CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS #IMPACTONE fi 3 DANNY MUSOVSKI 2015 PLAYER OF THE YEAR WWW.UNLVREBELS.COM 13 HHEADEAD CCOACHOACH SSIXIX NNCAACAA AAPPEARANCESPPEARANCES RRICHICH RRYERSONYERSON HEAD COACH SEVENTH YEAR UNLV ‘87 After fi ve years at the helm, Rich Ryerson to three NCAA tournament appearances and three straight conference has completed the turnaround of the UNLV championships during his fi rst time in Las Vegas. In his junior season, the men’s soccer program that he knew was Rebels posted a program-best 18-2-2 mark and No. 4 fi nal national ranking, possible as he led the Rebels to their best season in 24 years in 2014. The and that 1985 squad was inducted into the UNLV Athletic Hall of Fame on accomplishments were almost too many to list as UNLV swept the Western Oct. 1, 2010. Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles while earning a A two-time all-region and all-conference selection, Ryerson scored 20 trip to the NCAA Tournament for the fi rst time since 1988. UNLV won goals and had 20 assists. Ryerson started all 84 games during his time as its fi rst fi ve games of the year while knocking off 14th-ranked UMBC, a Rebel and still holds school records for both most career games played and would earn its fi rst national ranking since 1992 at 23rd by Soccer and most career starts. Ryerson was also named one of Soccer America’s America. A school-record fi ve players were named to the all-region team, Top-10 Freshmen of the Year in 1983. while Ryerson saw one of his fi rst-ever recruits, Salvador Bernal, became Ryerson graduated from UNLV in 1987 with a bachelor’s of science the third All-American in team history and get drafted by Toronto FC in degree in business administration. He went on to play a total of 10 years in the MLS following the season. Thanks to the overwhelming success of the several professional soccer leagues, including two in Kinna, Sweden, and season, Ryerson picked up both conference and regional Coach of the Year fi nished his career in 1998 with the Baton Rouge Bombers of the Eastern honors. Indoor Soccer League, where he was named the EISL’s Defensive Player He followed that up with another double-digit win season for UNLV of the Year. while the team reached the WAC semifi nals before falling to Utah Valley. Beginning in 1994, Ryerson served as athletic director and physical Bradley Kamdem was drafted in the third round of the MLS, while Danny education teacher for the Marywood-Palm Valley School, a K-12 program in Musovski was named second-team All-American for the Rebels under Rancho Mirage, Calif., and he held that position until 2006 when he moved Ryerson. back to Las Vegas. He served as Director of Coaching for the Downtown Ryerson was named the fi fth head in program history on April 7, 2010, Las Vegas Soccer Club for two years but stepped down from that position taking over the helm of the program after spending the previous two years after accepting the Rebels’ head job. In 2010, Ryerson was the Nevada State as an assistant coach under former Rebel coach Mario Sanchez. “It was a Vice President for US Youth Soccer before changing positions to Director dream come true, to become head coach at my alma mater,” said Ryerson. of Coaching for the association after taking over at UNLV. “UNLV has made such a big impact on my life, it’s been the foundation A native of Maryland, Ryerson was inducted into that state’s Soccer for everything I’ve accomplished and experienced in the sport of soccer.” Hall of Fame on May 11, 2012. In his fi rst year as the Rebels’ head coach, Ryerson took a team that had 11 newcomers and coached it to a 6-11-2 mark. Seven of the 11 losses were by one goal, and UNLV pulled off several impressive victories, including a win at Stanford and both a win and tie against MPSF Mountain champion Denver. The Rebels struggled with injuries in 2011, but one big highlight was unheralded recruit Salvador Bernal of Las Vegas, a member of Ryerson’ fi rst recruiting class who became the second player in team history to be named MPSF Newcomer of the Year. In Ryerson’s third season, the Rebels pulled off several noteworthy outings, including home victories over Cal State Northridge and Air Force, both eventual NCAA Tournament squads. This past season, the Rebels earned their fi rst conference winning season since 2002 at 5-4-1, while posting an overall record of 7-10-2. Just as important as the coaching aspect of the job is Ryerson’s fundraising accomplishments. In the summer of 2011 he was able to help UNLV secure an $850,000 donation from the Englestad foundation, as well as other donations to help ensure the stability of the men’s program at UNLV for the next fi ve years. Most recently, former men’s coach Barry Barto led the effort (with assistance from Ryerson) to secure a one million dollar donation from the Hannah family in 2013. That brought the soccer specifi c fundraising total under to two million in a four year period. One of four Ryerson brothers to play for the Rebels (Rob, Kenny, Tim), Rich Ryerson was a four-year starting defender/midfielder for the Rebels from 1983-86 and led UNLV 14 2016 UNLV MEN’S SOCCER MEDIA GUIDE RRICHICH RRYERSONYERSON ##IMPACTONEIMPACTONE NOTES ON RYERSON UNLV Head Coach • Holds UNLV records for most career games played and • Became the fi fth head coach in UNLV history on April 7, started 2010 • Member of the UNLV Athletics Hall of Fame, as he was part • In his fi rst season, led the Rebels to a win at Pac-10 member of the 1985 squad that was inducted on Oct. 1, 2010 Stanford, as well as two shutouts against MPSF regular- • Played 10 years in a several professional leagues. season champion Denver • Salvador Bernal, a member of his fi rst recruiting class, • Eastern Indoor Soccer League’s Defensive Player of the Year named 2011 MPSF Newcomer of the Year and to the College in 1998 Soccer News All-Freshman Third Team • On May 11, 2012, was inducted into the Maryland Soccer • Rebels knocked off a pair of NCAA teams in 2012 under Hall of Fame Ryerson - Cal State Northridge and Air Force • Led UNLV to the WAC regular season and tournament As a Coach titles in 2014 • Director of Coaching for Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club • Guided UNLV to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 with a from 2008-09 14-5-4 record • Was named the WAC and NSCAA Region Coach of the Head Coaching Record Year in 2014 • Has had two players drafted by the MLS in back-to-back Year School W L T PCT years (Salvador Bernal in 2015, Bradley Kamdem in 2016 2010 UNLV 6 11 2 .368 2011 UNLV 3 14 0 .176 As a Player 2012 UNLV 6 14 1 .310 • Four-year starter, helped Rebels to three NCAA Tournament 2013 UNLV 7 10 2 .421 appearances and three conference championships, as well as 2014 UNLV 14 5 4 .696 an 18-2-2 record and a No. 4 national ranking in 1985 2015 UNLV 12 7 1 .625 Totals 48 61 10 .462 WWW.UNLVREBELS.COM 15 CCOACHINGOACHING SSTAFFTAFF SSIXIX NNCAACAA AAPPEARANCESPPEARANCES LLIAMIAM CCONNORSONNORS ASSOCIATE HEAD COAC SEVENTH YEAR REDLANDS ‘05 Liam Connors is in seventh all four seasons. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in year on the UNLV coaching staff the nation by NSCAA in 2002 and won the Southern after being hired in May of 2010, and was promoted to California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference four Associate Head Coach in August of 2013. He has been times during Connors’ time on the squad. He fi nished key to the Rebels rise back to national prominence, and his career ranked in a tie for ninth in points in a season in 2014 received the Glenn ‘Mooch’ Myernick NSCAA with 31, while his career totals include 23 goals (ninth West Region Assistant Coach of the Year honor after best in school history) and 58 points (10th). Connors also helping UNLV to the WAC championship and a spot in received All-SCIAC honors his senior year, in which he the NCAA Tournament. also served as the team captain, and was inducted into In addition to his duties for the Rebels, Connors the school’s athletics hall of fame as a member of the serves on the coaching staff for the US Youth Soccer 2001 squad. Region IV ODP Staff Region IV ODP Camp, which Connors graduated from Redlands in 2005 with a he fi rst started with in 2009. In addition to having been bachelor of science degree in environmental science in the role of both assistant coach for the ‘98 Boys and and received his master’s degree in higher education Head Coach for the U15 Boys in 2013, he currently is from Redlands in July of 2012. He holds a United States serving as Head Coach for the ‘98 Boys in the current Soccer Federation (USSF) “A” license in coaching cycle. Connors is involved as well with the US Soccer and also has a National Soccer Coaches Association of Youth National Team Scouting Network, responsible for America (NSCAA) national youth diploma. identifying players and facilitating US Soccer Training Centers in local markets. Connors came to Las Vegas after spending two seasons as assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Redlands in California.