HEAD COACH ROLF PIRANIAN

Now in his 32nd season as the head soccer coach at Washington and Lee is Rolf Piranian. Add to his coaching tenure his four years as a player at W&L, and it is easy to see that Piranian has had a huge impact on W&L's soccer program.

Piranian graduated from W&L in 1974 after a steller athletic career. He was a four-time letterman in soccer and earned two letters in both lacrosse and wrestling. He was recognized for his contributions to the soccer program by being named to the All-State team as a junior and as a senior as well as earning All-South honors his senior season.

After graduating from W&L, Piranian coached high school soccer and was a history teacher in Jacksonville, Fla., before being named W&L's head coach in 1976. During his 31 seasons at W&L he has accomplished some impressive feats, and is responsible for some of W&L's best season's ever, including a record-setting 19-2 campaign in 2000. That season, the Generals won the ODAC Championship, advanced to the NCAA South Region Finals and finished the year with a final national ranking of eighth. Piranian has also led the Generals to some very successful seasons over the past 15 seasons, including a 12-6 campaign in 1996, 11-6 record in 1997, a 10-4-3 mark in 1998 and a 12-3-2 record in 2006.

Entering the 2007 season, Piranian is 250-207-33 (.544) over his 31 seasons as head coach. He has been named Old Dominion Athletic Conference Coach of the Year seven times, in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1989, 2000 and 2005. His 1986, 1989 and 2000 squads were ODAC champions.

Piranian is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association and holds his class A license from the U.S. Soccer Federation. He is the past chairman of the NCAA Men's Soccer Committee where his responsibilities included ranking teams and selecting teams to play in the NCAA Championship Tournament.

In addition to his soccer responsibilities, Piranian is an assistant wrestling coach and an associate professor of physical education at W&L. Piranian remains involved and committed to working with youth soccer in the community. He is active in FCA and is a top-rated college lacrosse official.

Rolf and his wife Diane make their home in Lexington. The two have a daughter, Coleen, and a son, Michael, who is currently the program's assistant coach after a stellar playing career at Virginia Tech.