The emotions were still running high for Dordt University men's soccer coach Tim Lee the day after the Defenders captured the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Tournament Championship.

Full Interview 

Sleep had been hard to come by. Lee estimated he finally got to bed around 3 a.m., and even then, the championship match against Dakota Wesleyan was still on his mind. He spent part of the night watching the entire game again, looking for moments the Defenders handled well and others that could be improved.

There was plenty to celebrate.

Dordt put together a memorable postseason run, winning three consecutive one-goal games to claim the GPAC Tournament title. The championship came with a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over Dakota Wesleyan on the Defenders' home field, capping a season that began with plenty of uncertainty and ended with a conference championship and a berth in the NAIA National Tournament.

"Just really happy and grateful," Lee said when reflecting on the victory. "You get that rush of everything hitting you at one moment because you've worked so hard for it."

The championship match provided its share of challenges. Dakota Wesleyan scored in the opening minutes, giving the Defenders an early deficit to overcome.

Lee admitted he was frustrated because the coaching staff had prepared the team for Dakota Wesleyan's direct approach and long balls. The first opportunity resulted in a goal.

Dordt stayed with its game plan.

"I think the guys did a really good job in believing and just keeping their heads and sticking to the game plan," Lee said. "We've had some adversity in the season that allowed our guys to believe that, hey, we go one goal down, we still can put a goal away and we'll be back in this game."

The Defenders gradually settled into the match and generated opportunities, with the coaching staff and players maintaining their belief that an equalizer would come.

That opportunity arrived in the second half.

Pablo Martin, who Lee described as one of Dordt's best players in the championship match, continued to attack the Dakota Wesleyan defense and eventually drew a penalty kick after Dordt got to a loose ball in the box. Dordt converted the opportunity to even the score.

The goal was the result of continued pressure and persistence. Dordt had already hit the post and forced a quality save from the Dakota Wesleyan goalkeeper.

"The coaching staff kept saying it, 'We're going to get one, we're going to get one, we're going to get one,'" Lee said. "The entire bench believed it too."

The match remained tied through regulation, sending the teams into overtime. As the minutes accumulated, managing tired legs and preparing for the possibility of additional play became important considerations.

Lee and his staff made substitutions with the possibility of overtime in mind, knowing the next 10 minutes would require another significant effort.

"It's who digs deep, finds the energy," Lee said.

The decisive moment came from a throw-in deep in Dakota Wesleyan territory. Dordt's initial long throw did not reach its intended target, but the ball came back to the thrower, Enzo Lira de Paula, who quickly played it to Martin who then delivered the ball into the penalty area, creating another opportunity for the Defenders.

The resulting Joao Lacatelli header found the bottom corner of the net, setting off a celebration that included players, coaches and a large contingent of Dordt fans gathered near the corner of the field.

Lee described the moment as an overwhelming rush of emotions.

"I'm so grateful," he said. "I look left and right and my coaching staff is there hugging one another. All the players are running over to the corner."

Lee also reflected on the personal significance of the moment. He and his wife were married this summer and made the decision to begin their life together in Northwest Iowa as he took on the opportunity to lead the Defenders.

"I'm grateful for her," Lee said. "I feel like she's sacrificed a lot for me to be able to do this job really well."

He also recognized the support of parents, family members and others who had been praying for the team throughout the season.

"I feel like this team's been lifted up by the prayers of so many people supporting from all over the world," Lee said.

The championship was particularly meaningful considering the path Dordt took to reach it.

The Defenders were picked eighth in the GPAC preseason coaches' poll, and Lee was stepping into the interim head coaching position with plenty of unknowns surrounding the program.

He remembers a conversation with assistant coach Michael Catanzarite following Dordt's season-opening match against Carroll  in Montana. Carroll was receiving votes in the national rankings, and the Defenders responded with a gritty performance against a quality opponent.

"I remember talking with Michael and saying, 'Man, we've got a good team. We've got a good team,'" Lee recalled. "We've got to be consistent. We've got to work hard. It's not going to be easy."

That early performance provided confidence that the Defenders had the ability to accomplish something special, even if the focus throughout the season remained on daily improvement rather than results.

Dordt also learned some important lessons along the way.

A particularly difficult moment came late in the regular season when Midland scored with one second remaining to earn a tie against the Defenders. The disappointment became a teaching opportunity, especially when it came to managing the final minutes of close games.

Lee pointed to Dordt's semifinal victory over Northwestern as an example of the team's growth. After scoring in the 81st minute to take a lead, the Defenders did a better job managing the remaining time, using possession and making smart decisions rather than unnecessarily giving the opponent additional opportunities.

The coaching staff also incorporated different game situations into training, preparing players for scenarios in which they were chasing a goal or protecting a lead.

"Games are built again on moments," Lee said. "And so how do we deal with certain moments?"

Those lessons proved valuable throughout the postseason, when Dordt needed three consecutive one-goal victories to claim the championship.

But Lee believes something beyond preparation and experience has helped define this year's team.

When asked what makes this group different, he returned repeatedly to two words: gratitude and joy.

He recalled a point early in the conference schedule when the pressure to win began to build. After a 4-1 home loss to Dakota Wesleyan, there was a sense that the team needed to produce results quickly.

Lee eventually shifted the message.

"Guys, I'm just grateful to be here with you guys, grateful for the opportunity to get better, grateful to compete. Let's have some joy," he told the team.

That approach carried into the postseason. Rather than focusing solely on winning a championship, Lee challenged the players to appreciate the opportunity to spend another week together.

"We want to be together for another week," he told them. "We want to spend more time on the training ground. We want to spend more time celebrating. We want to spend more time in the locker room together. We want to have more of these moments
together."

The Defenders accomplished that goal, and the GPAC championship provided an opportunity to celebrate the work of the players, coaching staff, families and supporters who helped make the season special.

There is still more work ahead. Dordt now turns its attention to the NAIA National Tournament, with the next opponent and destination to be determined.

For Lee, however, the immediate opportunity is just as meaningful as the championship itself.

"We get another week with these guys," he said. "Now we can train tomorrow through the next week until we play our national tournament game. So I'm just grateful for another week and grateful to be with the guys."