Luis Cortell enters his fifth season as head coach of WVU Tech’s soccer team. Coach Cortell currently stands first on Tech’s all-time record for winning percentage at .729 (69-20-6), career wins, wins in a season, and all his teams are ranked first in every single-season category. He also led the program from a 1.93 GPA in 2009-10 to a 2.65 GPA on his first season in charge and 3.0+ each season after that. Coach Cortell guided the 2013 WVU Tech team to an overall record of 18-2-1 and the title of 2013 USCAA National Champions. “Without the support we received at the National Championship games, we would have never brought the title to Montgomery,” says Cortell, “so as far as I am concerned, the whole school won a National Championship, not just the men’s soccer team!”
Coach Cortell then followed up the 2013 season with another USCAA National Championships title in a record of 17-1-1 in 2014. “I think once you create an atmosphere of doing the little things right and you transfer that from generation to generation of players that come under me we can achieve amazing things for the program.” Says Cortell, “however you can’t never predict wins and losses as a coach and you are going to have your up and down seasons through time, but I hope that I will always get remember at Tech for all the Academic Achievements that my players have accomplished.”
Those academic achievements include having a record setting 13 Academic All-Americans in 2014.
As a head coach he has coached 12 first team All-Americans, one honorable mention and 23 academic All-Americans (the only ones in the program history). Cortell is no stranger to coaching successful athletes and programs, he has been an integral part of coaching staffs that have produced four All-American academic teams, one All-American, six conference players of the year, nine All-Region selections, 33 All-Conference selections and 52 All-Academic selections. In 2008 and 2009, his teams were crowned as the GLIAC Tournament Champions and made a post-season appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament in 2008. His teams also made the NSCAA All-Academic team in 2008 and 2009. As a student-athlete, Cortell attended and played for the University of Findlay. He started 60 of the 63 games during his career. Cortell is the current record holder in seven all-time and single season records for the Oilers since joining the NCAA II, including the single season record in goals (16-2001 and 2003) and the all-time in goals with 45. Luis also served as a team captain for two seasons, was named an NSCAA All-American and was selected to the All-Region Team twice and All-GLIAC Team three times. During his playing career at Findlay, the Oiler’s enjoyed consistent success on the national level, concluding three seasons ranked 22nd, 24th and 5th in NCAA DII before finishing his collegiate playing career with a Final Four appearance. Cortell rounded out his playing career in 2005 after playing professionally for two seasons with the Toledo Slayers under head coach Lee Akliabar.
Cortell holds coaching and referee soccer licenses, Grade 9 and 8 referee certifications, NSCAA regional, advance regional, national diploma,Advance National diploma and Premier Diploma, NSCAA state and regional goalkeeper diplomas, USFF “D” , USFF “C”, and USFF “B” national licenses.
Coach Cortell comes to WVU Tech by way of Tiffin University where he served as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s programs for three years prior to taking over as the interim head coach of the women’s soccer program in November 2009. Cortell also served as the men’s and women’s assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at the University of Findlay for four years. Cortell brings eight years of experience as coach and coaching director of the Liberty Benton and Findlay Soccer Club in Ohio. From 2002 to 2006, Luis also served as the assistant director of the “On the Ball” soccer camps in Ohio.
He currently resides in Belle, W.Va. with his wife Shona and their baby daughter Elena. Coach Cortell through the years:
Assistant Coach W-L-T 2004-2009 66-50-2 At WVU Tech:
W L T
2010 6 10 0
2011 10 5 3
2012 18 2 1
2013 18 2 1
2014 17 1 1
Overall 69 20 6
