Athletics > Women's Soccer > Coach
Wheaton Ranked 12th Nationally in Final NSCAA Poll
Meet the Coach
Luis Reis
Head Coach
Head coach Luis Reis begins his 11th season with the Wheaton women's soccer program, currently owning one of the best winning percentages among active NCAA Division III coaches in the country at 196-30-7 (.856).
Under Reis' tutelage, the Lyons have qualified for 10 straight postseason appearances, including reaching the NCAA Tournament Final Four for the first time in program history in 2004. Wheaton also posted back-to-back NCAA Tournament national quarterfinal finishes in 2002 and 2003 and seven consecutive NCAA bids from 2000-06. Capturing three straight regional championships from 2002-04, Reis also guided the Lyons to an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament title in 1999 and New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament championships from 2000-04 and in 2006.
Following his team's success in 2004 came several individual coaching accolades, as Reis was named National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas New England Coach of the Year and NEWMAC Coach of the Year. Recognized by the NSCAA for the third occasion and by the NEWMAC for the second straight year, Reis has also garnered New England Women's Intercollegiate Soccer Association (NEWISA) Coach-of-the-Year accolades in four of the last eight seasons.
A scout for the Portuguese women's national team and a Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) state staff instructor since 1994, Reis was the 2005 head coach of the Massachusetts Premier Soccer (MPS) Boston Renegades, who feature current and former NCAA Division I players and top international talent. The Renegades were the top seed from their division and conference semifinalists under Reis. He also coached the 1996 F.C. Greater Boston Bolts U20 women's soccer club to the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) national finals and the 2000 Spirit of Massachusetts U15 girls team to a State Cup title.
In 1998, Reis became an NSCAA premier licensed coach and was named a USYSA Region 1 Olympic Development Program (ODP) staff coach, a position he still holds today. He also earned a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) national "A" license in 1997, 2001 and 2005, and an NSCAA advanced national diploma in 1996.
Reis, who was the head coach of the Massachusetts U17 Olympic Development team in 1998 and 1999, came to Wheaton after leading the Bridgewater State College men's soccer program for five years (1992-96). Possessing a 56-31-8 record, his team qualified for ECAC Tournaments in 1993, 1994 and 1996, and captured the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Tournament championship in 1994.
Formerly a professional soccer player with the Boston Storm of the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL) in 1995, Reis earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and physical education from California State University at East Bay, formerly known as California State University at Hayward, in 1991. In his junior season, the center midfielder helped lead his 1989 team to the NCAA Division II Tournament Final Four. He was named captain in 1990.
Born in Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal, Reis attended Taunton High School, where he held the all-time scoring record (42 goals in three varsity seasons) for 11 years. Reis and his wife, Paula, reside in Franklin with son Samuel and twins Daniel and Natalie.
The Reis File
| Year | Overall | League | Highlight(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 13-5-2 | 4-2-1 | ECAC Tournament, NEW 8 Champs |
| 1998 | 13-7-0 | 6-2-0 | ECAC Tournament |
| 1999 | 23-2-0 | 8-0-0 | ECAC Champs |
| 2000 | 20-3-0 | 8-1-0 | NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC Champs |
| 2001 | 20-1-0 | 9-0-0 | NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC Champs |
| 2002 | 22-2-0 | 9-0-0 | NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC Champs |
| 2003 | 23-2-0 | 9-0-0 | NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC Champs |
| 2004 | 23-1-2 | 8-0-1 | NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC Champs |
| 2005 | 18-5-2 | 8-0-1 | NCAA Tournament |
| 2006 | 21-2-1 | 9-0-0 | NCAA Tournament, NEWMAC Champs |
| Totals | 196-30-7 | 78-5-3 | 10 Seasons |
Byron Brown
Assistant Coach
Byron Brown is in his first season as a women's soccer assistant coach at Wheaton after serving as a long-time assistant with the Eastern Connecticut State University men's team.
Brown has been a head staff coach at the Soccer Future Academy, Wheaton's boys' and girls' summer camp, since 2005 after assisting Eastern's men's team from 1999-2004. During that time, Brown also served as a recruiter while helping the Warriors qualify for four Little East Conference (LEC) Tournaments.
Prior to his stint at Eastern, Brown was the head varsity boys' coach in 1998 at Tourtellotte Memorial High School in North Grosvenordale, Connecticut, where he led the squad to the state quarterfinals and Sosnowski Memorial Tournament title.
Brown has additional experience coaching both genders, as he was the head staff coach at the Pioneer Soccer School for girls in West Hartford, Connecticut, from 1996-2005. In 2003 and 2004, Brown was the head coach of both the U16/17 girls' and U16 boys' teams for Juventus of Western Massachusetts, based in Springfield.
A two-year member of the University of Maine Division I men's soccer team, Brown also competed for the Black Bears' track and field team for three seasons. As a player, he won five league titles with Gremio Lusitano of the Pioneer Valley Summer Soccer League in western Massachusetts.
Brad Knighton
Assistant Coach
Brad Knighton joins the women's soccer staff this season while also serving as a reserve goalkeeper for the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer (MLS). He previously played professionally with the Indiana Invaders of the United Soccer Leagues' (USL) Premier Development League in 2006.
Knighton was a four-year starter at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and holds the program's career records in goals against average (1.08) and shutouts (24), and stands fourth in saves (296). In four years, from 2003-06, he started all but five of his team's games, going 41-25-9 with a .781 save percentage in nearly 7,000 minutes.
As a senior, Knighton set the school record by posting a 0.83 GAA. He was twice honored as a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Atlantic selection and was named Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) All-Conference on two occasions. Knighton also served on UNC Wilmington's student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC).
A native of Hickory, North Carolina, Knighton is working toward a degree from UNC Wilmington in exercise science.
This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 3/17/08.
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Portugal Trip
15-Mar Wheaton 3, U.D. Ponte Frielas 1
9-Mar Wheaton 2, Beira Mar A.C. 1
7-Mar Wheaton 3, Odivelas F.C. 0
