RSU Athletics
CLAREMORE – Rogers State Director of Athletics Chris Ratcliff announced the hiring of Chris Jones as the women’s soccer head coach Tuesday.
Jones becomes the sixth head coach in program history. The Tulsa native has spent the last five years as the Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
“We received a lot of interest for this position,” Director of Athletics Chris Ratcliff said. “Chris quickly rose to the top of our list with his energy and passion for the game. Chris was very familiar with the MIAA after serving as a head coach and an assistant coach in the league. His energy was so contagious on his interview and his love for the players was evident. We just knew he would be our next coach. I am excited to have Chris join the Hillcat family.”
Jones was involved with all facets of the NCAA Division I program, spearheading the recruiting for the Islanders as the recruiting coordinator and working primarily with the goalkeepers on a day-to-day basis. In 2019, he coached the Southland Conference Goalkeeper of the Year. That same year, the Islanders tallied the most wins and best winning percentage in program history. The team earned United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award in 2017 and 2018.
“It was going to take a great opportunity for me to leave Corpus Christi and what better way than to come home,” Jones said. “I am excited at the opportunity to lead the Rogers State University women’s soccer program. I want to thank Chris Ratcliff and Sara Braun for giving me this opportunity to be the next head soccer coach at such a great institution. I look forward to meeting the team, getting on campus and getting the ball rolling! Go Hillcats!”
Prior to his time with the Islanders, Chris was the Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Washburn for two seasons where he coached 11 MIAA All-Conference players. The Ichabods tallied a cumulative team GPA of 3.51 in the spring of 2015 and an overall GPA of 3.46. Under Jones, the Ichabods saw 22 players named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, two students named to the MIAA Scholar-Athlete list, and two student-athletes received the MIAA Academic Excellence Award after recording 4.00 GPAs.
Jones spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Fort Hays State. During his time in Hays, Kan., the Tigers recorded a 20-13-5 record over two years, including the team’s highest-ever finish in the MIAA standings in 2014. A program-best eight student-athletes were named All-MIAA during the 2014 campaign and over Jones’ two seasons with the Tigers registering 11 total all-conference selections. He also helped FHSU gain three Daktronics All-Central Region selections in 2014, including the program’s only first-team all-region pick. He also helped guide three Tigers to NSCAA all-region accolades.
Jones spent two seasons playing soccer at Northeastern State University before transferring to the University of Oklahoma. He earned a Sociology degree from OU in 2013 and a Master’s of Science in Health and Human Performance from Fort Hays State in 2015. The Tulsa product attended Bishop Kelley High School and was part of the Tulsa Nationals Club Soccer team from 2000-07.
Jones has his NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 1 and 2 coaching diplomas and his USSF class B license and his USSF class National D license.