JIM DEROSE
Head Men's Soccer Coach-Bradley University
Director of Coaching-CISA
Bradley Head Coach Jim DeRose ...
• Is the winningest coach in Bradley Soccer history
• Has averaged better than 11.9 wins per season
• Boasts the longest overtime unbeaten streak in NCAA soccer history
• Has guided the Braves to national rankings in eight seasons
• Coached the only four-time All-American (Gavin Glinton) and four-time All-MVC goalkeeper (Chris Dunsheath) in MVC history
• Owns four Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championships
• Has led the Braves to four NCAA Tournament appearances
• Has developed six Major League Soccer SuperDraft selections
• Has coached the Braves to 10 consecutive MVC Tournament Final Fours
• Has mentored 12 scholastic All-Americans
• Has coached 13 All-Americans
• Boasts 15 wins versus nationally-ranked opponents
• Has coached 22 scholastic all-region/district honorees
• Has coached 24 NSCAA/adidas All-Midwest Region picks
• Has coached 38 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athletes
• Has coached 55 All-Missouri Valley Conference performers
Jim DeRose, 40, came to Bradley University in 1996 as the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I college soccer and as he concludes his 12th season, he remains one of the top young coaches in the game. But after winning four Missouri Valley Conference regular-season titles, advancing to 10 consecutive MVC Tournament Final Fours and playing in four NCAA Tournaments, DeRose now has a wealth of successful experience to draw from as he continues to lead one of the top squads in the Midwest.
A native of Cinnaminson, N.J., DeRose brings enthusiasm, a hard-work ethic and popularity to The Hilltop. Those characteristics have helped him claim Soccer America’s 2007 National Coach-of-the-Year award, two NSCAA Midwest Region Coach-of-the-Year honors (1998 and 2007) and four Valley Coach-of-the-Year awards -- 1996, 1998, 2006 and 2007 (the latter two as staff awards). In addition, the CollegeSoccerNews.com website named DeRose one of the nation’s top teachers and tacticians in the college game in 2000.
Those honors have substantial backing. In his first 12 years at Bradley, DeRose owns a 143-85-25 (.615) record, which includes 10 of the top 11 seasons in the program’s 20-year history. His 143 Bradley wins represent 73.7 percent of the program’s all-time victory total (194). DeRose also has guided the Braves to four MVC regular-season championships (1998, 2005, 2006 and 2007), seven appearances in the MVC Tournament championship game in the last nine years, the 2007 league postseason title, four trips to the NCAA Tournament (2000, 2002, 2005 and 2007) and the program’s first-ever run to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
DeRose became Bradley’s third soccer head coach in the spring of 1996 and he inherited a program that had produced only 51 victories during its nine-year existence (51-114-11, .321) and was coming off consecutive three-win seasons. While compiling his impressive record, DeRose has guided the Braves to a pair of double-digit unbeaten streaks, the three longest winning streaks in school history -- six in 1997, seven in 1998 and eight in 2002-- and the program’s first-ever national rankings: the Braves climbed to No. 14 in Soccer America magazine’s weekly poll during the 1998 season and now have been ranked among the nation’s top 25 teams during eight of the last 10 seasons.
Not only have the Braves enjoyed tremendous team success, DeRose’s coaching has led to countless individual accomplishments among his players. Former Brave Gavin Glinton (1998-2001) ended his career as the Missouri Valley Conference career leader in goals (53) and points (133) and he remains the only four-time All-American in Bradley Athletics and Valley soccer history. At the other end of the field, former Braves keeper Chris Dunsheath (2001-05) finished third in NCAA history with 8,197 career minutes played and set the Valley record with 27.5 career shutouts. The 2005 Valley Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-American, Dunsheath became the first keeper in league history to earn four All-MVC awards (second team in 2002 and first team in 2003, 2004 and 2005). Most recently, sweeper Joe Donoho was named the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American.
DeRose’s Bradley program also has produced six Major League Soccer SuperDraft selections in the last seven years. Dunsheath became the most recent addition to that list in 2006 when he was taken in the third round by the Los Angeles Galaxy. Other MLS SuperDraft selections under DeRose’s watch include Luke Kreamalmeyer (2005, MLS Combine MVP), Tim Regan (2003), Hamid Mehreioskouei (2003), Glinton (2002) and Bryan Namoff (2001). The 2007 MLS season opened with Glinton (Los Angeles), Namoff (D.C.) and Regan (New York) on active MLS rosters, while Kreamalmeyer (Portland Timbers) and Jon Caldwell (Carolina Railhawks) were set for the USL First Division and Salim Bullen (Greece) was preparing to take his game overseas.
While Bradley’s on-field success under DeRose is impressive, the accomplishments of his players in the classroom are even more impressive. DeRose’s players have collected 12 “ESPN the Magazine” Academic All-America or NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-American awards, 22 regional and district academic awards and 38 Valley Scholar-Athlete awards.
DeRose came to Bradley after spending the 1995 season as the top assistant at the University of Richmond. While aiding the rising Spiders program, DeRose also served as the Director of Tournament Operations for the 1995 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer National Championship, now known as the College Cup.
No stranger to Central Illinois, DeRose spent three years (1992-94) as the top assistant at Illinois State University before the Normal, Ill., school dropped the men’s soccer program. DeRose also was an assistant at Vermont in 1991, helping the program stay in the regional (top five ranking) and national (top 20) spotlight.
DeRose began his coaching career at his alma mater, Johnson State College, in Johnson, Vt. While playing goalkeeper for Johnson State, DeRose helped the Badgers to consecutive NAIA National Championship Tournament appearances and regular top 20 rankings. As a senior in 1989, DeRose earned NAIA first-team All-America honors while capturing the New England Player-of-the-Year Award. In postseason play that year, DeRose took MVP honors at the Senior Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.
DeRose followed his college career by playing professionally in Albuquerque, N.M., for the New Mexico Chiles of the American Professional Soccer League.
In addition to his NCAA Division I coaching experience, DeRose has been a member of both the Region I (East) and Region II (Midwest) Olympic Development Program coaching staffs, while serving nine years as an ODP State Team coach in Vermont and Illinois.
DeRose has both a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and a master’s degree in administration and supervision from Johnson State. He also owns a USSF “B” license and a NSCAA National Coaching Diploma.
The Jim DeRose File
Education
Bachelor of Arts -- Johnson State College ‘89
Master’s in Education -- Johnson State College ‘92
Coaching Awards
• Soccer America National Coach of the Year, 2007
• NSCAA Midwest Coach of the Year, 1998 and 2007
• MVC Coaching Staff of the Year, 2006 and 2007
• MVC Coach of the Year, 1996 and 1998
• CollegeSoccerNews.com Top Teachers and Tacticians, 2000
Bradley Head Coach (1996-present)
• 143-85-25 (.615) Overall Record, 12th year
• 49-32-10 (.593) MVC Record
Year Overall Pct. MVC Pct. Notes
1996 7-11- 0 .389 0- 5- 0 .000 MVC Coach of the Year
1997 11- 8- 0 .579 1- 6- 0 .143
1998 14- 2- 2 .833 6- 1- 0 .857 MVC regular-season title, MVC & Midwest Region Coach of the Year
1999 10-10- 0 .500 3- 4- 0 .429
2000 15- 7- 2 .667 6- 4- 1 .591 NCAA Tournament
2001 12- 7- 1 .625 6- 3- 0 .667
2002 14- 6- 4 .667 4- 3- 2 .556 NCAA Tournament
2003 11- 8- 4 .565 5- 2- 2 .667
2004 10- 6- 3 .605 5- 2- 1 .688
2005 15- 6- 1 .705 5- 1- 1 .786 MVC regular-season title, NCAA Tournament
2006 8- 8- 4 .500 4- 1- 1 .750 MVC regular-season title, MVC Staff of the Year
2007 16- 6- 4 .692 4- 0- 2 .714 MVC regular-season title, MVC Tournament title, NCAA Tournament Elite 8,
Soccer America National Coach of the Year, NSCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year, MVC Staff of the Year
Totals 143-85-25 .615 49-32-10 .593
BRAD RUZZO
Associate Head Men's Soccer Coach-Bradley University
Co-Director of Coaching-CISA
Former University of Cincinnati star Brad Ruzzo begins his ninth year as the top assistant on the Bradley coaching staff. After establishing an impressive track record in his first three years on The Hilltop, Ruzzo was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2003 season and he remains involved in all aspects of the program. His daily responsibilities include developing, organizing and coaching all field and goalkeeping training sessions; player evaluation and recruiting; advance scouting and game preparation; budget management; academic supervision; and fund-raising.
Since joining the Bradley staff, Ruzzo has helped the Braves to seven of the nine winningest seasons in program history, four of which ended with trips to the NCAA Tournament, and a 101-54-25 (.631) record. The 2007 Braves captured their third straight Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship, then enjoyed the best postseason run in program history by following its first State Farm MVC Tournament title with a surge to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship. In Ruzzo’s eight seasons, the Braves have churned out eight All-Americans, six Major League Soccer SuperDraft selections, 37 All-Missouri Valley Conference selections, a Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, two Valley Defensive Players of the Year and two league Freshmen of the Year. During the same eight-year period, Bradley has produced eight ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and NSCAA Scholar All-Americans, 11 CoSIDA District V and NSCAA Region Scholar-Athletes and 25 Valley Scholar-Athletes.
In recognition of his contributions to the program, Ruzzo was named one of the nation’s top assistant coaches by College Soccer News in 2003.
In addition to his Bradley coaching responsibilities, Ruzzo is the co-director for the Central Illinois Soccer Academy (CISA), which works with more than 1,200 youth players throughout the year, and he has served as the event coordinator for the program’s annual Chicagoland Golf Outing. He also has coached CISA’s U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-23 club teams since 2003. During the last four years, those squads have combined for a 116-50-31 (.668) record and 11 tournament championships.
Ruzzo, 29, was a four-year letterman for Cincinnati, starting 77 games for the Bearcats from 1995 to 1998. A second-team All-Conference USA selection, Ruzzo also was voted team captain and MVP during his senior season, which was capped by a trip to the NCAA Tournament. A defender, Ruzzo helped Cincinnati to six shutouts and a 0.89 goals against average during his senior season in 1998.
Following his graduation from Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in economics, Ruzzo added professional playing experience to his resumé. He trained with the MLS Columbus Crew and the A-League’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Cincinnati Riverhawks before beginning his college coaching career.
Ruzzo first entered the coaching world while still a player for the Bearcats, serving as an assistant boys coach at Wyoming High School in Cincinnati during the 1996-97 season. From 1997-99 Ruzzo was the head coach for the Lakota Premier U-16 boys club program, then directed the U-17 & U-18 boys for Club Ohio/Dynamo.
While directing the Dynamo program, Ruzzo also entered the college coaching ranks in 1999 by serving as an assistant at Xavier, where he helped send three players on to the A-League and the Holland Amateur League.
A member of the NSCAA, Ruzzo currently holds a U.S.S.F. “A” license.
The Brad Ruzzo File
Education
Bachelor of Arts in economics: University of Cincinnati ‘99
Coaching Credentials
• U.S.S.F. “A” license
• NSCAA member
Coaching Experience
1996-97: Wyoming (Ohio) High School Assistant Coach
1997-99: Lakota Premier U-16 Boys Head Coach
1999-00: Club Ohio/Dynamo U-17 and U-18 Boys Head Coach
1999-00: Xavier University Assistant Coach
2000-02: Bradley University Assistant Coach
2003-Present: Bradley University Associate Head Coach
• Four NCAA Tournament appearances
• Three straight MVC regular-season championships
• Eight All-Americans
• Eight scholastic All-Americans
• Six MLS SuperDraft selections
2003-Present: Central Illinois Soccer Academy U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-23 Coach
Playing Experience
1995-98: University of Cincinnati
• 2nd Team All-Conference USA, 1998
• 1998 NCAA Tournament Appearance
PRESTON GOOD
Assistant Men's Soccer Coach-Bradley University
Assistant Driector of Coaching-CISA
Former Bradley Soccer star Preston Good, the third-leading goal scorer in program history, has returned to The Hilltop to begin his coaching career and is beginning his second year on Jim DeRose’s staff. Good began his coaching career with a bang, helping Bradley to a sweep of the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and postseason tournament championships, followed by a run to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship quarterfinals.
Good played for the Braves from 2000 through 2004 and helped Bradley to NCAA Tournament appearances as a freshman in 2000 and again as a redshirt sophomore in 2002. He remains third in program history with 31 career goals, as well as nine game-winning goals, and he is fourth with 77 career points. He scored on 19.9 percent of his shots, the second-best scoring percentage in program history, and he put 91 of his 156 career shots on frame for the best shots-on-goal percentage (.583) in school history.
Good twice led Bradley in scoring, finishing with eight goals and 18 points during the 2002 NCAA Tournament season and 13 goals and 32 points during his junior season in 2003. He was a second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference pick and a third-team selection to the NSCAA/adidas All-Midwest Region team following the 2003 campaign. Good went on to earn honorable mention All-MVC honors following his senior season in 2004, when he finished second on the team with seven goals and 18 points. In addition, he was twice named to the All-MVC Tournament Team (2003, 2004). Internally, Good was chosen for Bradley’s Most Valuable Offensive Player Award in 2002 and 2003 and he shared the 2004 Bradley Coaches Award with Cody Kother.
A native of Newark, Calif., Good earned his bachelor’s degree in business management and administration from Bradley in 2004. He enjoyed two successful years in the business world back in California before deciding to begin his coaching career with the Braves in the spring of 2007.
The Preston Good File
Education
B.S. in business management and administration: Bradley University ‘04
Coaching Experience
2007-Present: Bradley University Assistant Coach
• 2007 MVC Coaching Staff of the Year
Playing Experience
2000-04: Bradley University
• 2003 3rd Team NSCAA/adidas All-Midwest Region
• 2003 2nd Team All-Missouri Valley Conference
• 2004 Honorable Mention All-MVC
• Two-time All-MVC Tournament (2003, 2004)
• Third-leading goal scorer (31) in Bradley history