Derek Arneaud of East Stroudsburg, Pa., is the recipient of the 2006 Jerry Yeagley Award for Exceptional Personal Achievement.

Arneaud (left) was presented the award by former Indiana University men's soccer coach Jerry Yeagley (right) at the NSCAA/adidas All-America Luncheon Jan. 13, 2007 in Indianapolis, Ind., in conjunction with the NSCAA Convention.

The award was established in 2006 to honor Yeagley. It is presented annually to a past or present intercollegiate soccer player who has demonstrated exceptional personal achievement and extraordinary accomplishment that transcends normal expectation.

A native of Port of Spain, Trinidad, Arneaud was a midfielder for East Stroudsburg University in the 1980s. As a sophomore in 1984, he earned all-region honors but his career was hampered by a knee injury the following season. He was able to recover to help the team to an NCAA Tournament berth in 1986.
He embarked on his coaching career with a three-year stint at Notre Dame High School in East Stroudsburg, where he compiled a 46-11-2 record and won two district titles in three years. He then became an assistant for the men’s team at his alma mater, helping the program to a 60-26-4 record during his four years in that position.

In 1994 he became the head women’s coach at East Stroudsburg, guiding his first team to an 18-2 record and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title. He suffered a stroke in 1996, but recovered and continued to coach, posting a record of 112-103-14 in 12 years at the helm. His first five teams placed no worse than third in the PSAC, and the 1997 team won the conference tournament with an overall record of 16-5, earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament and garnering Arneaud PSAC Coach of the Year honors.

Arneaud also remains active as a player. In 2004, he was selected to the U.S. team that represented the United States at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.

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