Janet Rayfield -- Head Women's Soccer Coach, University of Illinois

(as of soccer season 2009) Now entering her third season (2004) as head coach of the Fighting Illini, Janet Rayfield is well on her way to establishing Illinois as a perennial power. In her two seasons at the helm, she has guided the Orange and Blue to a 25-15-3 record. In 2003, Rayfield led the Illini to the best season in the program's seven-year history. The record-breaking season included a 16-4-2 record, a top-ten national ranking, the program's first Big Ten Tournament title and a top-16 seed in the NCAA Tournament among countless other accomplishments. In addition, the 2003 Illini featured two All-Americans in goalkeeper Leisha Alcia and forward Tara Hurless, a first for Illinois. For her efforts, Rayfield was named Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year by Soccerbuzz.
Rayfield returned to Illinois after serving two years as a United States National Staff Coach for Region II. Her duties consisted of player identification, player development and coaching education within the region. During that time she also served as a U-19 and U-16 National Team Assistant Coach.
A United States Soccer Federation 'A' Licensed Coach, Rayfield was an assistant for Illinois in 1999 under former head coach Tricia Talliaferro and helped the Illini to a 12-8-1 record and the school's first ever trip to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. That season, the Illini entered the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America poll for the first time and climbed as high as number 15.
When she wasn't working, Rayfield was still heavily involved with the game that she loves. She played seven seasons with the Ladies' Football Club in Dallas and was captain for six of those squads leading them to three National Titles in 1985, '87 and '89. During that same time, she was head coach of the Texas Spirit Soccer Club that won several Washington (D.C.) area and Dallas Cup titles. In 1990, Rayfield returned to the collegiate ranks to coach at the University of Arkansas. After three years as an assistant, she was named head coach at Arkansas in January of 1993. In six seasons at the helm of the Razorback program, she coached the 1996 SEC West Champions, two SEC tournament finalists, four all-region players, six all-conference players, and 27 academic all-conference performers while compiling an overall record of 45-64-7.
At Arkansas, Rayfield earned a Master of Science in Exercise Science/Biomechanics and also served as a USYSA Olympic Development staff coach and as a scout for both the U.S. Women's World Cup and Olympic teams. While doing all of this, she was still able to continue her playing career as she led the Dallas Sting Soccer Club to the Over-30 National Championship in 1993.

The Janet Rayfield File:

Hired as Head Coach: June 25, 2002
College Education: Graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1983 with
a bachelor's degree in mathematical sciences; Earned a master's degree
in exercise science/biomechanics from the University of Arkansas in 1996.

Coaching Experience:
2002- Head Coach, University of Illinois
2000-02 National Staff Coach, United States Soccer - Region II
1999-00 Assistant Coach, University of Illinois
1993-98 Head Coach, University of Arkansas
1996-98 Staff Coach, Arkansas State Olympic Development Team
1993-95 Staff Coach, USYSA Regional Olympic Development Team
1990-93 Assistant Coach, University of Arkansas
1983-90 Head Coach, Texas Spirit Soccer Club

Playing Experience:
1979-82 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
1983-90 Ladies' Football Club
1991-96 Sting Soccer Club

Stanley Redwine -- Head Cross Country / Track & Field Coach, University of Kansas Jayhawks

(as of track & field season 2009-10) Over the last few decades, the name Stanley Redwine has been synonymous with success in track and field.
As a world-class track athlete, an assistant coach at one of the top collegiate programs in the country, and as a head coach in the building stages of a developing program, Redwine has been an achiever and leader.
Selected as head coach at Kansas on May 25, 2000, Redwine arrives to direct the Jayhawks following a six year stint as head coach at the University of Tulsa.
A recent inductee into the University of Arkansas Hall of Honor, Redwine directed the track and cross country programs at the University of Tulsa to the top of the Western Athletic Conference. At Tulsa, Redwine produced the school's first NCAA participants on both the men's and women's teams and coached both programs to their best conference finishes ever.
Overall, Redwine has sent one athlete to the USA Track and Field Championship, three runners to the NCAA Championship and six athletes have earned gold medals in seven events at the MVC and WAC championships during his stint at Tulsa. Also, Tulsa saw 12 athletes earn 25 all-conference honors and three relay teams clock world ranking times at Tulsa. During the 1996-97 season, Redwine had his first gold medalist, Sedrick Lusk, in both outdoor and indoor conference meets. Lusk became the schools' first long jump champion since 1952.
Redwine's growing success on the track has also carried over to the cross country course where he has coached four runners to seven post-season honors. Vullum, was one of Redwine's top female runners with several all-conference and NCAA all-district honors. She paced the UT women's cross country team and along with teammate Rachel Hasser became the school's first female cross country runners to be named to the all-district team. On the men's side, Cornelius Mason and Ryan Siler earned both all-conference and all-district honors in 1995.
Prior to his appointment at Tulsa in 1994, Redwine spent 11 years as an assistant coach to one of the premier track and field programs in the nation, the University of Arkansas.  During his tenure at Arkansas, the Razorbacks captured nine consecutive National Championships and 22 titles since 1985 in both track and field and cross country. He helped product 14 All-Americans and two NCAA champions in hurdle and sprint events. Among these All-Americans are two-time NCAA outdoor champion in the 400m, Calvin Davis; three-time NCAA champion in the 400m and 500m, Robbie Haley; and seven-time All-American sprinter, Jimmy French.
Before becoming a coach at Arkansas, Redwine placed his name in the Razorback history books as a 600- and 800-meter runner from 1980-83. Redwine was a four-time All-American and was named UA's Outstanding Track Athlete all four years. During his freshman season, he captured the Southwest Conference Championship in the indoor 600-yard run (1:10.52) and was a member of the outdoor conference champion 1,600-meter relay team. The next year, Redwine once again became the 600-yard run champion, improving his time to 1:09.97. As a senior, he was a three-time conference champion in the 800m run (1:50.15), 880-yard run (1:50.96) and the mile relay (3:14.69). Redwine still ranks among the Razorback's top 10 in six events, which includes anchoring the school's record-setting sprint medley relay team (3:15.10) at the Penn Relays in 1983. Redwine owns the third-best time in school history with a 1:46.13 in the 800m. In addition, he also ranks seventh in the indoor 400m dash and was a participant in several top-10 relay performances for the Razorbacks.
Professionally, Redwine retired from competition in 1996 as he finished fifth in the 800m at the U.S. Olympic Trails in Atlanta, GA. In 1994, Redwine captured a silver medal in the 800m run at the Goodwill Games and clocked a career-best 1:44.76 in the 800m at the Pan American Championship. He also won two bronze medals at the Pan American Games in 1983 and 1987. Redwine was also World Championship Track Team Member in 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 1993.
Redwine earned his bachelor's degree in administrative management from Arkansas in 1985.

Pat Rice -- Pitching Coach, Fresno Grizzlies (AAA) -- San Francisco Giants

(as of baseball season 2010) Pat Rice was named the Fresno Grizzlies (AAA, PCL) pitching coach for 2009. He spent the 2008 season in the same position with the San Jose Giants (A+). Under his guidance, the Giants California League affiliate had one of the most dominant pitching staffs in all of Minor League Baseball, leading the league with a 3.26 ERA and placing four hurlers among the individual Top 6 in ERA. Before coming to the Giants organization, Rice spent 13 seasons in the Seattle system, the last seven spent as pitching coordinator. Rice pitched for seven seasons in the Mariners organization, reaching the Major Leagues in 1991. Rice played collegiately at the University of Arkansas from 1984-86.

Nolan Richardson -- Head Basketball Coach / General Manager, Tulsa (WNBA)

(as of the 2010 season) Nolan Richardson was named the head coach and general manager of the new WNBA team in Tulsa on October 20, 2009. They went 6-28 in 2010.
Richardson began his coaching career at Bowie High School in El Paso, Texas. He then moved to Western Texas College, where he won the National Junior College championship in 1980. He was the head coach at Tulsa from 1981 to 1985, leading Tulsa to the NIT championship in 1981. In 1985 Richardson became the head coach at the University of Arkansas, where he gained national recognition.
Richardson took the University of Arkansas to the Final Four three times, losing to Duke in the semifinals in 1990, winning the National Championship in 1994 against Duke, and losing in the Championship game to UCLA in 1995. He was named the National Coach of the Year in 1994. His teams typically played an up tempo game with intense pressure defense - a style that was known as "40 Minutes of Hell."
Coach Richardson is the only head coach to win a Junior College National Championship, the NIT, and the NCAA Tournament.
From 2005 to 2007, Richardson served as the head coach of the Panamanian National Team. In March 2007, Richardson was named as the head coach of the Mexican National Team.
Nolan Richardson was born in El Paso, Texas. He played collegiately at Texas Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso) and spent two years under the future basketball Hall of Famer Don Haskins.

Taqueta Roberson Braxton -- Assistant Women's Basketball Coach, Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks

(as of basketball season 2009-10) At Lamar University from June of 2002 until July 2004. Joined Stephen F. Austin on July 9, 2004.
Roberson, who was team captain of the Lady Razorbacks as a senior, comes to Lamar after spending three years as an assistant coach at Mesquite High School. While at Mesquite, she helped the Skeeters win a district title.
Roberson played for Head Coach Gary Blair while at Arkansas, helping the Lady Razorbacks to one NCAA Tournament appearance. She was named Academic All-Southeastern Conference while acting as Arkansas top defensive stopper.
A prep star at Natchitoches Central (La.) High School, Roberson received her bachelor of science degree in kinesiology from Arkansas in 1997.

Tommie Robinson -- Running Backs Coach, Arizona Cardinals

(as of football season 2010) Tommie Robinson was named running backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals on February 5, 2010 after three years (07-09) at the University of Miami.
Robinson spent 2006 as the running backs coach at the University of Memphis. He went to Memphis following a four-year stint as an assistant at Georgia Tech (2002-05), where he coached under Chan Gailey, for whom he played at Troy State and worked under as an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys. At Georgia Tech, Robinson coached wide receivers for one season before switching to the tight ends coach.
He spent the 2001 season as the running backs coach at Oklahoma State, where he worked with Tatum Bell. From 1998-2000, he served as an offensive assistant with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, working with wide receivers and special teams.
Prior to his time in Dallas, Robinson spent three months at UNLV in 1998, four seasons at TCU (1994-97) and two years at Utah State (1992-93) as a full-time assistant. While he was at TCU, he worked with LaDainian Tomlinson, the All-Pro running back for the San Diego Chargers.
Robinson began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Arkansas. He has also served NFL coaching internships with the New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.
A native of Phenix City, Ala., Robinson played for Gailey at Troy State, where he was a part of the 1984 Division II national champions. He was a three-year starter as a strong safety for the Trojans and served as team captain. Robinson earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 1985.
After pursuing professional football, he coached on the high school level, including four years (1987-90) at his alma mater, Central High, in Phenix City, Ala.

Tracy Rocker -- Defensive Line Coach, Auburn University Tigers

(as of football season 2010) Former Auburn All-American Tracy Rocker was named the defensive line coach at Auburn on January 12, 2009. Rocker, who won the 1988 Outland and Lombardi Trophies, spent the previous season as the defensive line coach at Ole Miss and previously served in the same capacity at Arkansas for five seasons.
Rocker was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame by the National Football Foundation in December, 2004, in New York City, and was inducted into Alabama's state Sports Hall of Fame in the summer of 2005.
A two-time All-American (1987, '88) and a three-time All-SEC (1986, '87, '88) selection as a player at Auburn, Rocker was named SEC Player of the Year during his senior season. He finished his career with 354 tackles, including 21 quarterback sacks and 48 tackles for loss.
During his tenure, Auburn won SEC Championships in 1987 and 1988, and he was the first SEC player ever to win both the Outland and Lombardi Trophies. Rocker was also voted to Auburn's Team of the Century in 1993.
This past season at Ole Miss, Rocker helped the Rebels finish 14th in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll after posting a 9-4 record and tutored one of the most dominant defensive lines in the nation.
Before arriving in Oxford, Rocker spent five years on the Arkansas staff as defensive line coach. His 2006 line ranked No. 4 in the SEC and 33rd in the nation in rushing defense, holding opponents to 114.57 yards per game. Arkansas also ranked first in the SEC and No. 21 nationally in tackles for loss with 6.93.
Rocker joined Arkansas' staff after one year at Cincinnati where he helped the Bearcats win a share of the 2002 Conference USA title.
Prior to his stint at Cincinnati, Rocker spent five seasons as the defensive line coach at Troy State University in Troy, Ala.
A third-round pick of the Washington Redskins in the 1989 NFL Draft, Rocker went on to play two seasons with the Redskins and was selected to the NFL All-Rookie team in 1990. He concluded his playing career with a one-year stint with the Orlando Thunder in the World Football League.
Rocker returned to Auburn to complete his undergraduate degree in 1992 and began his coaching career at Auburn (Ala.) High School the same year. After serving two seasons as defensive coordinator at Auburn High School, he spent three years as a defensive line coach at West Alabama (1994-96).
Rocker also spent part of the summer in 2001 working as an intern with the Indianapolis Colts and, in 2006, working with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Kacy Rodgers -- Defensive Line Coach, Miami Dolphins

(as of football season 2010) Rodgers joined Miami in January 2008. He spent the last four seasons with the Cowboys, including 2003-04 as the team's defensive tackles coach and the past three seasons tutoring the defensive line. Under Rodgers, defensive tackle La'Roi Glover was selected to the Pro Bowl each year from 2003-05. In four of Rodgers' five seasons with Dallas, the team ranked in the top ten in the NFL in rush defense four times, including a No. 6 finish in 2007 when they allowed an average of just 94.6 yards rushing per game. Before entering the NFL ranks, Rodgers was an assistant at the collegiate level, including posts at Tennessee-Martin (1994-97), Louisiana-Monroe (1998), Middle Tennessee State (1999-2001) and Arkansas (2002). He tutored the defensive line at all four stops, while having also been assistant head coach at Tennessee-Martin (1997) and Middle Tennessee (2000-01). Rodgers was a four-year letterman at the University of Tennessee (1988-91) where he played linebacker and defensive end on teams that won a pair of SEC Championships (1990, 1991) and appeared in three New Year's Day bowl games. He earned his degree in political science from the school in 1993. Following his playing career he went to training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1992 as a college free agent. He also played with the Shreveport Pirates of the Canadian League in 1994. Rodgers is a native of Humboldt, Tennessee.

William Rogers -- Head Cross Country Coach, University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks

(as of track & field season 2009-10) William Rogers was hired as head cross country coach at ULM on August 12, 2008.
After a standout collegiate career with the nationally prominent Arkansas Razorbacks, Rogers completed his education at Louisiana Tech in 2006. After a two-year stint with Fleet Feet Sports in Fayetteville, Ark., he began his collegiate coaching career as the head coach of the men's and women's cross country programs at Northwestern State.
Since his graduation, Rogers has worked for Adidas in both Houston and Memphis and has served as the training partner for Christine Wurth-Thomas, a member of the U.S. Olympic Team.

Jerome Romain -- Assistant Track & Field Coach (Jumps), University of Tennessee Volunteers

(as of track & field season 2009-10) Romain came to Knoxville in September 2009 after spending the past four seasons as assistant coach for jumps and multi-events for the Brown Bears. During his tenure in Providence, he produced an All-American and six NCAA regional qualifiers for the Ivy League school, and saw those athletes chart three school records and 23 different top-10 BU field events performances.
While he was at Brown, Romain earned the honor of coaching the track & field team for the Caribbean island nation of Dominica at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He also helmed the country's national team at the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil.
Prior to his move to the East Coast, Romain spent four years as a volunteer coach at the University of Wisconsin. During his stint in Madison, he produced six individual Big Ten champions and four NCAA qualifiers. Romain's student-athletes additionally helped the Badgers win four Big Ten titles while he was there.
In addition to his collegiate and international coaching experience, Romain draws from a personal history as a world-class jumper. He was a finalist at the 1996 Olympic Games and a four-time World Championships finalist in the triple jump while competing for Dominica. In 1995, as the world's fourth ranked triple jumper, he claimed a bronze medal at the World Championships and a silver medal at the Pan American Games.
As a collegian, Romain was a five-time national champion at Blinn (Texas) Junior College and a five-time All-American at the University of Arkansas, where he was the NCAA runner-up in the triple jump on three occasions and served as team captain in 1995. His personal bests include 57-8 1/2 in the triple jump and 26-7 1/4 in the long jump.
Romain earned an associate's degree in science from Blinn in May 1993, a bachelor's in kinesiology/athletic training from Arkansas in May 1996 and a master's in kinesiology/exercise science from UA in 2000. Among the academic honors he earned were GTE Academic All-America First Team in 1995, SEC Academic Honor Roll in 1995, UA Dean's List from 1994-96 and the Arthur Ashe Jr. award in 1994-95. Additionally, he was a member of the Kappa Delta Phi education honor society and spent time while pursuing his master's as an academic advisor to soccer and track & field student-athletes at UA.

Ken Rucker -- Director of High School Relations and Player Development, University of Texas Longhorns

(as of football season 2010) A veteran of 26 seasons (as of '05) as a collegiate assistant coach, including 18 tutoring running backs, seven in the state of Texas and 10 in the Southwest, Ken Rucker was named an assistant coach at The University of Texas on January 10, 2005.
Rucker joined the Longhorn staff after spending the two seasons as running backs coach at Georgia. Prior to his two-year stint at Georgia, Rucker spent two years coaching running backs at Texas A&M.
In addition to coaching at Texas A&M in 2001-02, Rucker also worked as running backs coach on R.C. Slocum's Aggie staff from 1994-1997. Between his two stops at Texas A&M, Rucker was a part of Carl Torbush's (Brown's successor with the Tar Heels) staff at North Carolina as special teams coordinator/linebackers coach for three seasons (1998-2000).
Prior to joining the Texas A&M staff the first time in 1994, Rucker served as assistant head coach/running backs coach at Baylor (1993) and running backs coach at Arkansas (1990-92). From 1984-89, Rucker worked as running backs coach for the United States Air Force Academy and helped the Falcons to three bowl berths, one of which was a 1985 Bluebonnet Bowl victory (24-16) over Texas. Air Force finished that year ranked No. 5 nationally, the Falcons top all-time final ranking.
Rucker began his coaching career on defense, serving as a defensive coordinator at James Cawood H.S. (Harlan, Ky.) in 1976 and then from 1977-78 was defensive coordinator at David Crockett H.S. (Jonesborough, Tenn.). From 1979-81, he coached the defensive line at Appalachian State and then was outside linebacker coach at the University of Richmond from 1982-83.
A native of Morristown, Tenn., Rucker earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Carson-Newman College in 1976. A standout defensive player for the Eagles, he was named the Most Valuable Player in 1976, All-Conference as a linebacker in 1975 and Most Valuable Defensive Lineman in 1974.

Pat Ruel -- Offensive Line Coach, Seattle Seahawks

(as of football season 2010) Pat Ruel was named the offensive line coach for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League in 2010, however he was hired by the Seattle Seahawks on September 6, before the UFL season started. Ruel, who has over 35 years of college and NFL coaching experience, was named Southern Cal's offensive line coach in February of 2005 and was let go after the 2009 season.. Ruel came to USC after one year with the New York Giants. Prior to that he was with the Buffalo Bills in 2003, the Green Bay Packers for two seasons as assistant offensive line coach and before that spent the 2000 NFL campaign as the offensive line coach with the Detroit Lions. He began his coaching career with the University of Miami, his alma mater, first as a graduate assistant (1973) and then as offensive line coach (1974-76). He then spent time at Arkansas (Assistant Offensive Line, 1977-78); Washington State (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line, 1979-81); Texas A&M (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line, 1982-84); Northern Illinois (Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator, 1985-87); Kansas (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line, 1988-9; Asst. Head Coach, 1991-96); and Michigan State (Offensive Line, 1999 and Asst. Head Coach/Offensive line, 1999).

Page last updated: 9/7/10