The Virginia Western Community College Men’s Soccer team captured its first Virginia Community College System Men’s Soccer Championship by defeating Tidewater Community College 3-1 on Sunday in Virginia Beach.

“I'm really proud of the effort of our team and their willingness to develop as a team each day,” said Virginia Western coach Chris Dowdy. “The championship was a culmination of everything this season and an accomplishment that we set out for at the very onset of the season. Going forward, this team has set the standard very high for Virginia Western Men's Soccer and the future is bright with the talented players returning and potential players enrolling from southwest Virginia.”

The second-seeded Virginia Western Blue Stars grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first half with a left post blast from midfielder Deo Ndayisenga. Mario Andreas Morales added to that advantage with a 15-yard shot to the top right corner of the net in the second half. The top-seeded Tidewater Storm answered with a goal on a corner kick header, but Blue Stars forward Damon Richards sealed the victory with a touch shot past the keeper, assisted from a 20-yard diagonal pass from Morales.

Virginia Western goalkeeper Jordan Kingery made seven saves as the Blue Stars finished the season 9-3, 6-1 in the VCCS.

Virginia Western placed four players on the All-VCCS first team: David Welch, Tyler Linkous, David Gaylor III and Zach Doss. On the second team were Morales, Kingery and Tristen Harrison.

Roanoke —Virginia Western Community College’s registration is now open for Spring Semester 2013, which begins on Jan. 7. Students can enroll now, reserve their classes, and make payment by Dec. 6. To register online, visit: www.virginiawestern.edu/classes/index.php. Students can also contact the Admissions Office at (540) 857-7231 or infocenter@virginiawestern.edu, or visit us in Chapman Hall Room 108.

Virginia Western offers both credit and non-credit courses for students looking to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year university, get ahead in their career or just find enjoyment through furthering their education. Explore programs of study along with degree and certificate offerings at: www.virginiawestern.edu/academics/programs.php.

Virginia Western is a two-year public institution of higher education operating under a statewide system of community colleges. The College operates under the policies established by the State Board for Community Colleges and the Virginia Western Community College Board.

The service region of the College includes Roanoke, Salem, Roanoke County, Craig County, southern Botetourt County, and northern Franklin County. Day, evening, and weekend classes are provided on a 70-acre campus located in Southwest Roanoke. Classes are also offered at off-campus locations in the area. The College was established in 1966 and has an annual enrollment of nearly 13,000 students.

Virginia Western Community College’s Full-Time Fridays program will accept its second cohort this Spring Semester, allowing students to earn a college degree while balancing priorities to their work, families and life in general.  Full-Time Fridays will give those students the opportunity to earn an Associate of Science Degree in General Studies in just two years through on-campus courses on Fridays, coupled with distance (online) learning.

“The first year of Full-Time Fridays afforded students new opportunities to coordinate their higher education with work and family obligations, and we are striving to help more students overcome life obstacles to reach their goals,” said Dr. Elizabeth Wilmer, Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. “The program’s unique schedule means that students don’t have to struggle to find childcare on nights and weekends or stay up for night classes after work throughout the week. Employers and their workers are seeing the benefits to the professional development component of this program as well.”

With Full-Time Fridays, students will be able to take all their courses from 8 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. on Fridays and still be able to manage obligations to their work, family and themselves. The typical course load of 60 credit hours will be spread over Spring and Fall semesters for two years. Full-Time Fridays students will complete a set of required and elective courses like any other Virginia Western student, and tuition costs will be identical.

Students can begin enrolling in Full-Time Fridays for the Spring Semester on Monday, and the first day of Friday classes will be Jan. 7, 2013. For more information about enrolling in Full-Time Fridays, visit: http://www.virginiawestern.edu/academics/fridays.php.  To meet with an advisor to discuss your path to a college degree, call (540) 857-7237 or visit Chapman Hall, Room 105 during the office hours of 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Monday-Thursday or 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday.