OKLAHOMA CITY – As the top-ranked program in the NAIA last season approaches the start of the 2024 season, the MACU men's soccer coaching staff is proud to announce its coaching additions and changes for the upcoming season under first year head coach Aaron Hoxie and sixth-year associate head coach James Roberson.
Former MACU goalkeeper Javier Ceballos moves into the role as the program's new goalkeepers coach, Paulo Lopez is being elevated to the varsity reserve and JV head coach and former Evangels standout Kareem Williams will serve as the graduate assistant coach.
Ceballos competed for MACU between the 2021-23 seasons, where he played an integral role in some of the most successful seasons in program history. During MACU's undefeated 2023 run, Ceballos compiled a 2-0-1 record in-goal with a 1.03 goals allowed average and made seven saves for a .700 save percentage.
"I'm happy to have Javi join the coaching squad for the season," stated Hoxie. "I think he will do a great job with the robust goalkeeping crew that we have this year. The goal for us is to develop a goalkeeper for the future and his desire to help serve the program by giving back some of his experience is very much appreciated. His multicultural background will help him relate to the crew and will aid in building relationships. He will also be handling some of our weight lifting programming on-top of his coaching duties."
Outside of playing with MACU, Ceballos has also served as a private goalkeeping instructor in the Oklahoma City area since summer of 2023.
After serving as an assistant coach for the varsity reserve team last season, Lopez has been elevated to the head coach role for both the varsity reserve team and the newly formed junior varsity team.
Last season, Lopez helped guide the reserve team to an 8-7-2 overall record and a second place finish at the inaugural Sooner Athletic Conference Reserve Team Tournament in Wichita, Kansas. The Evangels finished the 2023 campaign strong, winning their final four matches encapsulated by a 3-1 victory over the Southern Nazarene JV team on Oct. 31.
"Paulo has earned the right to take the top spot of the reserve program, a program that is very important to me and our University," said Hoxie. "His commitment and performance this spring was evident as several players earned their call-ups to the top team. His desire to study the game is strong and that work ethic will carry him to a successful coaching career. We are blessed that we get to be a small part of the process."
Lopez has built up a strong coaching reputation in the Oklahoma City area as he also serves on the coaching staff for the North Oklahoma City Soccer Club as well as the boys' soccer coach for Bishop McGuinness High School.
Rounding out MACU's coaching staff changes, Williams returns to MACU after a phenomenal two-year playing. Competing primarily as a starting center-back for the Evangels during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Williams was an All-SAC First Team selection in 2023 while being named a First Team NCCAA All-American and a Second Team NAIA All-American.
Over the course of those two seasons, Williams was a pivotal piece of a MACU men's soccer program that won back-to-back SAC regular season and tournament championships, going 36-2-6 over those last two seasons, which includes a 17-0-4 undefeated mark in 2023.
"I am very excited to have Kareem join us as a GA this year," Hoxie remarked. "His ability to connect to the players and relate to them will be invaluable as we replaced half of our squad this year. He will be primarily working with the reserve and JV programs, managing the locker rooms, be in-charge of team equipment, will have some field tasks and will be responsible for several other duties that will enhance the University as a whole."
During the 2022 campaign, Williams helped guide MACU to the NAIA Tournament final site after picking up a 2-0 win over No. 17 Oklahoma Wesleyan in the second round at the Dill Soccer Field on Nov. 19, 2022. Overall, Williams logged 1905 minutes, the seventh-most of any MACU player during the NAIA Era (2007-present) during a single season. Overall, Williams wrapped up his two-year MACU career with four goals and five assists in 43 games played.
Outside of MACU, Williams served as the coach for Sporting Oklahoma 2015 & 2016 teams as a youth coach from August 2023 to May 2024 before competing for the West Texas Football Club out of Midrand and Odessa, Texas, a member of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), helping lead the team to the Lone Star Conference Championship after going 7-1-2 and defeated Denton Diablos FC 4-1 in the title tilt on July 13.
Mid-America Christian will open the 2024 season with a pair of high-profile road matches as the Evangels kick off the campaign at No. 9 Bethel (Ind.) on Aug. 22 before traveling to No. 5 Grace (Ind.) on Aug. 24.
