MidAmerica Nazarene University

MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers Athletics
2030 E. College Way Olathe, KS 60662

NAIA Kansas Midwest

Private Small Competitive team

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Coaches

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Kevin Wardlaw

Head Men's Soccer Coach Kevin Wardlaw took the helm in January of 2003. In his time at MNU he has led the program to nine NAIA National Championship Tournaments ('07, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15, '16, 17', 20'), including a run to the National Championship Final in 2015 and the National Championship Semifinal in 2012. The Pioneers lost in overtime in the 2015 final and finished the year as the #2 ranked team in the country. Coach Wardlaw has two NCCAA National Championships (2004 & 2006), four Heart of America Conference Championships ('05, '08, '13, & '16), a Heart of America Conference Tournament Championship (2011) and 3 NCCAA Regional Titles (2003, 2004, & 2006) to go along with his success at the National Tournament.

Coach Wardlaw was named NSCAA/NCCAA National Coach-of-the-Year in 2006, NSCAA Region Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, and 2016 and HAAC Coach of the Year in 2005, 2008, 2013, and 2016. His overall record at MNU stands at 225-112-30.

Prior to MNU, Coach Wardlaw was at Hardin Simmons University (TX) where he was the Men's Soccer coach from 1999-2002. While at HSU he led that program to 3 American Southwest Conference championships and two appearances in the NCAA Div III National Tournament. His record while at HSU was an impressive 51-20-2.

Coach Wardlaw started his coaching career as an Assistant Coach at Cumberland College (KY), now University of the Cumberlands. He obtained his Master's Degree in Education while at CC. A graduate of Olivet Nazarene University (IL), Wardlaw was a two sport athlete. He was a two-time CCAC All-Conference Goalkeeper and a 3-time NAIA Track and Field All-American.

Coach Wardlaw is the Co-founder and current Executive Director for Toca FC, a youth soccer club with over 800 players in the Kansas City area.

Coach Wardlaw and his wife Tina, have three daughters: Maleah, Ava, and Juliana.

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Atanas Karagyaurov

Atanas Karagyaurov, or Nasko, as he is better known, was born in Plovdiv Bulgaria where he lived with his family until he was 14 years old. Nasko’s family immigrated to the US the summer before he started high school. He attended high school in Elk River Minnesota where he played his junior and senior seasons (2009-2011).

He continued his playing career after high school at Anoka Ramsey Community College where he still holds the programs scoring records. Nasko led his team to two National Tournament appearances (2011,2012); one of which was a National Semi-Final (2011). He was a team captain (2012) and was named 1st team All-Conference (2012), 1st team NJCAA All-American (2012), Conference player of the Year (2012), and Anoka Ramsey Student Athlete of the Year (2012).

Nasko was recruited to MidAmerica Nazarene University by Coach Kevin Wardlaw. He helped his team to two more consecutive National Tournament appearances (2013,2014). He was selected as a NAIA Champion of Character player both seasons at MNU. Nasko graduated from MNU in 2015 with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration.

In July 2016 Nasko got married and moved to Europe for two years with his wife Molly. During this time, he co-coached a boys U13 team in Germany and played two seasons semi-professionally for two different German clubs. He returned to MNU in 2019 as the Graduate Assistant Coach and completed his Master's of Business Administration in August 2021. Nasko was promoted to full time Assistant Coach in the summer of 2021. He was promoted again in the summer of 2022 to Associate Head Coach.

Nasko has his USSF D License and currently coaches for Toca FC. He also directs and runs all of the MNU soccer camps throughout the year.