Albion College Athletic Director Matt Arend has announced the appointment of Wytse Molenaar (pronounced Veet-zah Mole-nar), who led the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh to a pair of Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and three berths in the NCAA Division III tournament, as head coach of the men’s soccer program.
“We are thrilled to have Coach Molenaar join our staff,” Arend said. “As a head coach, he is a proven winner and he has done a tremendous job mentoring his student-athletes both on and off the field. I am excited to see our men’s soccer program flourish under his leadership.”
Molenaar added, “I am thankful for the confidence put in me by Matt and President Mauri Ditzler. “I am beyond excited to get started. The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association is a great conference and I’m excited to be a part of that.”
In six seasons leading the UW-Oshkosh program, Molenaar owned a .735 winning percentage with a 79-23-17 overall record. Two of his players gained a total of four NCAA Division III All-America awards, nine players were granted 13 all-North Region awards by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), 16 players achieved 22 all-WIAC first team awards, and three were selected as the WIAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Molenaar’s 2015 squad ranked among the top 25 Division III teams in goals-against average and shutout percentage.
In 2014, UW-Oshkosh went 14-5-2 overall and won its first outright WIAC title, going 3-0-1 during league play and registering two shutouts in the WIAC tournament. The Titans recorded 12 shutouts on the season, and goalkeeper Sam Gabrilska was selected the WIAC Defensive Player of the Year to highlight five Titans placed on the all-WIAC first team.
During the 2013 season, Molenaar led the Titans to a 15-2-4 record, including nine shutouts, and an appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament. Molenaar helped UW-Oshkosh win the major all-conference awards with Tony Starnes claiming WIAC Offensive Player of the Year honors and Karl Bock earning WIAC co-Defensive Player of the Year. It was the first time a Titan had won either WIAC award.
Molenaar's 2010 team compiled a 20-1-3 record, shared the WIAC title and reached the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Championship. The Titans were undefeated through 23 matches, including tournament victories over Carroll University, North Park University (Ill.), Loras College (Iowa) and Calvin College. The Titans concluded the season with 18 shutouts and outscored their opponents by a 62-9 margin. Molenaar was named Coach of the Year for both the WIAC and the NCAA Division III North Region. Molenaar also helped seven Titans achieve All-WIAC first team honors and six earn all-region accolades.
Molenaar was UW-Oshkosh’s assistant coach from 2004-08. He also served as the coaching director for FC Green Bay since 2000. Originally from the Netherlands, Molenaar came to the United States as an exchange student in 1988. He played collegiate soccer at NCAA Division II California State University-Dominguez Hills from 1990-92.
Along with his certification from the Royal Dutch Soccer Association, Molenaar has an “A” license from the United States Soccer Federation and a premier license from the NSCAA. He earned a business administration degree from UW-Oshkosh in 2006.
