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Mike Cannon enters his 16th season at Truman in 2008 and is the most successful coach to ever lead the Bulldog program during its 23 years of existence.
With a career record of 199-72-25 (.715), Cannon is the winningest coach in Truman women’s soccer history and is tied for eighth in victories among active Division II coaches.
During his tenure as coach, Cannon has had six players named to the all-American squad by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). He has had 42 players earn all-region honors with 16 named to the first-team.
When it comes to MIAA play, the Bulldogs have been the most dominant team in the league’s history, having won 85% of their conference games by compiling a combined 83-11-10 record in nine seasons. Four players have been named MIAA Most Valuable Player, while 92 players have been named all-conference, an average of more than 10 per season.
Cannon’s teams have won eight of the nine MIAA titles the conference has offered and have been to the NCAA post-season seven times. His 2007 squad captured the MIAA conference tournament title in the only year of its existence after sharing the regular season championship.
He has been named MIAA Coach of the Year seven times - most recently in 2007 - and was the Central Region Coach of the Year in 2001.
Cannon's on-field team success can be matched by his players’ performance in the classroom as well. Two Bulldogs have been named academic all-Americans, while numerous players have been mentioned on the MIAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll.
From 2001-04, the Bulldogs compiled a record of 71-9-5 (.865), which is second best in the NCAA Division II during that period.
In 1997, he led the Bulldogs to their first playoff appearance and advanced the team to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. That year, Cannon became Truman's winningest coach with a 3-0 win over Baker University on Sept. 27. He posted his 100th career victory in 2001 in a 3-0 defeat of MIAA rival Northwest Missouri.
Cannon was named head coach of the Bulldogs in 1993 after serving as an assistant coach for the Truman men’s soccer team in 1992. From 1988-91, Cannon played for Truman as a marking back and midfielder and was named the team’s most valuable player his senior year.
As a junior, he was selected as the Bulldogs' most improved player for his contribution during a campaign in which the men’s team qualified for the DII playoffs for the first time.
During the summers of 1996 and 1997, Cannon spent time on the pitch as a defender for the Des Moines Menace of the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues (now called the United Soccer League). He was selected to play in the USISL all-star game in ‘96 and served as team captain in ‘97. Cannon’s efforts helped lead the Menace to the regional playoffs both years.
He graduated in 1992 from Truman with a bachelor’s degree in English.