Western Washington University women's soccer coach Travis Connell has been named the 2012 National Soccer Coaches Association of American NCAA Division II West Region Coach of the Year.

The 39-year-old Connell directed the Vikings to a 19-4 record, the victory total being a school record, Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and the West Regional title game. That matched the school's best post-season run since WWU became a full NCAA member in 1998.

The Vikings, who ranked No.13 nationally in the final NSCAA Top 25 Poll, lost 2-1 in overtime to UC San Diego in the regional final. UCSD advanced to the national championship contest before losing 1-0 to West Florida.

WWU ranked No. 1 nationally in goals against average (0.39), second in save percentage (89.2) and third in shutout percentage (69.6). The Vikings, who outscored their opponents 47-9, posted 16 shutouts, 10 of them in a row when they had a scoreless string of 919 minutes and 29 seconds and a season-best 10-game winning streak.