Bethel University (TN)

McKenzie, TN 38201

Tennessee Southeast

Private Small Developing team

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Coaches

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Misty Aird

Coach Misty Aird enters her 24th season with the Lady Wildcats in 2022-23. She is 11th in the NAIA among active coaches. Aird is 245-168-24 overall.

Before joining the TranSouth Conference, she led the Lady Wildcats to six consecutive KIAC Championships. Her team was Region XII Champions in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Bethel qualified for the NAIA National Tournament for three consecutive years; in 2003, 2004, and 2005 with an "Elite Eight" finish in 2004.

In 2006, Coach Aird reached the 100 win plateau. She won her 200th game at Bethel in 2017. She was named KIAC "Coach of the Year" in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. She also received the honor of NAIA Region XII "Coach of the Year" in 2003 and 2004.

In 2017 the Lady Cats enjoyed their best season since 2012 last year going 12-6 overall. They were 3-4 in the tough Southern States Athletic Conference. The Lady Cats won their first seven matches of the season. Four of their six losses were by one goal. They took No. 1 Martin Methodist to overtime before losing 2-1 in the SSAC Semi-finals.

Coach Aird holds a Bachelor Degree from Bartlesville Wesleyan ('97) and Missouri Valley College ('99). She was awarded her Master's Degree from Bethel College in 2001. She received her endorsement in Health and Human Performance from UTM in 2007.

Coach Aird resides in McKenzie, TN with her husband, Matt, and three children, Maggie, Gracie, and Zachery.

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Armando Guell Castro

Former Wildcat Armando Guell “Tico” Castro is in his third season as assistant coach with the Lady Wildcat soccer program in 2023-24.

As a four year starter the native of San Jose, Costa Rica, Castro played for Bethel from 2009-2013. He received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education with a Minor in Health from Bethel. Castro helped lead Bethel to three national tournament appearances. Bethel was regular season conference champions three times and won the conference tournament championship twice during his career.

His work history and qualifications include:

Technical Director for Pumas Futbol Club (Paducah KY) since 2015. As a coach: Two Division II State titles, one Division I State Runner up.

ODP (Olympic Development Program) for the state of KY since 2016. Selected to be part of the coaching staff for the International Trip to Dortmund, Germany in 2019.

USSF National C License.

USC Goalkeeping Level 1 & II

USC Director of Coaching Diploma.

Crossfit Level II & Gymnastics Trainer.

Coach Misty Aird commented, “We are very happy to add Armando to our staff. He is a Bethel person who knows our program and we have great expectations to what he can and will add to our program. We look forward to working with him.”

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Malang Jarju

Coach Malang (J.J.) Jarju is in his eighth season as head coach of the Wildcats and 15th overall at the school. He is 85-36-9 with the Cats. He was a member of the Wildcats from 2003-2007 and then was a longtime assistant with the program.

Coach Jarju was named as interim head coach in July of 2016 after the resignation of his longtime mentor Melvin Belong. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from Bethel University in 2008 and his Master’s Degree in Education in 2021. He is a native of Banjul, The Gambia in West Africa, where he attended Nusrat High School. Jarju played for both the junior and senior national teams of Gambia. He was a member of the Bethel University Wildcats from 2003 to 2007. He owns the record for goals scored in a career at Bethel University at 56. He also holds the record for points in a career at 151 and assists in a career at 39. He was named All-TranSouth Conference first team, All-Region first team, and NAIA All-American Honorable Mention in the past seasons for the Wildcats. He is the first ever Bethel men's soccer player to have his jersey retired and hung in Bethel's Baker Fieldhouse.

As a coach, Jarju holds a U.S.S.F.C. Certificate and a member of NSCAA. He is involved in a soccer Club with Jackson Wolves and player development in Jackson, Tenn., and the surrounding communities and conducts several soccer camps every summer with Coach Belong.