Dec. 22, 2005

Illinois assistant coach Eric Bell was named the Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association after helping lead the Illini to the second round of the NCAA tournament and a 12-7-3 record in 2005.

Bell earns the award in only his fourth year at Illinois. He serves as the Illini's recruiting coordinator, compiles scouting reports on each opponent and assists with all of the team's on-field training and preparation.

"He's been a vital part of this program's success, and there are two areas where he's really impacted the program," Illinois coach Janet Rayfield said. "He's taken our recruiting to the next level, both organizationally and as a talent evaluator, and he has a great tactical mind, which has helped our staff to teach our team to solve problems tactically."

Bell is a United States Soccer Federation "A" Licensed coach, an NSCAA member and is involved with the Illinois Olympic Development Program.