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VIU Mariners fill coaching vacancies with additions of Bryce and Lindo

Jul 12, 2017 | 11:10 AM

NANAIMO — The VIU Mariners have all of their head coaches in place for the upcoming PACWEST season.
 
Earlier this month the university announced new coaches for the womens soccer and basketball teams.
 
The new coach for womens basketball is already very familiar with VIU basketball.
 
Tony Bryce coached the mens team from 2006-2012, compiling a record of 87-15.
 
He was named a PACWEST Coach of the Year three times, and won the 2012 CCAA Mens Coach of the Year award.
 
Kevin Lindo takes over the reins of the womens soccer program.
 
The 17 year coach has experience in MLS as a Professional Youth Development Coach with the New York Red Bulls, and he’s also the Island Head Coach for Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
 
Vancouver Island University Director of High Performance Sports, Recreation and Physical Literacy Stephanie White says both Lindo and Bryce are not only great coaches, they are also well aware of the need for student athletes to have success in the classroom.
 
“They understand that yes you want to develop the skills and the technical, tactical side of the student athlete but the academic side also has to develop,” said White.
 
There were a lot of strong applicants for both positions and White says she was impressed with the large number of quality candidates who put their name in the hat for the two coaching jobs.
 
The regular season for PACWEST soccer begins in September and basketball gets underway in late October or early November.
 
That means Bryce has the luxury of time when it comes to rounding out his coaching staff, Lindo is more under the gun with less than two months until the start of league play.
 
The soccer season opener is Saturday September 9 against Langara and the basketball schedule isn’t out yet.
 
Back in 2016 the Mariners womens soccer team finished in second place with a 5-2-5 record under outgoing coach Anup Kang.

Bill McWhinnie led the womens basketball program to a third place finish at 10-8 before his departure.
 
 
dan@nanaimonewsnow.com
 
On twitter: @danmarshall77