Brian Rigby successfully launched UIC's 20th varsity program during the 2014-15 academic year, serving as head coach of the Flames' women's soccer team.
During his fifth season in 2018, the Flames went 4-14-1 with a 3-6-0 record in Horizon League play. The team put together 17 goals and surpassed the 200-plus shot mark for the fourth straight season with 220 attempts. Emily Kavanaugh earned Second Team All-Horizon League and All-Freshman Team honors with her team-best five goals, the most for a freshman in program history, three assists and program-record tying 13 points. Rebeca Pallo also reached a notable feat for the program as she set a new record in shots with 41.
In UIC's fourth season of competition in 2017, Rigby directed the squad to its first ever postseason appearance after ending the regular season with a program-best fifth-place finish off a 5-4-0 Horizon League record. The Flames were positioned in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament against No. 4 Wright State but dropped a 2-1 decision on Oct. 30. They tallied a program-best seven wins on the year with a 7-13-0 overall record and notched five shutouts. They scored a program-record 22 goals and added 16 assists, and got there by attempting a program-record 272 shots and put 111 of those attempts on target. Goalkeeping showed to be another improved asset for UIC as the rotation secured a top goals-against-average for the program with a 1.59 mark. At the end of the year, Olivia Everin and Tamae Douglas were named to the All-League Second Team and Ashlin West was selected to the All-Freshman Team.
The 2016 campaign proved to be another one of success as the Flames turned out six wins with a 6-10-2 record and secured five shutouts. They put out the most goals (21), assists (19), shots (216) and shots on goal (99) the program has ever seen, while limiting opponents to fewer goals, assists and shots than the year prior. Emily Wauer earned a spot on the All-League Second Team at the end of the season while Douglas and Emily Valentine placed on the All-Freshman Team.
In 2015, Rigby helped UIC obtain a 5-12-2 record with five shutouts, including three consecutive in Horizon League play. The Flames narrowly missed the Horizon League Tournament, but took pride in their play during the conference regular season as they tied with Horizon League champion Oakland, defeated Cleveland State and Green Bay, and held top-seeded Milwaukee and Wright State to one goal each.
The postseason awards rolled in as Kelly Fritz earned back-to-back Goakeeper of the Year and First Team All-League honors to become the first player in League history to earn consecutive keeper of the year nods. Everin and Madison Pollard placed on the All-League Second Team and Naomi Rushe was positioned on the All-Freshman Team.
During UIC's inaugural season in 2014, Rigby guided UIC to its first win on Aug. 31, 2014, with a 2-0 home victory against IUPUI and then followed that up with a thrilling 1-0 overtime triumph versus city-rival Loyola on Sept. 28. The Flames also picked up a 1-0 win in the final home contest against Horizon League-foe Youngstown State.
A pair of UIC student-athletes earned Horizon League honors as Fritz was named Goalkeeper of the Year and was voted to the first team, while teammate Jasmin Carrera garnered second-team laurels.
Academic honors have additionally been prominent for the Flames. Collectively, the team was a recipient of the NSCAA College Team Academic Award for the 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years. Student-athletes have combined for recognition on the Horizon League Honor Roll every semester, while Carrera (2014, 2016), Haley Kittle (2015, 2017), Everin (2016, 2017) and Valentine (2017, 2018) have represented UIC on the Horizon League Fall All-Academic Team.
In November 2012, Athletic Director Jim Schmidt introduced women's soccer as a varsity sport with the hiring of Rigby as the program's first head coach.
Rigby, a long-time native of the Windy City, has deep soccer roots in Chicago. Prior to his hiring at UIC, he served as an Assistant Women's Soccer Coach at Loyola from 2007-11. The Ramblers captured the Horizon League Tournament Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2007, and also won the League's regular season title in 2008.
Rigby coached one Horizon League Player of the Year during his time at Loyola, and has also mentored three female players that have gone onto the professional ranks.
Rigby served in a similar capacity at DePaul from 2005-07, including a stint as the Blue Demons' Interim Head Coach from March-December 2006. He coached a pair of All-Region honorees during his tenure in Lincoln Park.
On the club circuit, Rigby's most notable experience has been with FC United Soccer Club in Glenview, where he has served as the Technical Trainer and Coach since 2008. His under-16 girls' team has been ranked as the No. 1 team in the state of Illinois, while his U-15 boys' squad has been ranked as high as No. 7 nationally. Since 2011, Rigby has guided FC United to a combined five tournament championships, including the club's first State Cup Championship in girls' soccer. The team was also a USYSA Region II semifinalist.
Rigby, who possesses six United States Soccer Federation National Coaching Licenses, was named the 2011 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Regional Coach of the Year. He is also certified by the Illinois High School Association, has earned his United?States Soccer Federation Amateur License, and was also a finalist for the NSCAA National Coach of the Year Award.
Rigby was a four-year letterwinner (1994-97) with the Flames, serving as a team captain in each of his final two seasons and collecting All-League honors in 1997. He graduated with a dual Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and Management from UIC in 1998. A native of Toronto, Canada, Rigby currently resides in Chicago with his wife, Amanda, and their daughter, Remy.
HEAD COACH - UIC
Year: Record
2014: 3-15-0
2015: 5-12-2
2016: 6-10-2
2017: 7-13-0
