April 18, 2008
(release courtesy of Mark Adkins, Wartburg College sports information director)

WAVERLY, IOWA . . . Former Northwestern (Iowa) College head coach T.J. Buchholz has been named Wartburg College’s head men’s and women’s soccer coach.

Wartburg Director of Athletics Rick Willis announced the appointment today.

“T.J. emerged from a strong group of candidates as the best fit for our program,” Willis said. His successful head coaching experience and regional recruiting experience have prepared him well to lead us forward. He will be an outstanding representative of Wartburg College.”

Buchholz, Wartburg’s second full-time men’s and women’s soccer coach, led the Red Raiders of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ Great Plains Athletic Conference to four of their most successful men’s seasons in school history in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007 with the squad winning 10-or-matches each time. His overall record with the men’s program was 68-59-4 and included a Great Plains Athletic Conference championship in 2004 and an NAIA Region III tournament title and national tournament berth last fall. He took the reigns of Northwestern’s women’s program last fall, guiding the 2007 team to seven wins.

“I’m extremely excited about this opportunity,” Buchholz said. “Wartburg is an institution that values academics and athletics, and you can see that by the type of students that come to campus. As far as the immediate plans with the soccer program, I know the pieces have been put into place. It’s time, now, to continue the process of taking things forward.”

Before serving his alma mater as head coach of the men’s and women’s programs, Buchholz was Northwestern’s assistant men’s coach in 2000 after graduating from NWC in 1999 and was the campus’ director of security from 2004-07. He was a member of Northwestern’s soccer team from 1995-98, earning all-conference honors his senior year as well as the team’s Most Valuable Defensive Player Award.

T.J., who recently concluded a master’s degree in sports management at California University of Pennsylvania, his wife, Candace, and daughters, Chloe and Season, are planning a move to the Waverly area in late May with his duties at Wartburg beginning June 1.

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