PUC hires soccer coaches

HAMMOND | Purdue University Calumet will begin men's and women's soccer this fall with full varsity schedules. On Wednesday, the school announced the hiring of the head coaches to lead this foray.

Schererville resident James Drzewiecki will head the men's team, and Huntley, Ill., native Leslie Ferguson will lead the women's. Both have previous coaching experience and have compiled winning records thus far in their careers.

In 2007, Drzewiecki helped start the soccer program at Ancilla College in Donaldson, and was named the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Coach of the Year the following season. During his five-year tenure, Drzewiecki's teams made three consecutive NJCAA Region XII Playoff appearances, and 12 of his players were All-MCCAA selections.

Drzewiecki also served as director of PUC's men's soccer club from 2002-2004.

Ferguson has just finished an eight-year stint at Waubonsee Community College in Aurora, where she led the Chiefs to an 87-66-8 mark, three NJCAA Region IV titles, two Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championships, and a NJCAA National Tournament appearance last fall. Twice she was named ICSS Coach of the Year.

As a player, Ferguson was a two-time NAIA Honorable Mention All-American at Judson University in Elgin.

Both programs will compete as independent NAIA teams for the 2012 season before joining the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule in 2013.