| Title: | Goalkeeper Coach |
Mike Wentzler joined the Eagles’ coaching staff prior to the 2011 season, and currently serves as the team’s goalkeeper coach.
His efforts in his nine seasons with the team have led Emory to produce one of the top defenses in the country during that stretch, with his keepers allowing just 117 goals in 175 games. Mike has helped Emory keepers to UAA honors in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019 with Dani Staffin capturing All-UAA Honorable Mention acclaim in 2018 and Haley Pratt garnering First Team kudos in 2019.
During the 2015 season, Wentzler guided Liz Arnold to a All-UAA Honorable Mention, her third straight All-UAA honor. Her .818 goals-against average during the campaign was the 70th-lowest in Division III in 2015.
In 2012, he coached Kaele Leonard to the 13th-lowest goals-against average in Division III (0.459), and the 38th-best save percentage (0.86), as the senior claimed an all-UAA honorable mention, as Emory finished as the National Runner-Up. During his first season on the team, Wentzler's efforts helped Emory go 17-1-2 and claim a conference Championship, advancing to the round of 16 of the NCAA Championships. Under his watch in 2011, Leonard was named to the all-South Atlantic Region Second Team and an honorable mention to the all-UAA team after finishing third in Division III with a 0.288 goals-against average and sixth with a 0.909 save percentage. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Erica Stein set a school record with a 0.20 goals-against average during the year. As a team, Emory ended the year ranked third among Division III schools with a 0.242 goals-against average and a 0.8 shutout percentage, and fifth with a 0.904 save percentage.
Wentzler was a two-time NAIA all-American for Berry College in Rome, GA during his collegiate playing days. He also earned all-conference and all-region honors in 2006 and 2007, and was named the Southern States Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2007. Wentzler graduated from Berry in 2008 with a Bachelor of Sciences, majoring in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Women’s Studies.
Wentzler holds a National ‘D’ coaching license certification. He currently teaches at St. Pius X Catholic High School.
Updated January 2020