Maranatha announces series of coaching changes for girls soccer

The Maranatha Christian Academy girls soccer team has announced a new lineup of coaches for the upcoming 2024 fall season.

Ian Sendi will take over the varsity head coaching job at Maranatha Christian Academy. Sendi has a long history with the Minnesota soccer community, as well as playing at various levels in his native Uganda. Sendi is a founder of local club FC Minneapolis, which features a men’s adult team in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), a prominent summer league for men’s soccer, and recently announced a youth program titled FC Minneapolis Nexts. Sendi has coached various teams in Minnesota but will not feel far from home, having served as varsity boys assistant coach to Adi Bilani with Maranatha’s boys soccer team in 2022.

Kara Lewis will become the new varsity assistant coach. Lewis played college soccer at North Central University, a private Christian university in Minneapolis. She is set to graduate this spring. Lewis has also served as a coach within the Minnesota Thunder Academy.

Morgan Diaz will become the new junior varsity girls head coach. Diaz is entering her third year as part of the NCA girls soccer program, having previously played as a three-sport athlete at Heritage Christian and playing collegiate softball at Bethel University.

Maranatha girls soccer ended last season in an 8-1 loss to Providence Academy in the section semifinals, ending the year with a 4-11-2 overall record.