Joshua Miller has been named head men's and women's soccer coach at Central Christian College of the Bible, Director of Athletics Jack Defreitas announced Wednesday. Miller takes over the reins for both programs on the heels of CCCB's announcement last month that it would reinstate men's soccer and add women's soccer.

"We are thrilled to have someone with Joshua's knowledge and experience of soccer at the NCCAA Division II level joining our team as we ramp our program back up," Defreitas said. "This was a no-brainer for us because Joshua is such a good fit for the mission of the institution and the athletics program. There is no doubt that he is going to lead with a passion for training servant leaders."

Miller has over a decade of experience as a coach at the collegiate level, most recently in stints as an assistant coach at Malone University, an NCAA Division II program in Canton, Ohio, and as the Director of Soccer and Head Women's Soccer Coach at Bluefield College, an NAIA program in Bluefield, Va.

Prior to those stops, Miller coached soccer from 2010 to 2015 at Kentucky Christian University, an NCCAA Division II program in Grayson, Ky., where he was the head women's coach for six seasons and the assistant men's coach for four seasons. His brother, Jeremy, is entering his eighth season as the head men's soccer coach at Kentucky Christian.

While at Kentucky Christian, Miller led his women's team to four regional championships, four national tournament appearances, and was a three-time region coach of the year. In addition to coaching, Miller served as the Director of Student Activities at Kentucky Christian from 2011-16.

Prior to Kentucky Christian, Miller was the head men's soccer coach at his alma matter, Cincinnati Christian University, an NAIA program in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. During his time at Cincinnati Christian, he helped the program transition from NCCAA Division II to the NAIA.

"My wife, Alex, and I are very thankful and excited for the opportunity to serve at Central Christian College of the Bible," Miller said. "I thank Dr. Fincher, Jack Defreitas and the search committee for giving me the opportunity to lead both soccer programs. I look forward to developing a family and servant leadership culture within the programs that will provide an opportunity for our players to learn, grow and be challenged."

Miller graduated from Cincinnati Christian in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Youth Ministry. He holds a United Soccer Coaches (USC) National Diploma, a USSF "D" License, a USC Goalkeeping Level 3 Diploma, and seven special topic diplomas through USC. Additionally, he has coached eight all-Americans and 24 scholar athletes.

Miller will begin his tenure with CCCB on Monday, July 22, with the task of recruiting full rosters for both men's and women's soccer to compete during the 2020 seasons.

Central Christian College of the Bible is pleased to announce the planned reinstatement of three sports and the addition of another.  The Saints will reinstate men’s cross country, women’s cross country, and men’s soccer, as well as add women’s soccer, with competition for all four sports beginning with the Fall of 2020.

The cross country, soccer, and volleyball programs were discontinued at Central Christian after the conclusion of the 2016 seasons. The new programs will join men’s and women’s basketball in bringing the Saints’ total back up to six sports.

“Discontinuing those sports three years ago was necessary at the time due to financial and participation factors,” Central Christian President Dr. David Fincher said. “However, we wanted these programs to come back when we could make a plan to recruit and enroll sustainable number of students-athletes for them.”

The Central Christian men’s soccer program began play as a varsity sport in 1997. It is a sponsored sport of the Midwest Christian College Conference and the National Christian College Athletic Association. The Saints were co-MCCC champions and made their only NCCAA Division II national tournament appearance in 2008.

The men’s and women’s cross country programs competed for three seasons from 2014-16. Although it is not a sponsored sport of the MCCC, the NCCAA Division II recognizes cross country as a sponsored sport and requires qualification for its national meet in November.

“We are extremely excited to be adding these four sports to our lineup,” Central Christian Director of Athletics Jack Defreitas said. “We needed to take some time to re-strategize our vision for operating successful athletic programs at Central, and we’ve done that.”

The brand new sport to the lineup, women’s soccer, is a sponsored sport of the NCCAA. Two other MCCC members, Faith Baptist Bible College and Manhattan Christian College, compete in women’s soccer, while others have expressed interest in adding the program.

Soccer has the third-most participants of any sport at all ages in the United States behind basketball and baseball. By adding men’s and women’s soccer programs, the College will be able to increase the diversity of its athletic offerings, provide a new outlet for student life, and give the community an opportunity to connect with the College through the world’s most popular sport.

“The ultimate goal of athletics at Central, as it has been, is to help our student-athletes develop Christlike character, servant leadership, and excel athletically,” Defreitas said. “We want to attract more students to the institution to achieve that goal.”

A search will begin immediately for a head coach for the new programs, while Defreitas will serve as the primary contact until a coach has been named.

For additional information regarding the College’s cross country and soccer programs, please contact Jack Defreitas via e-mail or by phone at (660) 263-3900 ext.187.