SAVANNAH, Ga. - Armstrong Atlantic State University head women's soccer coach Eric Faulconer has been named the 2011 NSCAA/Mondo DII Southeast Region Coach of the Year for a third consecutive season, announced over the weekend by the coaches' association.

Faulconer led the No. 7-ranked Pirates to their first NCAA Final Four berth as Armstrong went 18-3-3 in 2011, capturing the Peach Belt Conference regular season and tournament titles as well as the Southeast Region title. Along the way, the Pirates fashioned a school-record 17-match unbeaten streak while also extending its school-record unbeaten home streak to 30 matches, which dates back to the beginning of the 2009 season.

Also named the Peach Belt's Coach of the Year this season, Faulconer has now earned the honor in the last three seasons as well as the fourth in the seven-year history of Armstrong soccer. In his 13 seasons as a head coach, he has been NSCAA Region Coach of the Year five times.

"It is always an honor to be recognized by your peers in the coaching profession and a great organization like the NSCAA," Faulconer said. "This year has been an incredible journey. This team embraced the challenges we put in front of them and it was exciting to see their hard work and committment pay off."

Click here to view the complete 2011 NSCAA/Mondo Region Coaches of the Year.

The Regional Coach of the Year will be joined on the ballot for the NSCAA/Mondo National Coach of the Year by coaches from each of the four national championship semifinal teams. Winners of the national award will be announced at the annual NSCAA Awards Banquet, which will be held Friday evening, January 13, at the Kansas City Convention Center in conjunction with the 2012 NSCAA Convention.

Faulconer and the Pirates return 22 players for the upcoming 2012 season, including All-Region and co-PBC Player of the Year Kristina Pascutti and All-Region midfielder Morgan Mitchell.