TJC Notebook: Dwyer, Timm named to NJCAA Hall of Fame
Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 4, 2014
- Tyler Junior College alum Kyle Timm will be inducted into the NJCAA Men's Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame. (Courtesy photo)
Two of the all-time best junior college soccer players just also happened to play at Tyler Junior College.
Dom Dwyer, who led TJC to two national championships, and Kyle Timm, who helped the Apaches to a two-year mark of 28-8-2, are two of the five 2014 inductees into the NJCAA Men’s Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the NJCAA office in Colorado Springs, Colorado announced.
Dwyer and Timm will be inducted at the NJCAA Division I Soccer Tournament Banquet Nov. 16 in Prescott, Arizona.
They join 86 other coaches, contributors and players already named to the Hall of Fame.
Joining Dwyer and Timm in the class are Rocco DeNardis of Yavapai (Arizona) College, Frank Savocchi of Nassau (New York) Community College and Nickardo Blake of East Central (Missouri) College.
Dwyer led TJC to an overall 40-0-1 record and consecutive national titles in 2009 and 2010 while scoring a school record 38 goals in his sophomore season. He was named to the NJCAA all-tournament team twice and most valuable player once. He was an All-American and National Player of the Year. Dwyer played at the University of South Florida after his juco days and was named to the All-Big East first team. Drafted in the first round by Sporting Kansas City in 2012, he currently plays for the Major League Soccer club.
Timm played for TJC during the 2006 and 2007 seasons and was a first-team All-American and runner-up for National Player of the Year as a sophomore. He moved on to Clayton State University and was named Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year in 2009. He played professionally for Bidvest Wits FC in the premiership of South Africa before returning to his alma mater at TJC as an assistant coach for the 2012 national championship team.
Spikes, sets and wins
The No. 5-ranked TJC Apache Ladies opened Region XIV Conference North Zone volleyball play with a 3-0 victory over Lamar State-Port Arthur on Wednesday at Wagstaff Gymnasium.
The Apache Ladies won 25-18, 25-22, 25-16.
The win moved Tyler to 8-1 on the season, while the Seahawks fell to 3-6 and 0-1.
Ronda Shirley, in her fifth season as head coach of the Apache Ladies, takes her team to the Odessa Tournament Friday and Saturday. On Friday, TJC meets Midland at 1 p.m. and host Odessa at 7 p.m. Saturday’s games have Tyler meeting Vernon at 9 a.m. and the SW Collegiate Institute for the Deaf at 1 p.m.
Tyler returns to conference action on Sept. 10, traveling to Athens to meet Trinity Valley at 7 p.m.
Hitting the gridiron
Despite an opening season loss to Trinity Valley in Athens, the young Apaches football team remained in the NJCAA Top 20.
TJC is ranked No. 16. Danny Palmer’s squad was No. 13 in the preseason poll.
Palmer expects his team to play much better this week when the Apache Road Warriors travel to Brenham to meet Blinn (1-0). Kickoff is 7 p.m. Saturday at Cub Stadium.
“I was disappointed with the loss, but not the effort,” Palmer said. “I was very appreciative of our fan support as well. Our side (at Bruce Field) was packed. Our fans stayed the whole game and supported our team.”
TVCC won the contest 59-45.
After Saturday’s game, the Apaches have their home opener at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium on Sept. 13. TJC meets Arkansas Baptist at 7 p.m.
TJC running back Chaston Bennett, a sophomore from Rusk, leads the Southwest Junior College Football Conference and the nation in rushing after garnering 228 yards against the Cardinals. He also scored four touchdowns.
Palmer added quarterback Sederian Copeland, a freshman from Dallas, will get the start this week. The TJC coach called Copeland “a playmaker.”
On the pitch
There will be a soccer doubleheader on Friday at Pat Hartley Field.
TJC meets Hill College from Hillsboro.
The No. 13 Apache Ladies (3-0) play the Lady Rebels (3-1) at 5 p.m., while the No. 2 Apaches (1-1) will meet the Rebels (3-1) at 7 p.m.