Both Bethel soccer coaches resign

Bethel Sports
Josh Booth, Sports Information Director

NORTH NEWTON – Bethel College Athletic Director Tony Hoops has announced the resignation of head women’s soccer coach Anthony Turini.

Turini finished his fifth season at the head of that program last fall. He also served as co-sports information director until the hiring of Josh Booth to fill the full-time position, where Turini transitioned to assistant sports information director.

Turini came to Bethel from the University of Maine-Machias, where he served as the head men’s and women’s soccer coach, athletic operations coordinator and an admissions counselor.

Originally from Carbondale, Illinois, Turini has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Gannon University, Erie, Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree in student personnel services from Edinboro (Pennsylvania) University. He was a member of the 1993 Gannon team that reached the national semifinals of the NCAA Division II men’s soccer championship.

In his resignation letter, Turini cited “issues in my personal life … that [make it] best for me to resign from my position.”

“I hope I can help transition to the next coach, and help the program continue to grow and be successful.”

“I would like to thank Tony for his dedication and commitment to Bethel women’s soccer,” Hoops said. “He was an amazing person to work with who displayed great vision and commitment to his program on a daily basis.

“He will be missed greatly within our athletic department. I wish him the best as he moves forward in life.”

Sports Information Director Josh Booth added that “the growth Bethel Athletics has seen this past year in terms of social media, local media, and the marketing of the product in general would not have been possible had Tony not done all he could to help me take over this role. I would not be half as successful at this position had it not been for his guidance during my early stages at Bethel.”


NORTH NEWTON – Bethel College Athletic Director Tony Hoops has announced the resignation of head men’s soccer coach Mario Felix.

Felix completed one season with the Threshers.

He came to Bethel from Denver, where he spent one season as general manager and team coach of Colorado Rush Soccer Club. Before that, he was assistant women’s soccer coach at MidAmerica Nazarene University, Olathe, and director of operations for the University of Kansas women’s soccer program.

Felix has a B.A. in sociology from MidAmerica Nazarene.

In his resignation letter, Felix said, “I am proud to have been a part of Bethel College soccer … and I wish you continued success.”

“Mario has decided to move back home to California to be closer to family,” Hoops said. “I’d like to thank him for his commitment to Bethel this past year.”

Felix’s resignation comes just as Bethel announced the incoming men’s soccer class of 2017, which includes two freshmen from Newton High School, one each from Andover High School and Wichita East High School, two more freshmen from Florida and Texas, four junior-college transfers, two players from Sweden and one from England.

“We are working on securing replacements for both of these positions immediately,” said Hoops, “to help secure and sustain the quality recruiting classes that are coming for both programs.”

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