Athletic Staff Biographies

Nick Candrea was born in White Plains, New York, and then moved to New Orleans, Louisiana where he lived until 1960 when he then made his new home in Phoenix, Arizona. Upon graduation from Sunnyslope High School, he then went to Glendale Community College on a baseball scholarship. After 2 years at GCC he spent 4 years in the United States Air Force. He then attended ASU and completed his degree in education. His first high school teaching was at Moon Valley High School where he spent one year as a member of the Physical Education Department as well as coaching football and baseball.

His past thirty years have been spent at Washington High School where he has been Head of the Physical Education Department and during those years he has coached football, has been the Head Baseball coach for 28 years, Head Softball coach and Head Golf coach.

He has coached two State Championship teams: 1986 Baseball Championship and 1988 Golf Championship. In Nick's tenure of teaching and coaching he has accomplished the following: Skyline Region Coach of the Year in baseball, softball, and golf. 1986 he was the Arizona Baseball Coach of the Year. He has been North All-Star Baseball Coach 4 times. He was inducted into the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2008. Prior to taking over the Softball program he was the men’s Golf coach at PVCC.

Nick currently lives in Peoria, Arizona with his wife Staci. He has six children: Scott, Christy, Jeff, Whitney, Kelsey, and Cody. He retired after 35 years of teaching. He is an avid golfer and New York Yankee fan.

Adam Chrestman began his soccer career as a goalkeeper at Rochelle High School in northern Illinois, posting all conference honors in 2003 and 2004. His senior year was capped with a regional championship and 18-3-1 record in 2004. Adam attended Kishwaukee College in Malta, Illinois from 2004-2006. Chrestman compiled a 30-6 record at Kishwaukee, receiving all region honors and being named Kishwaukee College athlete of the year in 2006. Central College in Pella, Iowa was his next stop. Chrestman posted a .60 GAA in eight games at Central College. Adam finished his bachelor degree in psychology at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois in 2008.

His coaching career began in early 2008, working with Specture Soccer Club in Dekalb, Illinois. After moving to Phoenix to pursue a Masters degree in sport psychology, Chrestman began working with PVCC during the 2009 season. Adam has worked to develop strong leaders at the goalkeeper position since his arrival, working with Naomi Salizar and Bre Oddo in the last two seasons. Oddo finished the 2010 NJCAA National Tournament as MVP goalkeeper, allowing only a single goal on the season.

Adam also coaches girls soccer at Pinnacle High School during the winter season. The varsity lady Pioneers finished the 2010-2011 State Champions, with a 21-0 record with Kacey Bingham at the helm and Chrestman as an assistant. Adam continues to play in his off time in Arizona, as his love for the game has only grown over the years

Erik Kotheimer grew up in Boardman, Ohio. Erik received his B.S. in Industrial Engineering Technology with a minor in Quality Assurance from The University of Dayton in 2003. Shortly after, Erik relocated to Phoenix to pursue a career in the golf field. Erik has served as an assistant golf professional for over six years at the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club. Prior to joining the PVCC staff, Erik was Head Golf Coach at Phoenix College. He coached Phoenix College to a seventh place finish in the 2010 Division II NJCAA National Championship. 

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Todd Lehman began coaching at Paradise Valley Community College in 1999 as an assistant track & field coach. In that time he has coached 24 individual national champions, 78 All-Americans and nine Academic All-Americans. His athletes have set NJCAA national records 11 times during his tenure.

Lehman was a former Arizona high school state champion and state record holder before attending the University of Southern California. While at USC he was a four-time letterman and co-captain of the track & field team. He began his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant in 1992 at USC. He then came to PVCC after coaching stints at the US Air Force Academy (’93-’95) and Indiana State University (’95-’97). While coaching at USAFA and ISU, Lehman coached three NCAA All-Americans, five conference champions, and five school records.

In 1998, Lehman opened the Kiss the Sky Pole Vault Center in Phoenix, which he continues to operate out of PVCC. He gives instruction to pole vaulters of all levels and ages, including some of the best in the world.

A USA Track and Field Level II coach, Lehman was selected as the 2004 National Collegiate Pole Vault Coach of the Year in 2004 by the USATF Pole Vault Development Committee. He was also voted the 2005 Indoor Track & Field Assistant Coach of the Year by the NJCAA Track Coaches Association. Lehman serves as the Canyon Region Chairman of the USATF Pole Vault Development Committee, overseeing the four corner states.

In addition to his coaching, Lehman holds down multiple duties in the PVCC athletic department, including his role as the coordinator for student-athlete academic success.

Lehman has two sons, Lucas and Maxwell.

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Coach Ludwig is a native of Phoenix, AZ and grew up playing club soccer in the valley.  A four-year letterman in high school, Ludwig went on to play soccer at Kansas Wesleyan University, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Business, with minors in Accounting and Spanish.  During his time as a soccer player at KWU, the Coyotes were conference champions, conference tournament champions, and attended the NAIA National Championships every year, including its first appearance in program history.

Ludwig began coaching in 2005 at the competitive youth level.  Since then, he has coached several competitive club teams in both Arizona and Kansas from ages U7 to U17.  Additionally, Coach Ludwig was an assistant coach for the men and women at Kansas Wesleyan University for over a year, helping both teams win conference titles and helping lead the men to a conference tournament championship and appearance in the national tournament.  Currently, in addition to PVCC, Ludwig coaches youth club soccer, boys high school soccer, and is a head coach for the Arizona Olympic Development Program.

He currently holds an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, NSCAA Goalkeeping Level III Diploma, and USSF E License.

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Jon Ruzan was born in the Banat region of Serbia to an ethnic Romanian family.  His family emigrated to New York City, where he played youth soccer for the prestigious Blau-Weiss Gottschee Soccer Club, and for Queens United (Banatul NY) in men’s open adult competition.

Jon earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from St. John’s University in New York.  He relocated to Arizona in 1992 and formed the Banat Soccer Club in 1998.  Jon played for and eventually coached the club’s first team, Banat Arsenal, which became one of the nation’s top amateur, open/semi-pro sides winning the coveted Silver Mug Invitational (“Bud Cup”) in 2006, as well as numerous National Cup and U.S. Open Cup appearances.  The Banat Soccer Club began operating as a youth soccer club in 2006 and he served as club president and director of coaching.  He is currently the club’s managing director and coaches several teams.

Jon has been coaching for 15 years and holds a National “Y” License for Directors of Coaching, and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Youth Soccer Association.  Jon lives with his wife Dorina, and their teenagers, midfielder/daughter Ilyssa and defender/son Marcel.

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Silcox grew up in LaCrosse, Wisconsin and came to Phoenix in 1977. After two years at Glendale CC he transferred to and graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 1981 with a degree in Political Science. Silcox earned his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Arizona State University West.

Silcox was the women’s basketball coach (18 years) and assistant athletics director (11years) at Glendale CC before moving to PVCC in August of 2002. Coach Silcox took 3 teams to NJCAA national basketball tournaments and remains proud of the numerous achievements by the student athletes and teams he coached.

He and wife Denise were married in 1987. They are the proud parents of two children, son Andrew (1990) and daughter Kaitlin (1992).

Jared started with the Puma Coaching staff in 2011.  He works with the Pitchers and Catchers, and Outfielders.  Sotelo also provides hitting instruction and serves as the Recruiting Coordinator for the Puma softball program.  Sotelo also assists in fundraising, camps, and clinics.  He has been coaching in Arizona for the last 18 years.  He first coached in baseball for 13 years, in city leagues in Phoenix, Glendale, and Surprise then moved on to Club Baseball.  Sotleo was named Coach of the year in 2004 by the AZ Mustang League.  In 2004 he coached for the Team USA 11U program sweeping Team Mexico in a three game set in International competition.
In 2005 Sotelo’s team took 3rd place in the Cal Ripken Championship with a 15-2 overall record.  In 2006 his Cal Ripken Team won the City of Surprise Championship with a 19 -1 record.  In 2007, he was asked to be the JV baseball coach at Valley Vista High School in Surprise.  In 2008 he started his softball coaching career by winning the South West Valley Softball League Championship. His team since has been competing in misc. club events, taking 7th in the 2010 TCS World Series in Park City, Utah.

Jonathan Sang was born in Torrance, CA and spent most of his life growing up in The Woodlands, TX and Scottsdale, AZ. As a youth club player he played for Scottsdale Soccer Club and Paradise Valley Soccer Club.  He also played high school soccer at Desert Mountain High School here in AZ. His sophomore year he helped lead the team to a 3rd place state finish as well as received multiple All-Region Honors throughout his 4-year career at DMHS (1998-2002).

Sang went on to play for California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA from 2002-2004, unable to play his last two years due to severe injuries.  He graduated from CLU majoring in Political Science and minoring in Religion. He received his MBA from the University of Phoenix (2008) and completed his Master’s in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Argosy University (2011) in Phoenix, AZ.

This is Sang’s second year working with the PVCC Men’s Soccer Program and first year serving as Assistant Coach. Sang has coached at numerous clubs throughout the valley and currently trains and coaches at Christ’s Church of the Valley as well as serves as head varsity coach at Bourgade Catholic High School (3rd Season). He currently holds his “D” and “E” coaching licenses.

Rick came to the Pumas in 2007 from Chandler-Gilbert CC where he was the Assistant Athletic Trainer. He earned his bachelor's degree in Athletic Training at Vanguard University, where he also played intercollegiate soccer. He graduated from A.T. Still University in 2007 with a master’s degree in Sports Healthcare.

Rick manages over 150 athletes in 12 sports at PVCC. He is also adjunct faculty teaching health and exercise science classes. In Fall 2008 he became an Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI) for athletic training students from Grand Canyon University.  The GCU students are enrolled in an athletic training program and each semester are assigned to different levels of athletic training competencies.  In 2009 his master's thesis was accepted for poster presentation at the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) annual meeting in San Antonio, TX. The presentation was titled “Evidence-Based and Critical Appraisal Characteristics of Athletic Training Literature/JAT: between 2002-2006”.

Rick is a native of Southern California and has lived in Arizona for 4 years. He continues to play soccer and enjoys hiking the many trails in and around Phoenix with his wife, Danelle.