Tennessee Wesleyan University

Tennessee Wesleyan University Athletics
204 E. College Street Athens, TN 37303

NAIA Tennessee Southeast

Private Small National competitor

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Coaches

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Luke Winter

Luke Winter is entering his seventh season as the leader of the men's soccer program in 2023-2024.

Winter graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan in 2012 and received many individual accolades during his playing career: AAC All-Tournament Team, AAC Tournament MVP, AAC All-Conference First Team, Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week, AAC Player of the Week, and NAIA All-East Region First Team. In his junior year, he finished the season ranked first in the nation for game-winning goals, third for goals per game, and fifth for total goals. As a team member, Winter was part of the first TWU team to receive its first-ever NAIA national ranking. He was a member of the 2010 AAC Regular Season Championship and 2012 AAC Tournament Championship teams. In 2012, Winter was a leading force in aiding the Bulldogs back to the NAIA National Tournament. Winter believes his highest achievement at Tennessee Wesleyan was receiving the Athletic Director's Award for helping improve the success of the men's soccer program.

After graduating with a double major in sports management and sports science, Winter attended Shorter University as a graduate assistant for the men's soccer team, where he earned his Master's Degree in Business Administration. Winter was essential in helping the team to a 10-6-2 record in 2013, a vast improvement from the 2012 record of 4-13-1. This winning season led Shorter to third place in GSC and 11th nationally in the NCCAA. Following his stint at Shorter, Winter served as an assistant coach for the men's soccer team at Bryan College for three seasons. During his time at Bryan, the team won the AAC regular-season championship in 2015 and qualified for the 2016 NAIA National Tournament.

Winter currently holds his USSF National C License, NSCAA National Diploma, FA Level 1 & 2, United States Soccer Federation A license, and United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma along with an FA Learning Disability Coaching Certificate. Winter has also worked at various youth academies across TN and GA; McMinn United, North Georgia United, Middle Valley Soccer Association, and currently for Chattanooga Football Club Academy. Furthermore, as a player, Winter has been part of the highly successful Chattanooga FC team for the past seven summers. Competing in the NPSL, Winter has been part of the CFC teams that have won the South East Conference five times, South Region four times, and also made the national final three. He was individually named on the 2014 & 2016 All-NPSL XI, 2015 & 2016 All-NPSL Supporters XI, Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Player of the Second Round, and is the CFC all-time leading scorer.

Winter also serves as the head coach of the Chattanooga Lady Red Wolves Soccer Club, a founding member of the USL W League.

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Codi Crippen

Codi Crippen begins his fourth season as assistant men's soccer coach at Tennessee Wesleyan University during 2023-2024.

Before joining the TWU staff, Crippen spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Thomas University, ending his time with the program as the interim head coach. During his three seasons with Thomas, he helped lead the team to The Sun Conference Men's Soccer Tournament each season, including winning the 2018 The Sun Conference Regular-Season Championship along with a runner-up finish in the conference tournament that same season.

Crippen made a coaching stop at NCAA Division III school Huntingdon College from 2014-2017, where he served as an assistant coach and goalkeeper coach. While at Huntingdon, Crippen had a goalkeeper be named USA South Player of the Week four times. Crippen has previously coached in the state of Tennessee, serving as a graduate assistant for the women's soccer program at Bethel University from 2012-2014.

The Zanesville, Ohio native played at the University of Rio Grande where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Exercise Studies in 2011 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education in 2012. While playing for Rio Grande, Crippen helped the team advance to the NAIA National Tournament all four years he played, finishing in the Round of 16 twice, as the national runner-up in 2008 and in the semifinals in 2009, compiling a 69-13-8 overall record. He served as a volunteer assistant at Rio Grande from 2010-2012.

Crippen currently holds United States Soccer Federation National C and D Licenses along with a Premier Diploma, Advanced National Diploma, and Goalkeeping Level one and two from the United Soccer Coaches.