Kansas University soccer coach Mark Francis has been named central region coach of the year by the National Soccer Coaches Assn. after guiding the Jayhawks to the most successful season in school history.

Francis, who KU led to its first Big 12 Conference championship, has a 75-46-6 (.614) record in his six seasons on Mount Oread.

The other finalists for national coach of the year are Randy Waldrum (Notre Dame), Julie Shackford (Princeton), Rudy Meredith (Yale), Robbie Church (Duke) and Dan Tobias (Arizona). The winner will be announced Jan. 14.