Golden Eagle Soccer
Coaches

Joe Thoma
Women's Head Coach

Joe Thoma enters his eighth season as head women's soccer coach at John Brown. In 2005, Thoma was named the Coach of the Year for both the conference and the region as well as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Midwest Region. This followed his 2001 honors as NAIA Region VIII and NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year during his time at Indiana Wesleyan (1999-2001). It was there that Thoma led two NCCAA national championship teams.

Recently named the president of the NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches Association, Thoma has over one hundred college career coaching wins, which includes a 76-41 record at JBU.

Thoma was no stranger to John Brown University and Northwest Arkansas when he made his move from Indiana. Thoma began the boy's soccer program at Fayetteville High School in 1990 and started the first Lady Bulldogs team six years later. From 1997 until his departure to Indiana Wesleyan in 1999, Thoma served as a men's assistant coach at John Brown. Prior to his tenures in Arkansas, Thoma coached goalkeepers at Southern Nazarene University and boy's high school soccer in Yukon, Okla., during the late 1980's.

Thoma graduated from Southern Nazarene in 1988 with a degree in history after starting for four years as the Crimson Storm's goalkeeper. He received an M.A. in recreation and sport management from the University of Arkansas in 1996.

Thoma has been married for 23 years and has two daughters. His family attends First Baptist Church in Siloam Springs, where he teaches Sunday school. In addition to his coaching duties at John Brown, Thoma teaches sport management classes to undergraduate students.
 

Contact Coach Thoma
phone: 479.238.8629 | e-mail: JThoma@jbu.edu

Leo Peirano enters his second year as assistant women's soccer coach at John Brown. A graduate of JBU in 2002, Peirano began his collegiate career in 1998 and was a four-year letterman on the men's soccer squad. During his career at JBU, Peirano was named JBU Male Athlete of the Year for three consecutive years and was also a three-time NAIA All-American selection.

After leaving JBU, Peirano moved to Notre Dame, Ind. where he played professionally for the United Soccer League's (USL) Indiana Invaders from 2002-2007. During his time with the Invaders, he became the all-time leader in goals and assists. Peirano also served as coach for the Indiana Invaders under-20, under-16, and under-11 soccer teams.

A native of Montevideo, Uruguay, Peirano currently holds the JBU men's soccer record for goals and points in a season with 32 and 72 respectively.