By By Steve Swogetinsky/Special to The Star
Jan. 20, 2001
Steve Clements, who started the Meridian Community College soccer program in the mid-1990s and led the Eagles to the National Junior College Championship last season, was named Friday as Junior College Division I Men's Coach of the Year.
The award was announced in Indianapolis during the convention of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Clements was coaching the Meridian High School soccer team when Scaggs asked him to help develop the Eagles' program in 1993.
From the start, Clements proved that statement to be true. His teams always competed against the top ranked opponents in their division, usually with success. There has never been a losing season. The Eagles have been Region 23 champions in all seven years of the program's history, which has made them a regular in the post season tournament.
But the crowning moment came in November when Clements' MCC Eagles defeated Bryant and Stratton 2-0 in the championship game of the National Junior College Athletic Association's national tournament. MCC finished the season as national champions at 24-1, and closed out the year with 17 game winning streak.
The goal for next season, according to Clements, is to try and do it again.