2009 Women's Soccer
Record: 12-4-2 Home: 4-1 Away: 7-3 Neutral: 1-0 RRAC: 6-1-1
2009 Women's Soccer Coaches
Nik Barjaktarevic Image
Nik Barjaktarevic
Head Coach
3rd Season
Nikola "Nik" Barjaktarevic was named the first coach for the new women's soccer program at The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College on April 2007.

In the 2007 and 2009 seasons, the Scorpions have won two Red River Athletic Conference championships, advancing to the NAIA postseason playoffs both times. He was named Red River Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2009. Barjaktarevic's three-year record with the Scorpions is 32-18-3 (.632).
 
In his first season as head coach for the Scorpions in 2007, UTB/TSC posted a 13-7 record. The Scorpions finished third during the Red River Athletic Conference regular season but won the RRAC Tournament to advance to the NAIA Region VI Tournament. In the regional quarterfinals, the Scorpions lost to Southern Nazarene University, 2-0.
 
In his second season in 2008, the Scorpions posted an overall record of 8-6-1 and shared the RRAC regular season championship. UTB/TSC advanced to the semifinals of the RRAC tournament.

In 2009, UTB/TSC was 11-5-2 overall and 6-1-1 in conference play, and won the RRAC championship with a second seed in the tournament. UTB/TSC hosted an NAIA National Championship Opening Round game against Southern Nazarene University (Okla.), and was eliminated there.

Numerous Scorpions have received national and regional recognition.

Scorpion freshman defender Jodie Hunter and junior goalkeeper Stephanie Reid were named as Honorable Mentions on the 2009 NAIA Women's Soccer All-America Teams. Hunter was also named RRAC Defensive Player of the Year. Five Scorpions landed spots on the RRAC All-Conference first team and two to the second team.
 
In 2008, Linette Cuvillier was named Freshman of the Year and four Scorpions were named to the RRAC All-Conference first team and three to the second team.
 
The Scorpions landed eight players on the All-Conference, seven on the first team and one on the second team in 2007. UTB/TSC also had four players on the All-Region team, two on the first team and two on the second team, and two players were named to the NAIA All-America Team Honorable Mention list.

Barjaktarevic came to UTB/TSC after a three-year stint as head women's soccer coach at Dana (Neb.) College, located just north of Omaha. At Dana, his program produced 17 All-Conference players, two NAIA All-Region players, two NAIA All-Americans and 9 NAIA Academic All-Americans players. His teams were recognized for outstanding academic achievement with National Soccer Coaches Assocaition of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award, boosting team GPA to 3.50.

Previously, Barjaktarevic served as a graduate assistant men's soccer coach at Hastings (Neb.) College. During his time there, the Broncos were 45-4-1, clinched the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) title twice, and finished No. 18 and No. 3 in the NAIA overall rankings. While assisting at Hastings College he also served as Hastings High School's head boys' soccer coach for two seasons, leading the Tigers to their first winning season in school history. He continued his involvement with high school soccer in Blair where he was the head boys' soccer coach for Blair High School in 2004.

His interest in the growth and development of soccer is recognized in his work with Nebraska State Soccer Association ODP (Olympic Development Program) where he served as a coach for various teams between 2002 and 2005.

As a part of the soccer community, Barjaktarevic was involved in variety of other soccer camps, clinics and activities such as Bob Warming's Creighton Soccer Academy, John Keating's Fast Footwork Program, Nebraska State Soccer Association & Region II Camps, and while at Dana and Blair.

Before coming to Nebraska, Barjaktarevic was a defensive standout for Union (Tenn.) University. He was named Best Defensive Player and led the NAIA's third-ranked defense in 2000, his first season.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and Health degree from Union University and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Hastings College. Barjaktarevic received his USSF "A" National Coaching License, the highest coaching license in the U.S., in January 2010.

Originally from Belgrade, Serbia (part of the former Yugoslavia), Barjaktarevic was a member of several premier soccer teams before coming to the United States to continue his education.

Barjaktarevic and his wife, Natasa, have one daughter, Mia.

His name is pronounced "Barr-jacque-tah-rre-vich."
 
Shane Sanchez Image
Shane Sanchez
Assistant Coach
1st Season
Shane Sanchez was named Assistant Women's Soccer Coach at The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College in February 2010.
 
Sanchez, who also played semi-pro soccer in Sioux City, Iowa, has been the head coach for the U.S. Olympic Development Program South Texas state team since January 2009. He also continues to be part of the Houston Dynamo South Texas Academy staff, a role has held since 2009.
 
Sanchez has been involved with and continues to be involved with coaching competitive soccer in numerous areas in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado, roles he has held since 1995.
 
He was also the Director of Coaching for the Arroyo Youth Soccer Club/Celtic Soccer Club in Harlingen from May 2009 to February 2010.
 
We are really lucky to have someone like Shane be a part of our program," Scorpion head women's soccer coach Nik Barjaktarevic said. "I see him impacting every single aspect of what we do with our program from training, organizational part and especially recruiting. I know he is a very hard worker and really excited to start working with our team."
 
The AYSC/Celtic Club has approximately 1,200 players ranging from the Under-5 age group to Under-18. He holds National D and Y licenses from the United States Soccer Federation.
 
"The soccer program here has a whole lot to offer and really excited to be a part of it," Sanchez said. "I will be very active in recruiting. I know a lot of familiar faces and the coaches in the Valley and South Texas and that will be a big advantage for us."
 
Sanchez holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing degree from Midwestern State University (Texas). He played college soccer for MSU from 1995-2000, a program which participated at the NAIA  and NCAA Division II levels. The 1995 MSU team was runner-up in the NAIA National Men's Soccer Tournament.
 
Sanchez is the Director of South Texas Youth Soccer Association-approved U8-U10 Youth Development Academy in Harlingen.
 
Juan de Dios Garcia Image
Juan de Dios Garcia
PT Assistant Coach
3rd Season

Juan de Dios Garcia  joined the athletics staff of The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College in August 2007 as Assistant Women's Soccer Coach and goalkeepers' coach.

Garcia, the pioneer, founder, coordinator, board member, referee and coach of all youth and adult Brownsville Soccer Leagues, has 47 years of soccer experience.
 
He is and has been a member of most the All-Star soccer teams in both Texas and Mexico. During the 1970s, Garcia was a Third Division Professional player in Tamaulipas, Mexico, a state champion, and a member of the V.M.C soccer team that won the Mexican National Championship.
 
He also coached the "Atletico Arsenal", a prospective Division Professional Team in Matamoros, Tamaulipas in 1978-79 and in 1980-81, played for The University of Texas-Pan American.
 
Garcia earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education in Spanish and Sociology in 1982 from UTPA. Upon graduation, he began his position as head soccer coach at Brownsville Hanna High School.

Garcia continues to hold the position at Hanna High School along with other positions in professional organizations such as President of the Rio Grande Valley Soccer Coaches Organization and the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches, where he was named Regional Director in 2005.