SAN BERNARDINO – Steve Ralas, who spent the last season as an assistant coach at San Jose State University and won a national junior college championship in 2011, has been named head coach of the Coyotes men's soccer program, CSUSB Director of Athletics Dr. Kevin Hatcher announced Saturday.
 
"I am proud to have Steve as our newest member of our Coyote head coach family,'' Hatcher said. "He has proven results at the NAIA, junior college and Division I levels and I am unequivocally excited about what he has to offer. He has won a national championship, built quality programs and has a reputation of succeeding with quality students on the field and in the classroom.''
 
Ralos spent this past season at SJSU as its assistant men's coach/recruiting coordinator. He spent 11 seasons coaching collegiate soccer in the state of Kansas, where he guided his Cloud Community College team to a national junior college title in 2011. Off the field, his 2010 and 2012 teams won the NJCAA Academic Team of the Year honors.
 
"It is an absolute honor and privilege to begin this endeavor as head coach of the Coyotes men's soccer program,'' Rolas said. "By building with freshmen and sophomores with the juniors who will become seniors, they need a consistency that hasn't existed in a while at CSUSB. Bringing a strong sense of familiarity is how you build a winning program.
 
"I can't wait to get started."
 
Ralos began his head coaching career at Bethel College in Newton, Kans. He led both the men's and women's programs during his one season (2007) in which his men's tea was 15-4-1. He left to become an assistant at Kansas Wesleyan (2008-09) and then moved on as head men's and women's coach at  Cloud Community where he was 53-9-4 in three seasons with the men (2010-12).
 
Ralos becomes the eighth head coach in the last 20 seasons at CSUSB, where the Coyotes have had just three winning seasons. The Coyotes last went to the NCAA Tournament in 2010.
 
"The end results don't speak of where the program is at the present time,'' Ralos said. "This is a great opportunity to bring in new guys and mix things up with the returners and I'm excited to produce positive results pretty quickly.
 
"I think the previous places where I have been were a challenge to recruit. Southern California and the Inland Empire in particular are competitive areas where high school and junior college are at a premium and I know the CCAA is one of, if not, the best Division II conferences in the country.''
 
Ralos earned his bachelor's degree at Newman University. He is a Brisbane, Australia, native. He and his wife Tiffany are the parents to two children – daughter Mackenzie and son Parker.