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Bethany Lutheran College

Bethany Lutheran College Athletics
700 Luther Drive Mankato, MN 56001
Division 3 Minnesota Northwest
Private Very Small Developing team

Coaches

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Derick Lyngholm

Derick Lyngholm enters his fifth season as head coach of the Bethany men's program after serving as the women’s coach for the previous twelve seasons.


2022 was a strong year for the Vikings, as they set a school record with 15 wins, while going 11-2-1 in conference play. Liam Peterson and Antonio Lima both earned All-Region honors as well as top awards in the UMAC.


In 2021, Lyngholm led the Vikings to a 14-7 overall record, 13-1 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference contests. The Vikings won their first UMAC regular season championship in program history, sharing the title with UW-Superior. BLC qualified for the UMAC Tournament for the third-straight season and were the No. 2 seed for the second-straight year, falling in overtime in the UMAC Finals.


As a team, Bethany set season records in wins (14), UMAC wins (13), winning streak (eight games), and game-winning goals (14). The team also swept UMAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year Awards with Max Busch and Liam Peterson also receiving Second Team All Region honors.


The 2020 squad advanced to the UMAC Tournament championship game for the first time in school history. Busch was named conference MVP and Lyngholm was selected as the UMAC Coach of the Year.


In Lyngholm's first season with the men, the team achieved the program’s best season in the NCAA era. The Vikings amassed over 30 school records and returned to the UMAC playoffs for the first time in five years. Freshman Max Busch became the first player in program history to earn All-American and All-Region honors. Under Coach Lyngholm, Busch led the nation in goals per game and points per game and the Vikings were the NCAA DIII statistical champions with 3.95 goals per game.


In 15 seasons at Bethany, Lyngholm’s teams have achieved:


The ninth-best single season turnaround out of the 440 NCAA DIII women's teams (2010)


Two UMAC Female Student Athletes of the Year (2008 & 2011)


Six UMAC Student Athlete of the Year Nominees: 4 women; 2 men (2008, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021)


Bethany’s first ever men's soccer NCAA All-American (2019)


Two UMAC Offensive MVPs: 1 men (2020, 2021)


One UMAC Defensive MVP: men (2021)


Bethany’s first ever Academic All-American-women's (2011)


All-Region Performers: 2 women; 3 men (2015, 2017, 2019, 2021(2)


Five Academic All-Region Recipients-women's (2011, 2012, 2017), men’s (2020,2021)


Two Academic All-Americans, men (2020, 2021)


Two UMAC Newcomer of the Year-1 women; 1 men (2012, 2019)


Six straight NSCAA Ethics awards for Fair Play: women (2013-18)


Five straight NSCAA Team Academic Awards: women (2014-18)


47 UMAC All-Conference Award winners: 31 women; 16 men


103 UMAC Academic All-Conference Award winners: 83 women; 34 men


1 UMAC Coach of the Year (2020)


A 1997 Bethany alumnus, Lyngholm was a two-year starter for the Vikings from 1995-96. As a freshman, he started every game at goalkeeper and helped lead the team to a 14-3-1 record and a #15 national ranking. Lyngholm then played for Bethel University from 1997-98. As a senior, he etched his name in the NCAA record books when he recorded 32 saves against the nation’s #1 ranked team and defending national champion Wheaton College.


Before returning to Bethany, Lyngholm served as an assistant coach with the Bethel men's soccer program for six years. Working primarily with the goalkeepers and recruiting, Lyngholm helped lead Bethel to the 2004 MIAC Tournament. It marked the Royals first post-season berth in over 20 years. During his tenure, Bethel goalkeepers set school records for shutouts in a season, shutouts in a career, and received first team all-conference accolades.


Lyngholm received his A.A. from Bethany and both his bachelor's degree in Media Communication and his master's degree in Communication from Bethel.


Aside from coaching the Vikings, Lyngholm is also active in the Mankato United Soccer Club. Over the years, he has served as the club’s Director of Coaching, a board member, and as a competitive coach. His teams have won multiple tournaments including the Wal-Mart All-American Cup and advanced to both the semifinals and finals of the USA Cup where they lost to the eventual tournament champions. Lyngholm holds a Premier Coaching Diploma and a National Goalkeeping Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches Association.


In addition to his duties as head coach, Lyngholm is also an instructor in Bethany's communication department and is a public address announcer for both Bethany and Minnesota State University-Mankato basketball teams. Lyngholm resides in Eagle Lake with his wife, Dianna and his two children, Christian and Elyse.


Under Lyngholm:


All-Conference: 31 women; 17 men


Conference Rookie of the Year: 1 woman; 1 man


All-Region: 2 women; 1 man


All-American: 1 man (twice)

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Email coach

Ryan Bolte

Ryan Bolte '14 enters his seventh season with the men’s program and his second as associate head coach. Bolte assists in all elements of program development including recruiting, practice planning, and gameday operations. The Colorado native joined the men’s coaching staff in 2015 and helped lead the team to a UMAC playoff appearance and the team’s first postseason victory in over a decade. The 2020 squad advanced to the UMAC Tournament championship game for the first time in program history. Bolte began assisting with the women’s program in 2016 and will continue working with them in 2021.


Bolte was a four-year letterwinner with the Vikings and ranks in the top 10 of eight career goalkeeper categories. He helped lead the team to UMAC tournament appearances in three of his four years.


Bolte graduated from Bethany with a degree in Exercise Science. He currently serves as the Teigen Resident Hall Coordinator at Bethany with his wife Katelyn. The couple have two children, son Lincoln and daughter Brynlee.

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