LOCAL SPORTS — A natural born leader with vast experience on all levels with the relationships to bring the best players to Motlow State … that’s how Motlow State Athletic Director Scott Shasteen described Andy Lyon back in 2016 as together, they launched a women’s soccer program at the Moore County community college. Motlow State named Lyon its first women’s soccer head coach in September 2016. They played their first game in the fall of 2017.

This past week, the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) named Lyon the NJCAA Region VII Coach of the Year. Coach Lyon and the Bucks have managed a 40-19-3 record over the past four years. They won Region VII regular season championships in 2018 and 2019 as well as being named Regional Tournament winners in 2018 and runners up in 2019.

A native of Nottingham, England, Lyon moved to the United States in 2004 to join the coaching staff of the New Jersey Metrostars in their youth development program. He traveled across the East Coast focusing on player development and soccer camps for Major League Soccer before settling in Tullahoma in 2006. He also spend two seasons as an assistant coach of the men’s program at the University of the South in Sewanee and coached as an assistant for the Webb School in Bell Buckle before taking the Motlow job.

Motlow State beat Dyersburg State Community College on Tuesday by a final score on 12-0. They managed an undefeated conference season and Regular Season Championship. They play Columbia State in Conference Tournament action on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Winchester. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}