Rich Ryerson
Head Coach, UNLV Men's Soccer

Rich Ryerson is in his second year as the Head Coach and his fourth year on staff.

Ryerson was a four-year starting defender/midfielder for the Rebels from 1983-86 and led UNLV to three NCAA tournament appearances and three straight conference championships during his time in Las Vegas. In his junior season, the Rebels posted a program-best 18-2-2 mark and No. 4 final national ranking. A two-time all-region and all-conference selection, Ryerson scored 20 goals and had 20 assists. Ryerson started all 84 games during his time as a Rebel, which set school records for both most career games played and most career starts, both of which still stand. Ryerson was named one of Soccer America's Top-10 Freshmen of the Year in 1983.

Ryerson graduated from UNLV in 1987 with a bachelor's of science degree in business administration. He went on to play a total of 10 years in several professional soccer leagues, including two in Kinna, Sweden, and finished his career in 1998 with the Baton Rouge Bombers of the Eastern Indoor Soccer League, where he was named the EISL's Defensive Player of the Year.

In 1994, Ryerson served as athletic director and physical education teacher for the Marywood-Palm Valley School, a K-12 program in Rancho Mirage, Calif.Currently, he is serving as the Nevada State Director of Coaching, and holds a "USSF" A coaching license. Rich, who resides in Henderson, is married to the former Vanes Valenzuela and they have two children,Vashti (14) and Payton (11).

Liam Connors
Assistant Coach, UNLV Men's Soccer

Liam Connors is in his second year as assistant coach on the UNLV staff.

Connors came to Las Vegas after spending the past two seasons as assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Redlands in California. As an assistant for the Bulldogs, he assisted in all aspects of running the team while also serving as the recruiting coordinator. He also spent a year as an assistant coach for Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.

Other coaching experience for Connors includes the past two years as a staff coach at the Region IV ODP Camp (2009-10), two years as Director of Coaching and Player Development for the MidState Soccer Club (2007-08) in Decatur, two years as a head coach for the Lake Oswego Soccer Club (2006-07) in Oregon and two years as assistant boys' soccer coach at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego from 2005-2006

As a four-year starter for Redlands, Connors helped the Bulldogs reach the NCAA Tournament four straight seasons, while also making an appearance in the NCAA finals in 2001, and the team was NCAA regional finalists all four seasons. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in the nation by NSCAA in 2002 and won the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference four times as well during Connors' time on the squad. He finished his career ranked in a tie for ninth in points in a season with 31, while his career totals include 23 goals (ninth best in school history) and 58 points (10th). Connors also received All-SCIAC honors his senior year, in which he also served as the team captain.

Connors graduated from the University of Redlands in 2005 with a bachelor of science degree in environmental science and is on track to receive his master's degree in higher education from Redlands in July of this year. He holds a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) "A" license in coaching and also has a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) national youth diploma.

Dan Schell
Assistant Coach, UNLV Men's Soccer

Dan Schell returned to his alma mater in 2008 as a volunteer coach and became an assistant in 2010. Prior to returning to Las Vegas, Schell spent the previous four seasons as the goalkeeper coach for both the Portland men's and women's teams. He works with the Rebel goalkeepers, and is also serving as goalkeeper coach for the Neusport soccer club in Las Vegas.

During his inaugural season in charge of the Portland goalkeeper, then-sophomore Luis Robles earned third team All-Far West Region honors from the NSCAA, while on the women's side, the Pilots posted 42 shutouts during Schell's tenure. In 2005, the Portland women’s program claimed the national championship title and then-goalkeeper, Cori Alexander, was named Defensive MVP of the College Cup.

Schell, currently a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and the United States Soccer Federation, served as head coach of both the boys and girls teams at Chaparal High School in Las Vegas, Nev. He earned Regional Coach of the Year honors in 1998-99 after leading both his boys and girls teams to their respective Nevada State Championships. A five-time Nevada State Coach of the Year selection, three with the boys and two with the girls, Schell also guided his Alliance Football Club boys team to four state titles from 1996-99. He also coached the Premier S.C. and United Boys clubs to six state championships. Schell is in his third year with the Region IV ODP program staff. He is the assistant coach of the Region IV 97’ boys team and the Region IV 95’ boys staff coach, as well as the Nevada ODP and Neusport FC Goal Keeper Director.  Schell also holds his NSCAA Goalkeeper Regional License.

In his career at UNLV (1990-94), he earned All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honorable mention as a goalkeeper in 1992. He sits in second place in all-time at UNLV in both saves and shutouts with 89 and six, respectively. His 228 career saves also ranks him third in Rebel history. A native of Portland, Ore., Schell and his wife, Victoria, are the parents of Drake (6) and Loyal (4).