Raleigh DeRose as the Illinois State new head soccer coach in December of 2023.

DeRose recently finished her eighth season with the Brown soccer staff and third as an associate head coach during the 2023-24 season. During her time with the program, the Bears won three Ivy League championships, competed in four NCAA Tournaments, had four undefeated regular seasons, and finished in the top 50 in the national RPI rankings for four-consecutive years. She was also selected to the 30 Under 30 Program by the United Soccer Coaches for the 2016-17 course year.

DeRose and the Brown coaching staff were named the 2023 East Region Staff of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches following a vote of the region's coaches. The staff led the Bears to a 12-3-2 record, including a perfect 7-0-0 mark in the conference and won the Ivy League regular season championship for the fourth-straight year. The Bears advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in program history and hosted as a No. 3 seed, where they took down Quinnipiac in the first round at Stevenson-Pincince Field. 

Brown was consistently ranked in the NCAA RPI throughout the 2023 regular season, topping out at No. 5 in late October. Eight members of the team were awarded with All-Ivy recognition, including three-time Offensive Player of the Year Brittany Raphino, who was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Award and was named an All-American for the third time.

In 2022, DeRose and the Bears secured a 1-0 win at Rutgers in the NCAA Tournament to cap off a season that also included the program's third-straight Ivy League championship after posting a 5-0-1 record in league action. She helped lead the Bears to their second straight Ivy League title in 2021, a season that also saw the team finish with a 7-0 Ivy League record for the first time since the league expanded to eight teams in 1991. The campaign saw Raphino named a Second Team All-American and the Ivy Offensive Player of the Year, Kayla Duran named a CoSIDA Academic All-American and the Ivy Defensive Player of the Year, and seven players in total selected to the All-Ivy League teams.

In 2019, she was a key part of the United Soccer Coaches East Region Staff of the Year and helped guide the Bears to a historic season, in which the team won its first Ivy League title and made its first NCAA appearance since 1994. Brown set program records for wins in a season (14), home wins in a season (11), and shutouts in a season (13). The Bears advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament after topping Monmouth in a penalty kick shootout, 4-1.

Prior to her stint at Brown, DeRose served as an assistant coach at Knox from 2014-15 helping the Prairie Fire set a single-season school record for wins in 2015 with a 13-5-2 record. Knox made its first appearance in the Midwest Conference tournament in 20 years in 2015, advancing to the championship game for the first time in school history. In 2015, the Prairie Fire ranked among national leaders in Division III in total goals (14th, 68), goals per game (17th, 3.4), total points (17th, 181), and shots on goal per game (14th, 11.8).

A four-year student-athlete at Knox, DeRose captained the Prairie Fire and started 47 of her 52 matches played as a defender. She acted as a SAAC representative for three years and as the organization’s vice president as a senior. A native of Peoria, Illinois, DeRose earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College in 2014 in American Studies with minors in Anthropology, Sociology, and Religious Studies. She holds an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma in addition to an NSCAA National Coaching License, receiving an R1, the highest level of evaluation in the diploma program.

DeRose comes from a soccer family. Her father, Jim, is the winningest head coach in Bradley history and recently announced his retirement after 28 years at the helm of the program. Her brother, J.R., was a standout goalkeeper at Mercer before moving into the coaching ranks at Bradley, North Carolina and Mercer.

She will be joined in Normal by her husband, Phil, and their daughter, Anna. DeRose will be publicly introduced to the Bloomington-Normal community in mid-January, with more information to follow.

What They Are Saying About Raleigh DeRose:

Kia McNeill, Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Brown University

“Illinois State made a tremendous hire getting Raleigh.  She has been an integral part of our success in building a championship culture here at Brown. Not only does she know the game of soccer, she is motivating, inspiring, and able to bring out the best in players. She’s a fierce recruiter with great connections in the Midwest given it’s her home state.  Raleigh has been an outstanding asset to this program as Associate Head Coach and she is more than ready for this next step in her career.”

Sarah Martinez, Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Yale University

“Illinois State has made an incredible hire in Raleigh. She is a player’s coach with a strong ability to connect with people. I have been able to see the direct impact Raleigh has made on the Brown women’s soccer program, helping them become one of the best teams not only in the Northeast, but in the entire country. The student-athletes of Illinois State are getting an incredible mentor and I can’t wait to follow the future success of the program.”

Ashley Phillips, Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Northeastern University

“Raleigh brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Illinois State. She is an incredible person who exemplifies what it means to be a leader and role model to young women. Her passion for the game is inspiring, her willingness to stay curious allows her to continue evolving, and her attention to detail is going to serve her well. Raleigh has made an enormous impact on the student-athletes and program throughout her time with Brown University. She has been a part of a championship program run by one of the best female coaches in the game and the experience and knowledge she has gained from working alongside Kia has more than prepared her for this next step in her career. I am so happy for her and her family, she has a bright future ahead and I am excited to see what she builds at Illinois State.”

Sheyenne Allen, Brown University (2019-23) captain

"It's bittersweet to see Raleigh go to another program but I'm excited to witness the positive impact she'll make at Illinois State! I can't thank her enough for the endless passion and effort she put into not only the Brown women’s soccer program but my personal development as a player. I wholeheartedly believe that Raleigh will be an incredible head coach and elevate her new team to great heights!"

Abby Carchio, Brown University (2016-20) captain and professional soccer player

“Raleigh is a true players’ coach. Her ability to build trust with players, while simultaneously maintaining a high footballing standard is unmatched. Her unparalleled work ethic and history of developing a winning culture will be an unbelievable gift to the program.”

Sydney Cummings, Brown University (2017-21) captain and professional soccer player

“Illinois State could not be luckier to have Raleigh as their head coach. She constantly pushes her players to reach their maximum potential on and off the field and does it with such intention and care. She has immense knowledge and drive that will develop her players to become better footballers and humans. She is intelligent, determined, passionate, and will lead the program to success for many years to come.”