Commonwealth-Soccer-Club

Coach Rayner recently resigned her position as Women’s Head Coach after four seasons at High

Point University in order to accept a new position as Assistant Coach for the University of

Kentucky women’s soccer team.

During her time at High Point, Coach Rayner guided the panthers team to a solid 8-5-8 mark in

2008. Eleven freshmen made their collegiate debuts for High Point during the season including a

pair of rookie goalkeepers. Coach’s youthful squad recorded the fewest losses in program history

and matched the school record with eight shutouts in front of a defensive backline that included

three freshmen starters.

Rayner’s most successful season at High Point, however, came in 2007 when she guided the squad

to the Big South Conference Tournament. The Panthers finished with an 11-8-3 overall mark and

a 5-2 record in Big South play. Both win totals matched previous program highs.

Rayner also led the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in the program’s history. The Panther program also excelled off the field as well under Rayner’s leadership ranking among the campus leaders for team GPA.

In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Coach Rayner served as the Director of Coaching for the Knoxville (Tenn.) United States Girls club, where two of her teams won Tennessee State Championships and other squads captured titles in numerous tournaments around the region.

As a player, Coach Rayner played professionally in Australia and England for several years before coming to the United States to pursue her education at Lincoln Memorial University. She was also a member of the New Zealand National Team that competed in the first Women’s World Soccer Championships in China in 1991.

The Commonwealth Soccer Club is very fortunate to have Coach Rayner as part of the club and appreciates her passion for the game and her desire to train and properly develop CSC players.

Coach Michelle Rayner