Ottawa University - Kansas

Ottawa University Athletics
1001 S Cedar St. Ottawa, KS 66067

NAIA Kansas Midwest

Private Very Small National competitor

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Coaches

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James Cottage

James Cottage is in his second season as the head coach of the men’s soccer program at Ottawa University. He has an overall coaching record of 64-62-13.

In his first season at the helm of the Braves, Cottage coached OU to its highest win total since the 2012 season. The Braves finished the season with an overall record of 11-4-5 and a third place finish in the KCAC with a mark of 7-1-4. Under Cottage's leadership, OU received votes in the NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll for the first time since 1971. He coached five All-KCAC selections including KCAC Freshman of the Year, Slobodan Novicevic. Novicevic was named NAIA Offensive Player of the Week, Ottawa's first since selection for men's soccer. Cottage also coached OU's first NAIA All-American selection since 2005 with Bence Molnar's Honorable Mention selection. The Braves also excelled off the pitch as well. OU was named the KCAC Men's Soccer Team of Character and Molnar earned CSC Academic Second Team All-American honors and was named CSC Academic All-District. Seven Braves were named Daktronic Scholar Athletes and eight were named KCAC Scholar Athletes.

Cottage came to Ottawa from familiar Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Bethel College, completing his fourth season at the helm for the Threshers in 2021. During his tenure, Cottage coached eight All-KCAC athletes while improvements were made each year including reaching the KCAC playoffs each of the last two seasons. In 2021, the Threshers recorded their highest win total in over a decade while stringing together five straight wins along the way.

Prior to Bethel, Cottage was an assistant at NCAA Division II California State University - Monterey Bay for one season before becoming a volunteer assistant coach for the University of Oklahoma women's soccer team under head coach Matt Potter.

Cottage has spent most of his playing and coaching career in the Sooner State. He took over as the head coach of his alma mater Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Okla. shortly after the 2014 season, coaching for two seasons. In 2016, SCU finished the season 15-5-5 and went onto win the National Christian College Athletic Association National Tournament, with Cottage being named NCCAA Coach of the Year. Four players were placed on the All-Tournament Team, while Cottage led Chad Dennis to winning Player of the Tournament and NCCAA National Player of the Year.

A native of Thrapston, England, Cottage moved to the United States in 2007 and attended the University of Science and Arts in Chickasha, Oklahoma. After his sophomore year, he transferred to SCU.

Captaining the Eagles in the midfield during the 2009 season, Cottage led SCU to a 16-5 season that saw his team finish as ACCA National Champions and NCCAA Southwest Regional Champions. In 2010, Cottage led the Eagles as captain again during his senior year, scoring eight goals and adding three assists on the way to a 20-3 record.

Cottage graduated from SCU in 2010 with a degree in sport management, and immediately took a position as an assistant soccer coach at SCU. He received a master's degree in Sport Administration in 2018 from East Central University.

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Cain Scott

Cain Scott is in his first year as an assistant coach with the Ottawa men’s soccer program after spending the 2021 and 2022 as a graduate assistant coach with the Braves' program.

Prior to joining the coaching staff, Scott was a four-year letterman on the Braves soccer program and served as a captain his final two seasons. During his time as a player, Scott scored 13 goals and had 12 assists.

Scott played two years professionally, from 2017-2019, for USL League Two club Kaw Valley FC.

Along with coaching at Ottawa, Scott also coaches at Toca FC and the USYS Olympic Development Program (ODP). Scott coaches youth teams, providing training, encouragement, and helping prepare the players for their weekly games.

Scott graduated from OU in May of 2021 with a degree in secondary education. He received a Master of Arts in Education degree with a concentration in educational leadership from Ottawa University in 2023. Scott holds a USSF National D Coaching License.