Concordia (Ill.) announced the appointment of Micah Middendorf as head coach for the men's soccer team, effective April 1. Middendorf takes over for Adam Nirenberg, who coached the Cougars to a 3-14-1 record in 2007.

Middendorf played four years with the men's team at sister school Concordia (Wis.) and served as a graduate assistant for the Falcons' men's and women's soccer teams last season. The Falcons' women's team was coached by Middendorf's older brother Ryan, thus giving Micah a unique perspective about coaching. "I was very excited to coach under Ryan and learn from him this past year," states Middendorf, "but at the same time, I see this situation at Concordia Chicago as a great opportunity for me, a big step forward, and I am eager to get started."

As a player, Middendorf was a member of the Lake Michigan Conference All-Freshmen team in 2001 and a three-time winner (2002-04) of the school's Falcon Award, given to the player that "best represents the team on and off the field." A team captain for the Falcons, he started 100 consecutive games at defender in his four years with one goal and six assists and, according to coach Tom Saleska, was the team's most important defender that would routinely draw the assignment of marking the opponent's top scorer.

Middendorf's view of the Cougar men's program is an upbeat one, despite the team's struggles following a 2005 Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference championship. "The team has been very competitive, and they have been in most of the games and played close to their opponents. They are not that far away from being a winning program; there is a good base of talent already in place, and I am looking forward to adding to that with talented new players and creating a program that can compete annually for the Northern Athletics Conference title."

Middendorf earned his degree in exercise physiology from Concordia (Wis.) in 2005.