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July 16, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia women’s soccer program announced Monday that Ron Raab has been named an assistant coach. Raab has spent the past two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach with the Cavaliers.
“Although Ron has been a part of our staff for the past two seasons as a volunteer, we are excited that he will once again join the program on a full time basis,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “His knowledge of the program and University, his experiences coaching at this level, his coaching ability, his ties to the Charlottesville community, and his passion for the game are unique. We feel very fortunate to have someone with Ron’s personal qualities and soccer background join our staff full time.”
Raab is in his second stint as an assistant coach with the Cavaliers, having also served on the staff from 1997-2000. Raab began his coaching career at William & Mary, his alma mater, in 1989. In 1990, he was named an assistant coach at Princeton where he assisted on April Heinrichs’ staff. A year later, he followed Heinrichs to Maryland when she took over the program there. In 1992, Raab left coaching to go into the banking business, but returned to coaching in 1997 at Virginia to serve on Heinrichs’ staff again. He served on her staff for three seasons at UVa and on Swanson’s staff in his first season in Charlottesville. In each of his first four seasons at Virginia, the Cavaliers reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. After leaving Virginia, Raab was the head coach at Evansville for three seasons.
“I am very excited about joining such a great staff and program full-time,” said Raab. “It is a rare and wonderful opportunity to work with such a talented group of players and coaches and I am glad to be part of it as we continue building on the rich tradition of Virginia soccer.”
A 1989 graduate of William & Mary with a double major of history and economics, Raab was a three-year letterwinner on the Tribe’s soccer team. In 1987, he set William & Mary’s school record for goals in a game with four. He also played one season for the Washington Mustangs of the USISL in 1993.