Norm Riker was named the head women's soccer coach at Connecticut College in the summer of 2011 and has transformed the program into becoming a consistent threat on the national stage. Under Riker’s direction, the Camels have made three NCAA Tournament appearances in 2014, 2016 and 2017 and will bring positive momentum into the 2021 fall campaign after registering their fourth consecutive winning season in 2019 and an unbeaten record against Division III competition this past spring.

Riker’s 2014 squad made history by capturing the school’s first NESCAC championship in any sport while also setting a program record by winning 16 matches. He received NESCAC and NSCAA New England Region Coach of the Year laurels to distinguish himself as one of the only collegiate coaches to (1) take two women’s soccer programs to the NCAA Tournament and (2) be awarded NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year in two different regions after previously being named the NSCAA Great Lakes Coach of the Year in 2007. In addition, central midfielder Astrid Kempainen became the first Camel women’s soccer player to earn NSCAA All-America First Team plaudits in 2014.

The 2014 and 2016 teams made it as far as the second round of the NCAA Tournament, which included using a late scoring surge to down Swarthmore in 2014 and advancing past Scranton on penalty kicks two years later. Furthermore, the 2014 team set or matched school records for total goals (47) and shutouts (11).

In 2017, the Camels qualified for NCAAs again after earning a program-best second seed in the NESCAC Tournament and were also rewarded for their efforts in the classroom. A league-best 18 players made the NESCAC All-Academic Team, while Michelle Medina and Sara Kogelmann were recognized as CoSIDA Academic All-District selections. Kogelmann also became the first student-athlete in program history to be named a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2018.

The 2019 squad most recently completed the program’s fifth season with a double-digit win total in the last six years by registering 10 victories. The Camels most notably earned a win and a draw against nationally-ranked Amherst and Tufts, respectively, on the road and qualified for the NESCAC Tournament. Off the field, the program continued its impressive streak of being named a United Soccer Coaches All-Academic Team every year under Riker’s leadership, and Sara Kogelmann was recognized as a CoSIDA Academic All-American for the second straight season to also become just the third student-athlete in school history for any sport to earn the prestigious award multiple times. Furthermore, Alyssa Kogelmann and Sara Kogelmann were among 13 seniors in the Class of 2020 to be named Winthrop Scholars.

Prior to his arrival at Connecticut College, Riker compiled an impressive 108-51-25 record as the head coach at Wittenberg University. He piloted the program to seven consecutive appearances in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament and four consecutive league crowns which led to appearances in the NCAA Tournament each year. The Tigers also climbed as high as No. 8 in the NSCAA national poll and was consistently ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation.

Riker's success on the field was also rivaled by his team's efforts in the classroom. The Tigers received seven NSCAA Team Academic Awards under his tutelage, and his teams consistently carried a cumulative grade point average of a 3.0 or higher.

A native of Block Island, R.I., Riker earned his bachelor’s degree in history at Springfield College in 1992 and a master’s of education from the State University of New York at New Paltz. He resides in Niantic with his wife, Gabrielle N. Antoniadis Riker ’89 and their daughters, Isabelle and Sofia.

Norm Riker File:

• Connecticut College Head Women’s Soccer Coach: 2011 – Present

• Wittenberg University Head Women’s Soccer Coach: 2002 – 2010

• Vassar College Interim Head Women’s Soccer Coach: 2000

• 2007 NSCAA DIII Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year

• 2014 NSCAA DIII New England Region Coach of the Year

• 2014 NESCAC Coach of the Year

• NSCAA Premier Diploma

• USSF "B" License

• Career Record as a Head Coach: 215-132-50

• Eight NCAA appearances as a Coach: ('06, '07, '08, '09, '14, '16, '17, '21)

• Career NCAA Tournament Record: 4-7-3

• Coached Five NSCAA All-Americans

Riker's Year-by-Year Record

Year

School

Record

Conf.

Postseason

2023

Conn College

12-2-7

5-0-5

NESCAC Quarterfinals

2022

Conn College

7-6-3

3-4-3

NESCAC Quartefinals

2021

Conn College

9-5-3

5-3-2

NCAA First Round, NESCAC Quarterfinals

2020

Conn College

1-0-0

0-0-0

2019

Conn College

10-5-1

5-4-1

NESCAC Quarterfinals

2018

Conn College

7-6-2

2-6-2

2017

Conn College

12-4-1

7-2-1

NCAA First Round, NESCAC Quarterfinals

2016

Conn College

10-6-2

5-4-1

NCAA Second Round, NESCAC Quarterfinals

2015

Conn College

3-9-3

0-7-3

2014

Conn College

16-3-1

8-2

NCAA Second Round, NESCAC Champions

2013

Conn College

3-7-4     

1-6-3

2012

Conn College

5-8-2

3-7

NESCAC Quarterfinals

2011

Conn College

4-9-1

1-8-1

Career (13 seasons)

96-74-24

22-9-9