Head Soccer Coach Erin Chastain has announced the addition of Ellis Riley as assistant coach to her staff.
“Ellis will be a tremendous addition to our staff and program,” said head coach Erin Chastain. “He’s extremely driven, focused, competitive and will invest everything he has in helping the young women in our program reach their potential. Ellis has a wonderful soccer background where he has led nationally competitive teams, scouted in the NWSL and been a student of the game; which will add so much value to our group”
Riley comes to Minnesota after four years at San Diego as an assistant coach. With the Toreros, he focused on scouting, recruiting, and video analysis.
During his time at San Diego, Riley brought in and developed the Toreros All-WCC Freshman Team honoree in Cameryn Maddox and single season save holder Sophine Kevorkian in 2022.
Prior to San Diego, Riley spent a year at St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. where he helped the Terriers during their inaugural NCAA Division I season.
Before his time at St. Francis, Ellis served as the interim head coach and graduate assistant at Hastings College, where he helped lead the team to a 32-4-7 record over two seasons, winning multiple conference championships and earning two NAIA Tournament berths. Riley was part of the 2018 NAIA Midwest Region Staff of the Year and helped develop two All-Americans in 2018.
Riley is also the founder of SoccerIQ – Ahead of the Game, a player and coach educational program which helps accelerate cognitive learning of tactical and technical elements of the game. He also brings professional soccer experience, having worked as a volunteer opposition analyst for the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL.
He achieved the United States Soccer Federation B License in January of 2020 and is currently in training for his A License. Ellis has been certified through FA, USSF, and United Soccer Coaches. Riley was awarded the United Soccer Coaches Anson Dorrance Foundation Scholarship in 2019.
A native of Leeds, England, Riley began his soccer journey at the University of Jamestown in North Dakota. There, he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in coaching while playing soccer for the Jimmies. Riley later earned his master’s in physical education from Hastings College.
Riley is married to his wife, Tia. Ellis and his duties will begin pending the approval of a background check.
(info courtesy of Gopher Sports)
