Rich Ryerson quietly coaches his final soccer game at UNLV

UNLV has qualified for the NCAA men’s shot tourney 7 times successful 47 years, and Rich Ryerson was portion of 5 of those appearances arsenic a subordinate oregon coach.

So you would deliberation that erstwhile it came to leaving the programme aft being specified an integral portion of it, helium would person been allowed to bash it connected his terms.

Not the case.

As she did to truthful galore of the coaches who were astatine the schoolhouse earlier she was, UNLV diversion manager Desiree Reed-Francois nudged Ryerson toward the doorway during a gathering this summertime erstwhile it was agreed that this play should beryllium his last.

Ryerson, 56, coached his last crippled past play — 3 months aft Reed-Francois resigned to instrumentality the diversion director’s occupation astatine Missouri.

“I was hoping to possibly enactment a small longer, adjacent though we benignant of went done that resignation process with Desiree,” Ryerson said.

As a player, Ryerson appeared successful a school-record 84 games arsenic a midfielder from 1983 to 1986. In 12 years arsenic coach, helium guided UNLV to a 96-108-16 grounds aft inheriting a struggling program.

In 2014, helium took the Rebels to the NCAA title tourney for the archetypal clip successful 26 seasons — the archetypal of UNLV’s 2 NCAA trips nether his stewardship.

He besides helped prevention the programme by raising wealth to support it afloat by immoderate means possible, including selling fireworks retired of roadside stands and tickets to the philharmonic “Hamilton.”

“In 2010, I was told you person 24 hours to find $2 million,” Ryerson said astir teaming with chap UNLV shot alumnus Tim McGarry of the Engelstad Family Foundation and keeping men’s shot disconnected the chopping block.

Ryerson besides recruited section players. During 1 palmy season, each 11 UNLV starters were from Nevada. Ryerson was arrogant of his players’ show successful the schoolroom that produced dozens of archetypal procreation assemblage graduates.

So galore large stories, Ryerson said. Such arsenic Ryan Harding, the erstwhile Rebels goalie who missed his inferior play portion being treated for crab earlier returning the pursuing twelvemonth and making a cardinal prevention successful UNLV’s Western Athletic Conference title run.

Ryerson said helium would similar to enactment connected arsenic an athletics fundraiser, but if it doesn’t happen, “We’ve got to fig retired what’s next.”

“Loved each infinitesimal of it, the highs and the lows,” helium said of his agelong tally connected a shot transportation that won’t look the aforesaid without him. “If I look backmost connected it, I couldn’t beryllium immoderate happier.”

Around the horn

■ A time aft Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted the NHRA’s 1,000th contention meeting, much past was made connected the section portion erstwhile Travis Shumake, resistance racing’s archetypal openly cheery racer, fulfilled requirements to get his Funny Car licence with a tally of 3.963 seconds astatine 304.05 mph.

“As a wholly unsponsored Funny Car driver, I request to find funding,” said Shumake, who began pursuit of the licence successful aboriginal October with a walk of 4.009 astatine 319.62 astatine the Texas Metroplex extracurricular of Dallas.

The NHRA, which has produced female, African American and Hispanic champions, has a agelong past of diversity.

■ Nice interaction by the UNLV sports accusation section successful reserving spot No. 1 successful the Allegiant Stadium property container astatine Saturday’s Hawaii-UNLV crippled for Robert Kekaula, the longtime and revered dependable of Warriors sports who died astatine property 56 successful June. A tribute to Kekaula was shown connected the video boards earlier kickoff.

When the Rebels played successful Hawai'i past December, Robert told maine however excited helium was to spot Allegiant Stadium. The antheral LOVED Las Vegas. #RIP https://t.co/f29hw07RCa

— Mark Wallington (@UNLVFBSID) November 13, 2021

0:01

Agent Scott Boras, connected his escaped cause lawsuit Kris Bryant of Las Vegas, during Boras’ yearly “State of the Boras Corp” address:

“He’s tall, he’s statured, he’s benignant of the Sean Connery of Major League Baseball. The representation of Sean Connery, helium has positional versatility that makes him untouchable. He has Bond-like abilities to make a large mediate of the lineup.

“He’s ever red-hot successful the hunt for October. He’s an bonzer gentleman, and he’s successful a league of his own. Bryant has galore roles, but they’re each his.”

Do you accidental that besides makes Boras Dr. No?

Contact Ron Kantowski astatine rkantowski@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski connected Twitter.