By Amy Farnum Novin
NCAASports.com Staff Writer

Western Connecticut State University’s women’s soccer head coach Joe Mingachos may be wearing a hat for a few weeks, but it’s more than likely he is relishing his new buzz cut hairdo which is a symbol of his team’s unprecedented success this season.

The Colonials advanced past the second round of the Division III Championship for the first time in school history reeling off four straight wins in postseason play to earn a trip to the NCAA semifinals at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Nov. 23.

The trip to the Orlando area and hopes of a national championship were not the only incentives for the team, however. Mingachos also promised to shave his head if the Colonials kept on winning, and following a victory over Hamilton College in the Sectional final, his players collected on the deal.

“When we got back on campus, there was someone waiting for us with the clippers in hand and they took my hair off and my assistant coach’s hair off,” said Mingachos. “We didn’t have much of a choice as the kids were all gathered around us.”

WestConn is in the midst of its seventh NCAA appearance, and third consecutive postseason bid, with all of the trips coming since Mingachos took the program’s reins in 1997.

“It’s been an unbelievable run for us,” said Mingachos. “It’s not just this year, but the culmination of kids that have been in the program in past years, building it up to the point we are now.”

This season, things have just clicked. WestConn boasts eight seniors, as well as five starters that are transfers from the Division I and II levels.

“It’s been a perfect combination with the chemistry on and off the field,” said Mingachos. “It’s one of those things that is hard to explain – things have just worked out.”

Transfers have flocked to the program for various reasons like wanting to be closer to home, but regardless, WestConn has definitely benefited.

“Most are local kids that went away and wanted to come back home, and the soccer in our area of the state is very, very good, so we were very fortunate these kids wanted to come back for one reason or another,” said Mingachos.

Two transfers from Division I’s Iona are especially making an impact on the squad. Senior goalkeeper Jenna Cappellieri has recorded 11 of the team’s 16 shutouts and carries a 0.53 goals against average, while junior forward Catherine Nathans paces the Colonials with 17 goals and seven assists for 41 points.

“It’s almost like all of the stars have aligned themselves and everything has worked out,” said Mingachos.

The WestConn women’s soccer team has advanced further into an NCAA Championship than any other program in the school’s history, improving on the 2002 softball and 1990 men’s basketball finishes in the round of eight.

“To get this far has just been a dream, not only for our program, but for the entire athletic department and university,” said Mingachos. There’s a lot of school pride going around and we’re happy we are the ones have been able to do it.”

Mingachos not only has the pride of a coach for his team’s achievement. He has followed the school’s athletic program since he was a child growing up near the campus in Danbury, Conn., and then attended WestConn and played men’s soccer, becoming the Colonials’ first All-American in any sport. Following graduation, Mingachos was hired as an assistant for the men’s team, and eventually took the head coaching position for the women.

“This is family to me,” said Mingacos. “I believe in the university and the kids – I love the kids and this is the place I want to be.”

The Colonials (21-2-1), who have won 17 of their last 18 contests, have a tough road ahead as they will face defending NCAA champion and unbeaten Wheaton (Ill.) (26-0-0) in the semifinals on Nov. 23 at 1:30 p.m. Messiah (23-0-0) will play The College of New Jersey (21-0-1) in the first semifinal at 11 a.m. The winners will meet on Nov. 24 at 2 p.m., to determine the national champion.

“Whoever comes our way, we’ll try to play our game and see if it is good enough,” said Mingachos. “We’re going to go into this for the positive experience, and we’re going to do our best and hopefully, we’ll be successful doing it.”