Title possible in eyes of new soccer coach

This season the women's soccer team is sporting new shades of cream and crimson on their jerseys. They also have a Purple Ace on the sideline.\nPatrolling the sideline this year for the Hoosiers is Mick Lyon, the former University of Evansville coach. Lyon spent nine seasons coaching the Purple Aces and has knowledge and experience coaching in the Hoosier state, winning six consecutive Missouri Valley Conference titles since 1996. In that same time period the Hoosiers have only mustered one Big Ten title.\nA native of Boston, England, Lyon was a member of England's National under-18 Schoolboy Team, before coming to play at Evansville for three years (he only had three years of eligibility). Lyon was "kind of hanging out" when he got an invitation to play at Evansville. He accepted reasoning that when he looked on a map he saw that Evansville was near Chicago.\nLyon was awarded MVP status at Evansville from 1985-1987. In 1987 he was named an All-American as well as the M.C.C. Player of the Year. Lyon received a B.S. in Education and is currently working on his Masters Degree in public administration.\nBefore becoming the inaugural coach of the Evansville women's team, Lyon was an assistant coach on the men's team from 1991-93. That experience helped him compile a record of 107-65-18 with the Purple Aces. \nLyon left a successful record at Evansville to coach at IU. Lyon said he felt he reached a point where it was time to move on. \n"Generally there is a ceiling at a mid-major school, and that ceiling doesn't include a national championship," Lyon said. "One of my career goals is to coach a national championship team, and I feel that Indiana has that capability."\nLyon said he is familiar with Big Ten Competition. Last year Evansville played Ohio State, Wisconsin and Illinois, and has faced other Big Ten teams over the years. Lyon's squad even battled the Hoosiers once, suffering a 4-1 setback at Armstrong Stadium Oct. 4, 1995. \n"I know quite a bit about these programs and coaches, so things shouldn't be that unfamiliar," Lyon said.\nLyon is a hands-on coach, partaking in the drills with his players in the 90-degree heat, while loudly barking instructions. He has a different style form former coach Joe Kelley, who was more laid back and barely audible at practice. The players, who enjoyed playing for Kelley have taken a liking to the new coach. \n"This off-season has been going very well. We really like coach Lyon," senior forward Jenny Mann said. "His intensity is really good for us. We feed off that intensity. This past weekend he had us fired up, and he had us ready to score a golden goal in the 120th minute."\nSenior midfielder Kara Bryan has noticed the team's new attitude under the new coach.\n"Everything changes with a coaching change. The formations and style are different," Bryan said. "The team comes in with a lot of expectations for this coach, and after last year's disappointment, he has pushed us to work really hard. Everyone wants to play really hard for coach Lyon." \nLyon didn't come by himself from Evansville. Ian Rickerby joins the Hoosiers staff after spending 1994-98 as an assistant with Lyon.\nRickerby, who is also excited about joining a big time program at IU, notices the players responding well to Lyon.\n"We all want to work here at a higher level," Rickerby said. "A new coach can be difficult for players. Change is a part of life, and the players are responding positively to the hands-on approach Mick has had."\nLyon brings an impressive resume to a team with a winning conference record only once in their nine season history. \nLyon was named one of the NSCAA's Top 50 Winningest Head Coaches at the Division I level in May 2002. When named one of the top coaches in the nation, Lyon was aware he had 100 career wins, but said he has an honor he is even more proud of. \n"Seeing a young naive freshman who turns into a competent mature senior after four years of hard work in the classroom, socially and on the field, is why I am involved in the profession," Lyon said. \nThe one thing Lyon has experienced that no current Hoosiers can lay claim to is his trip to the NCAA tournament. His goal is to take the Hoosiers there this season. Lyon has already shed enough sweat this summer running drills with his team. Now it's time for him to let his experienced squad release some blood and tears and help him to his goal of coaching a national championship team.