Northwestern College and Athletic Director Barry Brandt announce the hiring of Blake Wieking as the head coach of the women’s soccer program and Sara Nessa as the assistant coach.
Wieking is a 2007 Northwestern graduate and four-year starter for the Red Raider men’s soccer team. Wieking earned all-conference honors three years and was named an NAIA All-American as a junior and senior. He was a key member of the NWC team that qualified for its first NAIA national tournament in 2007, where the Raiders lost to 13th-ranked University of Maine Fort Kent, 2-1. Wieking was also part of the 2004 men’s team that won its first conference championship and finished the year ranked fifth in Region IV. Wieking is tied for fourth in school history with 19 goals scored and tied for first with 12 assists.
“I am eager to begin coaching at Northwestern and look forward to continuing to build the women’s program and working with quality young women,” commented Wieking. “My goal is to help the women refine their soccer skills and equip them with values and traits that will have a longer lasting effect than soccer. I am excited about coaching, and I look forward to making an impact in the lives of my players.”
“I am very excited to have Blake at the helm of our women’s soccer program,” said Brandt. “Blake has a passion to coach soccer, he has a wealth of soccer knowledge, he has a great love for Northwestern College, and he has a very engaging personality that will impact all who come in contact with him. I look forward to the impact he will have on the future of this program!”
Wieking is currently teaching and coaching in the Sioux Center Public Schools system. His wife, Kari, is a teacher at Kinsey Elementary School in Sioux Center.
Nessa is a 2006 Northwestern graduate and four-year letter winner for the women’s soccer team. Nessa is the all-time scoring leader in the women’s soccer program with 67 goals. She also dished out a school-record 31 assists and totaled 165 points during her career. Nessa was a key player on the 2005 team that finishedwith a 10-9-2 overall record, 6-3-2 in the league, and qualified for post-season conference tournament play. She earned GPAC player-of-the-year and honorable mention All-American honors in 2005.
“Sara will have a significant impact on the women’s soccer program at Northwestern,” commented Brandt. “Sara was an excellent soccer player. She has a great passion for the game, she was hard-working, and she was highly competitive. She will be a great teacher of skills and will have an immediate impact on the skill level of the young women in the program.”
Nessa is currently teaching and coaching for the Council Bluffs Community School District. Her husband, Jake, is also a graduate of Northwestern and is graduating this spring with a master’s degree in exercise science. He will be employed in LeMars.
