Coaches

Ryan Pflugrad

Ryan Pflugrad '02, a Roanoke College soccer alumni, returned to Salem in 2013 to take over the head coaching role.


Since returning to his alma mater, in 2013, Pflugrad has led RC to 94 wins and a 51-13-19 record in ODAC play. In one of the finest seasons in Roanoke history, the 2019 Maroons went 14-2-4, including starting the season on a 14 game unbeaten streak (12-0-2), en route to earning an At-Large bid to the NCAA tournament and the program's seventh appearance. In 2014 and 2016, Pflugrad and the Maroons produced undefeated ODAC regular seasons. In 2017 the Maroons went 13-5-1 and 8-1 in the ODAC, capping a league-best four-year ODAC regular season run at 30-4-6 for that time period. Pflugrad was named the ODAC Coach of the Year in 2014 after leading RC to a 15-3-2 overall record and a 10-0-1 mark in the ODAC.


Under the guidance of Pflugrad, 21 Maroon players have earned a total of 50 all-conference honors, including 16 First-Team All-ODAC selections. In addition, 11 different RC players have earned all-region accolades, including Marc Dinkel who in 2014 was a Second-Team All-American and the ODAC Player of the Year. In 2020-21, Joe Carman was named VaSID State Defensive Player of the Year and after the 2021 season, Zach Behe was named a 1st-Team CoSIDA Academic All-American.


Before returning to Salem, Pflugrad spent six years as Associate Head Men's Soccer Coach at the University of Denver. While at the NCAA Division I program, Pflugrad put together five nationally ranked recruiting classes and helped build the program to two conference championships. He also coached the team to multiple national rankings, seven MLS SuperDraft picks and the school's first two NCAA Division I tournament appearances (2008, 2010).


Prior to his time in Denver, Pflugrad spent a year as Assistant Coach at Wake Forest University. In that year, the Demon Deacons won an ACC regular season championships and went to their first-ever NCAA Men's Soccer College Cup. He helped guide Wake Forest to an 18-3-4 record, with 10 wins over nationally ranked teams.


While earning his master's degree at Goucher College, he also served as Assistant Women's Soccer Coach from 2002-03. From there, Pflugrad moved to Johns Hopkins, serving as Director of Athletic Games Operations. In the fall of 2004, he took his first men's assistant coaching position at Elon University. He then returned to Goucher and served as Interim Head Women's Soccer coach in the spring of 2005. Pflugrad landed his last position before heading to Winston-Salem, at High Point University, where he was Assistant Men's Soccer Coach for 2005.


He coached with the North Carolina and Colorado ODP systems prior to coming back to his alma mater. Pflugrad was an assistant coach for the North Carolina 89 unit, which won an ODP National Championship in 2007 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. He also served as head coach for the 90, 91, 92 Colorado boys ODP teams. Pflugrad holds a USSF "B" License.


Pflugrad received his bachelor's degree from Roanoke College in 2002, where he was a four-year starter on the Maroons men's soccer team. He ranked highly in many statistical categories. The midfielder was a four-time All-ODAC performer, including first-team honors in his final two seasons. He was named team captain as a senior in 2001, leading the team to their first ODAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in nearly a decade.


He currently resides in Roanoke with his wife Briana Banks, Roanoke's Head Field Hockey Coach.