NAMPA, Idaho - Northwest Nazarene women's soccer head coach Mary Ybarguen and Athletic Director Kelli Lindley have announced the promotion of John Hawks to Associate Head Women's Soccer Coach heading into the 2022-23 academic year.

Hawks' new title will become official on August 1st, just under a month before the 2022 season kicks off in Hayward, Calif. against Cal State East Bay on August 25th.

The 2022 season will be Hawks' fourth with the Nighthawks, as he came to Nampa as an assistant coach prior to the 2019 campaign.

"I'm excited we are able to honor John's hard work and dedication with this promotion," said Ybarguen. "He has been an integral part in our success the past three seasons. John loves NNU and is committed to our values of developing the whole person when it comes to leading our women's soccer players on and off the field."

In his three seasons as an assistant, NNU has gone 27-15-5 overall and 11-11-4 through two years of GNAC play as the 2020 conference season was canceled due to COVID-19. In the shortened spring season that year, the Nighthawks went a perfect 11-0, recording seven shutouts in their 11 matches, including six of the final seven. In the 11 matches, NNU outscored their opponents a staggering 30-5 while averaging 19 shots per game and allowing just 5.7.

The 2021 season a year ago was one for the history books, as Hawks helped NNU reach the GNAC tournament for just the second time in program history and first since the 2017 campaign. The Nighthawks earned the third seed in the conference playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 8-4-2 mark in conference play and 10-5-3 overall record. Seven Nighthawks earned All-Conference honors, led by a First Team nod for Madison Grande, who was also named All West Region by both the United Soccer Coaches Association and the D2CCA.

Hawks came to NNU after spending three years at the University of Missouri, first as a volunteer assistant with the women's soccer team and then as the team's director of operations.

Prior to joining Missouri, Hawks was an assistant coach for the Muriel Battle High School boys and girls soccer teams and had also been a National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association sanctioned referee since 2014 and a Missouri State High School Activities Association referee since 2011. He also refereed the 2014 American Midwest Conference women's postseason and the 2015 AMC men's postseason.