Nascimento selected as NIACC women's soccer coach
MASON CITY - Raphael Nascimento has been selected as the head coach of the NIACC women's soccer team.
Nascimento takes over for Todd Alberts, who stepped down after two seasons as head coach.
Nascimento was the head men's soccer coach at Marshalltown CC from 2020-24.
"The opportunity of going back coaching a college team in such competitive conference and environment," Nascimento said about what intrgued him about the coaching position. "The women's soccer program here at NIACC has been always competing with the best teams and I see that as an opportunity to make history with the program."
NIACC was 6-8-2 overall in 2024 and 4-5 in the ICCAC. The Trojans dropped a 1-0 decision to Northeast CC in the opening round of the NJCAA Region 11 Division II tournament.
"I was able to meet with the team during the spring in three situations," Nascimento said. "The first one was over a zoom call while I was doing my interview for the coaching position and the girls were able to ask me questions about me, my coaching experience and style of play/practice.
"The second time, I was over a scrimmage that they were playing against Grand View University in April and I was still in the interview process and I really wanted to make sure I could see the team and that I could take notes about the players as well. The third time was right before graduation in May and I was able to come in and talk to them face to face for the first time as the head coach."
Nascimento said all of the interactions with the returning players were "very positive."
"I have a feeling that the team and I will be working well together," he said. "We are recruiting for a few positions still and because of that I have been working hard to be connecting with the new prospect players and making sure they choose NIACC as their home for the fall.
"We have a very good and talented group of girls coming to NIACC and I'm here to help them to succeed in their soccer and college projections."
Nascimento was also the men's assistant coach in 2018 when Marshalltown CC placed fifth at the NJCAA Division I national tournament. He was also an assistant for the Tigers in 2019 when they won the NJCAA Region 11 title and fell in the NJCAA North Central District Championship match.
"I have been coaching college for five years and I also was coaching during the summer for four years in a competitive semi-pro league," he said. "I also have lived the student/athlete life which give me the opportunity to correlate a lot of things that our student/athletes will be living now."
As far as style of play, Nascimento said he wants to play a "possession style of soccer."
"I believe the more we keep the ball, the more we avoid the opponent to score and we can create more opportunities to score, as well," the coach said. "Of course, that actually depends on the type of players you have on hand. Even knowing that I'm more of a possession style of a coach, I'm not opposed to change my style of game for the benefits of the team."
NIACC opens the 2025 season with an exhibition at Central College on Aug. 19. The Trojans open the regular season at home on Aug. 22 against Lake Superior College.
The Trojans begin ICCAC play at Iowa Lakes on Sept. 20.
"Every coach wants to win trophies in their first season to mark a new era," the coach said. "I'm no different, I do want to win the conference and nationals. That's my biggest dream as I start here at NIACC.
"Now, being more realistic, I think a successful season would be competing head to head with colleges that are already in the top. We are in a very competitive conference, if not the best conference in the country, so finishing our regular season in the top 4 and making to the championship during the post season would be considered a very successful year. Now talking about off the field, if we can have an average of 3.2 GPA in the class room, I would consider that a very successful year."
