Laura Ray named Head Women's Soccer Coach

(Nashua, NH) The Rivier University Athletic Department is pleased to announce the hiring of Laura Ray as the new Head Coach for the Women's Soccer Program. Ray will also serve as the Senior Women Administrator for the Rivier Raiders.

Coach Ray joins the Raiders after spending the last three seasons as the Head Coach at Dean College, where she earned NJCAA's Region 21 Coach of the Year honors after guiding the team to a 9-5-1 record in 2012, and Dean's best record in Women's Soccer since 1998.

This will be Ray's second stint as the Head Coach of a NCAA Division III team as she spent two seasons with State University of New York at Cortland (SUNY Cortland) during the 2002 and 2003 campaigns. She recorded an 18-16-3 record and led the team to the SUNYAC playoffs each season.

Coach Ray has made stops at Division I University of Akron, Division II Binghamton University, and Division III, Plattsburgh State University, Springfield College, and Wheelock College as an Assistant Coach.

"I would like to thank Athletic Director Joanne Merrill and her staff for this amazing opportunity to join the Rivier University community," commented Coach Ray. "I look forward to working with such a dedicated and passionate group of coaches, trainers, student-athletes, and faculty and staff. There is a solid foundation for the Women's Soccer Program here, and I look forward in continuing to build upon that foundation; in the classroom, on the field and for life."

Originally from Binghamton, New York, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-Law and a minor in coaching from Plattsburgh State University, as well as then earning a Master of Education from Springfield College in Athletic Counseling.

While at Plattsburgh State University, she was a captain and four year standout on the pitch from 1992 -1995. She was named to the Northeast Regional All-American, NY State Women's College Athletic Association First Team and SUNYAC All-Conference First Team in 1993, 1994 and 1995. She was also honored as the Plattsburgh State Female Athlete of the Year in '95, as well as recently being inducted in the Plattsburgh Cardinal Hall of Fame in 2011.

Coach Ray holds her US Soccer Federation B License, along with the US National Youth License and an Advanced Nation Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.