Jason Spain enters his ninth season as the head coach of the Minot State University women's soccer program in the fall of 2018.
Spain continued his legacy of winning as the Beavers remain one of the top programs in the NSIC. Minot State finished the 2017 season with a 12-5-2 overall record and an 11-3-1 conference record. The Beavers hosted a NSICÂ Tournament match for the third consecutive season.
Senior Kelli Creese and junior Haley Berryman were named All-Central Region, while seven Beavers were named to the All-NSIC team which tied for the most in school history.
Minot State and Spain achieved another milestone in 2016 as the Beavers captured the 2016 NSICÂ Championship going 14-0-1 to earn the school's first-ever NSICÂ regular season title. MSU tied its team record from the season before with 16 wins, going 16-3-1 overall. The Beavers qualified for its third NCAA Division II National Tournament and it second straight appearances in the NCAA Central Region.
Under Spain's direction, MSU's Ninfa Ramirez earned multiple All-American selections to become the first player in school history to archive the milestone at the NCAA level. Ramirez finished her two-year career holding nearly every MSU offensive record. The Beavers also appeared in the NSCCAÂ Top 25 nearly all season, peaking at No. 11. It is the highest any MSU team has been ranked nationally since joining DII.
Minot State led the Northern Sun in goals allowed with just 13 and finished the season second in the NSIC in goals (45), shots (373) and shots on goal (165). The Beavers had seven individuals earn All-NSIC with Ninfa Ramirez (Offensive Player of the Year) and Erin Rafferty (Freshman & Goalkeeper of the Year) receiving player of the year accolades. Kelli Crease and Yesenia Piceno joined Ramirez and Rafferty on the All-NSIC First Team.
Spain coached the 2015 Beavers to a school record 16 wins including a 12-2-1 record in the NSIC to finish third in the conference on their way to earning a NCAA tournament berth. Defeating Winona State in the first round of the tournament the team secured the first tournament victory in school history. MSU ranked third in goals scored (38) and fourth in goals allowed (17) in the conference. Spain coached many players who earned post season honors including four players to All-NSIC teams as well as landing two players on the NSIC All-Tournament team. Emily Rebelo and Ninfa Ramirez earned spots on the NSCAA All-Central team while Ramirez also D2CAA All-Central team. Breanne Hatfield was just the third Beaver, and first in soccer, to earn CoSIDA All-American honors for her work on the field and in the classroom.Â
In 2014 Spain coached Minot State to a 10-7-2 record and a fifth place finish in the NSIC. The Beavers were at the top of the conference for defense allowing only 17 goals on the season and a stellar .89 goals per game.
Spain and the Beavers finished eighth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in 2013 after coming off their most successful season in program history, compiling a 15-4-3 record in 2012 including a NCAA Division II Tournament appearance.
In 2012, Spain coached three players to NSIC All-Conference honors and two players to NCAA Division II All-Central Region honors. The 2012 season was also MSU's breakout year as the Beavers shocked the NSIC to run the table in the NSIC Postseason Tournament, knocking off No. 1 seed Minnesota State and No. 2 seed Winona State to earn the school's first NSIC Tournament title in any sport.
MSU soccer became the first team in the university's short NCAA Division II tenure to earn a trip to the DII National Tournament where the Beavers traveled to Warrensburg, Mo., as the Central Region's No. 6 seed. The Beavers lost to Southwestern Oklahoma State in its first appearance at the national tournament.
The Beavers finished with a school record 15 wins, going 15-4-3 overall and were 11-3-1 in NSIC play in 2012.
Over his first three seasons, Spain put MSU soccer on the map, earning an NAIA Regional Tournament berth in the program's first season, and finishing with two winning seasons to begin his time at Minot State.
The Beavers were 9-7-3 overall in their first season, losing to Westminster College (Utah) in the first round of the NAIA regional. Spain coached his first NAIA All-American in 2010 as Marianna Danna was chosen at the end of the season, marking the first All-American at Minot State in soccer.
Spain and Minot State finished 11-8-0 in the 2011 season, the Beavers transitional campaign moving from NAIA to NCAA Division II and the NSIC.
Spain came to Minot State after building Yuba College into a junior college powerhouse. Spain started the Yuba College soccer program in 1997, going 181-45-22 in 12 years with the women's program and 51-17-19 in four seasons with the men's team.
The Yuba College women's program won seven Bay Valley Conference titles, made at least the sweet sixteen level all 12 seasons and was the No. 1 ranked junior college in the nation after a 21-0-0 start in 2006. Spain coached 39 Academic All-Conference student athletes, 10 All-West selections and six All-Americans while at Yuba.
While his collegiate coaching numbers are impressive, they pale in comparison to his prep. Spain coached Sutter Union High School (Calif.) to a 229-29-29 record, winning 11 conference titles, seven section titles and set records in 2005 and 2007 for allowing zero goals during the season. He was named Appeal Democrat Varsity Girls Coach of the Year six times. Sutter Union set a California record of 97 straight wins, second longest in the nation.
Spain served as the Director of the Azzurri Soccer Club from 1999 until moving to North Dakota. During his time with Azzurri, the Girls Under 18 team was ranked as high as No. 3 in Northern California, the Girls Under 14 team won a State Cup and the Boys Under 16 and Girls Under 19 teams each went to the state finals.
His overall record as a coach at the prep and collegiate level stands at 529-124-82 for an impressive 71.9 winning percentage.
Spain played soccer for Thomas Downey High School, Stockton United Soccer Club, Modesto Ajax Soccer Club, Modesto Junior College, Humboldt State University and Westminster College, where he earned All West Region honors in 1995.
He holds a Bachelor's Degree in History/Education from Central Connecticut State in New Britain, Conn.Â
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| JASON SPAIN SEASON-BY-SEASON |
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REGULAR SEASON |
NSIC |
POSTSEASON |
OVERALL RECORD |
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
|
|
| 2017 |
Minot State |
12 |
4 |
2 |
.684 |
11 |
3 |
1 |
.767 |
0-1 NSICÂ Tournament |
12-5-2 |
| 2016 |
Minot State |
15 |
1 |
1 |
.825 |
14 |
0 |
1 |
.967 |
1-1 NSICÂ Tournament
0-1 NCAA Tournament |
16-3-1 |
| 2015 |
Minot State |
14 |
3 |
1 |
.750 |
12 |
2 |
1 |
.833 |
1-1 NSICÂ Tournament
1-1 NCAA Tournament |
16-5-1 |
| 2014 |
Minot State |
10 |
6 |
2 |
.579 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
.633 |
0-1 NSICÂ Tournament |
10-7-2 |
| 2013 |
Minot State |
7 |
7 |
3 |
.472 |
7 |
6 |
2 |
.533 |
0-1 NSICÂ Tournament |
7-8-3 |
| 2012 |
Minot State |
13 |
3 |
2 |
.750 |
11 |
3 |
1 |
.767 |
2-0-1 NSICÂ Tournament
0-1 NCAA Tournament |
15-4-3 |
| 2011 |
Minot State * |
10 |
7 |
0 |
.579 |
|
|
|
|
1-1 National Provisional Tournament |
11-8 |
| 2010 |
Minot State |
9 |
2 |
3 |
.553 |
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|
|
0-1 NAIA Tournament |
9-7-3 |
| 1997-2008 |
Yuba College |
181 |
45 |
22 |
.730 |
|
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|
| 2009 |
Feather River College |
14 |
6 |
2 |
.682 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
.917 |
Golden Valley Conference Champions |
|
|
CAREER TOTALS |
291 |
98 |
39 |
.725 |
64 |
19 |
7 |
.750 |
|
|
|
MSU TOTALSÂ |
96 |
47 |
15 |
.655 |
|
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| * |
Denotes NCAA DII Independent |
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