Rohan Naraine has been named head women’s soccer coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, athletic director Lonza Hardy Jr. has announced.
Naraine joins UAPB after spending the past two seasons as head coach at St. Andrews College in North Carolina. Prior to coaching at St. Andrews, Naraine held the same position at Coastal Carolina, where he compiled a 48-29-7 overall record. In his seasons at CCU, he produced a 23-8-2 league record; captured two Big South Conference championships (2007, 2008), and made two Big South Tournament finals appearances. He also was named the 2007 Big South Coach of the Year.
“We’re elated to welcome Coach Naraine as a part of our family here at Arkansas-Pine Bluff,” Hardy said in a statement. “He is a very personal individual whose record as a head coach speaks for itself, both in the athletics arena as well as on the athletics field. I know that he will be able to come in and have a positive impact on our program while enhancing our reputation as one of the top women’s soccer powers in our region and in the nation.”
Many of Naraine’s student-athletes have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity to take over the helm of the soccer program at Arkansas-Pine Bluff,” said Naraine. “Over the course of the past several seasons, Coach (Roberto) Mazza and the Lady Lions soccer program have established a reputation of success on the soccer field and most importantly in the classroom. My goals for this program center around graduating our student-athletes and helping them reach their full potential athletically and academically.”
UAPB won the SWAC titles in 2009 and 2011 under Mazza, who since became the coach at Louisiana-Monroe.