Moline High School boys soccer team to a 17-2-4 record and a berth in the Illinois High School Association Sweet 16.    Fiffles, who holds a United States Soccer Federation A coaching license, earned a bachelors degree in physical education at Greenville (Ill.) College in 1982 and a masters degree in education with sports administration emphasis at Eastern Illinois University in 1985.    The Oak Lawn native has coached at Richards High School, Sandburg High School and Moraine Valley Community College and has over 10 years of club experience with Sports Club/Chicago Magic, Arsenal and he saw his Chicago Magic squad win a State Cup Championship. Fiffles was an Illinois State Select coaching staff member for eight years and an Illinois ODP (Olympic Development Program) staff coach for 10 years.    Fiffles and his wife, Julie, reside in Homer Glen with 14-year-old daughter Lia and 10-year-old son Niko.