NCWC MENS SOCCER
Battling Bishops News Letter
Welcome!
2018 NCWC BISHOP COACHING STAFF
Coach Frankie Taal-Head Coach
Frankie Taal enters his 15th season with the North Carolina Wesleyan men's soccer program and eighth as the squad's head coach. He hails from Bethany College in West Virginia, where he served two seasons as head women's soccer coach. The Gambia, West Africa native graduated from Bethany in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in Political Science.
A veteran of Bethany College soccer, Coach Taal spent over a decade around the men's and women's programs. As a collegiate player, he was a two-time PAC All-Conference selection and was a member of the Bison's 1994 Division III National Championship team. Following the completion of his career, he moved to the sidelines as an assistant for the men's team. During that time, Bethany won five PAC titles and earned five berths into the NCAA tournament.
Taal's Wesleyan tenure as both an assistant and a head coach has seen the Bishops turn in a 185-79-25 overall record, including five regular season USA South Championships, three USA South Tournament Championships, five NCAA Tournament berths, and two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.
The 2011 season, his first as head coach, saw NCWC go 7-5-7 overall and earn runner-up finishes in the USA South Regular Season and Tournament Championships. Taal helped coach nine players to All-Conference accolades that season, while six Bishops garnered Academic All-Conference recognition. In 2014, the veteran coach guided the Bishops to a 13-6-1 overall record and the second USA South Tournament semifinal appearance of his tenure.
Most recently in 2016 and 2017, Taal enjoyed his best two seasons at the helm of the program with back-to-back league titles. The 2016 season featured a 14-6 overall record and his first conference championship, while individually, he coached freshman Baboucarr Njie to Rookie of the Year accolades as one of eight Bishops to garner All-Conference honors. He also had two players, A.J. Wadda and Drew Wiltse, earn All-Region recognition. In 2017, Taal secured his season USA South crown and first tournament title, taking the Bishops the NCAA tournament for the first time in nearly a decade and finishing 15-6 overall.
In addition to his coaching duties, Taal also serves as the Department of Athletics' Gameday Supervisor. He currently resides in Rocky Mount.
Coach Meir Lewin
Meir Lewin is entering his first season as the Assistant Men's Soccer Coach at NCWC after being hired by Head Coach Frankie Taal in August of 2018.
"I am very excited to have Meir as my right hand man," said Coach Taal. "He is the right person for the position and I am confident he will be a great addition. I very much look forward to working with him."
Lewin comes to Wesleyan after most recently serving as the assistant coach at Mary Washington University (VA) while he was also the assistant for two seasons at Washington College in Maryland from 2012-2014. While at Washington College, Lewin coached 4 Centennial All-Conference award winners and 6 honor roll members.
He is also a current scout for the Israel Football Association National Team. Lewin played professionally for the Israeli team serving as their captain from 2007-11 starting 72 games and being named to the league-best-11 in 2009-10 as well.
Lewin was also a teaching assistant and Instructor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland since 2014.
Lewin graduated with a B.A. in Government in 2011 from the Interdisciplinary Center of Herzliya, Israel. He also completed his Masters in English from Washington College in 2014.
He is now currently pursuing his Ph.D in Kinesiology and Physical Cultural Studies from the Univ. of Maryland.