Norm Riker
Springfield, Ohio — Wittenberg University Women's Soccer Head Coach Norm Riker wasn't sure what the most significant achievement was as he boarded the team bus on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Not only did he guide the Tigers to the program's first-ever win at North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Ohio Wesleyan, he also reached a personal milestone with the 100th victory of his career.
"For me, (100 wins) represents all the great players and people I have coached throughout my career, going all the way back to Vassar," said Riker, whose team captured a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Battling Bishops. "The years at Wittenberg have been a lot of hard work, which makes this such a great milestone to reach.
"I just can't say thanks enough to all of the players and coaches who I have worked with over the years."
Before Riker arrived on the scene, no coach had spent more than four seasons leading the Tigers since the women's soccer program earned varsity status in 1986. In his eight years at Wittenberg, not only has he stabilized the leadership of the program, Riker has elevated the Tigers into one of the top teams in the Great Lakes Region on an annual basis.
Riker's teams have consistently been ranked in the top 10 in the region, and the Tigers have also been a frequent visitor to the national top 25 over the last three years, including the best season in school history in 2007. That year, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 18-3-3 while winning the NCAC regular season and tournament titles and reaching the NCAA Division III Round of 16.
Wittenberg gets right back into action Saturday with another challenging NCAC contest. Unbeaten Wooster provides the opposition at Edwards-Maurer Field in a game scheduled for a 5 p.m. kick-off, part of a triple-header featuring Tiger football against Hiram at 1 p.m. and men's soccer against Wooster at 7:30 p.m. All three games will have the most complete online coverage possible - live statistics, live audio and live video.
Written by: Ryan Maurer