| Richie Grant |
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Entering his eighth season at the helm of the University of Memphis men's soccer program, Richie Grant has built a reputation as one of the finest coaches in the nation. Grant has shown an uncanny ability to recruit a steady flow of talent from the southern region of the United States, while bringing in solid players from Europe to form competitive teams.
After finishing ninth two years in a row in Conference USA, the 36-year-old Dublin, Ireland, native guided the Tigers to their first conference regular season and tournament titles in 2004. Grant brought the Memphis program to new heights, as the team finished with its most season victories ever with a 16-4-1 record and was the No. 11 most-improved team in the nation. The team's .786 win-loss-tie percentage was ranked sixth in the nation.
For only the second time in the program's history, the Tigers earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The nation took notice as The Tigers climbed as high as No. 13 in the polls and ended the season ranked in the top 25 for the first time in school history.
The offense flourished once again in 2005 as Memphis reached the semifinals of the C-USA Tournament. The Tigers led the conference and were third in the nation in goals per game (2.56), finished second in goals (46), assists (43) and points (135) in C-USA, and received recognition from the professional ranks as two seniors were drafted by Major League Soccer (MLS) franchises.
Since Grant's arrival in 1999, the Tigers' offense has strengthened, finishing the season ranked nationally in scoring four times and setting school records for goals, assists and points in 2000. In 2004, Grant brought the team's defense to new heights, finishing ninth in the nation in goals-against average and setting team records in goals against and goals-against average. The defense showed continued growth in 2005 as goaltender Tyler Strom recorded 75 saves on 92 shots to lead Conference USA in save percentage (.815).
Grant has grown accustomed to winning and expects nothing less at Memphis. Grant has posted a 122-82-10 overall record (.593) through 11 seasons and has a 69-53-8 record (.562) in his seven years with the Tigers.
Under Grant's leadership, Memphis has eclipsed the 10-win mark three times and has finished with a record of .500 or better in four-consecutive years and five of the last six seasons. After posting a 7-11 record in his first year, Grant's Tigers put up a 14-6 mark in 2000, doubling their win total from the previous season. As a result, Grant became the first Tiger coach to earn Conference USA Coach of the Year honors, a feat he accomplished for the second time in 2004.
As a player, Grant was a three-time NAIA All-American defender and was twice named the NAIA District V Player of the Year at Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vt., where he received his bachelor's degree in leisure resources and facilities management in 1993. Grant then went on to play for the Minnesota Thunder, a semi-pro team that competes in the A-league.
After one season with the Thunder, Grant took a coaching position at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania and earned his master's degree in communication studies while working as an assistant coach from 1993-95. Grant took his first head coaching job at Lambuth University in Jackson, Tenn., in 1995.
In four seasons at Lambuth (1995-99), Grant compiled a 53-29-2 record and won back-to-back Mid-South Conference Championships in 1997 and 1998. In his final season at Lambuth, Grant led the Eagles to the NAIA Region XI Championships.
Grant earned his National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Advanced National Diploma in 1997 and then earned his NSCAA Premier Diploma in 2002. He served as the head coach of Tennessee's Under-23 Olympic Development Team in 2001. He is currently in his sixth year at the helm of the Tennessee U-17 ODP squad.
Grant served as the head coach of the U-17 Super Clubs national all-star team, which toured England in the summer of 2001 for a week of matches against top international competition.
Grant is married to Memphis assistant women's soccer coach Jodi Grant and has four siblings. Grant's two sisters live in England, and his two brothers reside in Ireland. His parents, Richie and Annette, live in Dublin, Ireland.
