USL News Release
Thursday, August 11, 2005

TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced Thursday the Premier Development League Coach of the Year award as voted on by the league’s coaches and general managers, honoring Indiana Invaders coach Methembe Ndlovu.

The second-year Invaders head coach led the team to its third straight 11-win season at 11-5-0, missing the postseason by one point for the second consecutive season. He was 11-5-0 in his debut last season also.

Ndlovu began his coaching career with Mass Premier Soccer as head coach of the U18 Boston Bulldogs, leading the squad to the Super Y-League championship in 2001 before becoming an assistant with Cape Cod, where he helped lead the Crusaders to the 2002 PDL championship as a player and assistant coach. He took over as head coach of the Crusaders the following year and led the team to a repeat championship with a 12-4-2 record.

The highlight of the 2005 season for the Invaders was the wild 3-2 overtime victory July 2 over the Chicago Fire Premier that ended Chicago’s amazing 35-game regular season unbeaten streak of 32-0-3. It was Chicago’s lone loss of the last two regular seasons.

The Zimbabwe native has 12 international appearances and served as captain of the national team twice.

The midfielder began his professional career with the 1997 USL Second Division champion Albuquerque Geckos, earning the championship tournament MVP honor. He had a goal and two assists with the Geckos that season.

After playing in Zimbabwe for a year he returned to join the Boston Bulldogs of the USL First Division, where he played 20 games from 1999-00. He also played 14 games with the Crusaders in the USL Second Division in 2000, tallying two goals and two assists. He returned to the Bulldogs in 2001, recording one assist in 18 games in the USL Second Division.

While serving as assistant and head coach of the Crusaders in the PDL in 2002 and 2003, Ndlovu played in 24 games, registering a goal and three assists in their championship campaigns.

With Indiana he played in 15 games last year with one assist and played in 12 this season.

The PDL Championship will feature the Central Conference champion Des Moines Menace visiting the Southern Conference champion El Paso Patriots Saturday, August 13. The game will be at Socorro Stadium at 10:30 pm ET and will be broadcast LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel.

The Most Valuable Player will be announced at the Championship media luncheon Friday.