Bio

Rick Larson holds the distinction of currently being the longest tenured coach for Schoolcraft College athletics while entering his 20^th season at the helm of its highly successful men’s soccer program.

Larson hit the ground running in his first season (2006) and has proven to be one of the top coaches in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) posting an overall record of 265-58-20 in 20 seasons. His 265 wins ranks tenth all-time among active NJCAA coaches and is 26^th all-time.

He has guided the Ocelots to a total of seven NJCAA National Tournament appearances – five in Division I and two others in Division III for the years of 2008, 2009 (Final 4), 2014, 2015, 2017 (runner-up), 2022, 2023, along with a pair of NJCAA Division III District appearances (2018 and 2019).

In addition to being a perennial force at the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (14 titles), Larson has coached Schoolcraft to nine Region XII regular season championships and 11 Region XII titles (between Division II and III), along with six District crowns.

During Larson’s impressive run, Schoolcraft also earned a No. 1 ranking nationally in the NJCAA on Oct. 5, 2011 for the first time in school history en route to a historic 22-0-1 season.

In 2023, Schoolcraft finished 17-4 overall including MCCAA, Region XII and Northeast District championships while earning a trip to the NJCAA Nationals last November in Tucson, Arizona. 

Three Ocelot sophomores earned NJCAA Division II All-American postseason honors including forward Dante Davidson, Livonia Franklin (first team); midfielder Gavin Brose, Livonia Stevenson (second team); and goalie Brenden Ware, Stevenson (third team).

Meanwhile, three of Larson’s former players currently play professionally in the USL Championship ranks including Connor Rutz (Detroit City FC), Dylan Borzak (Memphis 901 FC) and Alex Dalou (Tulsa FC).

Larson was inducted into the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2021. He also coached back-to-back MVPs in the 2023 and 2024 MHSSCA All-Star games, including his son Kellen (Detroit Catholic Central), who will be a sophomore this fall for the Ocelots, along with Sebi Roy (Clarkston).

The 55-year-old Larson maintains a simple philosophy with prospective recruits highlighting the impressive athletic amenities that the program and school provide.

“What we’re trying to get across to the player that attends Schoolcraft, you’re going to have an amazing experience,” he said. “And that experience is a holistic experience. Athletes who aren’t in-district find it remarkable when they step on the campus because of all the brand-new facilities. And that’s outside of the fact that we have a state-of -the art collection of soccer fields on campus . . .  there are soccer facilities, but there’s volleyball facilities, there’s athletic training facilities, there’s a doctor’s office, there’s emergency medicine . . . we have so many things to offer, and all on campus.”

But no matter what the sport, Larson believes all Schoolcraft student-athletes across the board will receive first-class treatment from its athletics administration spearheaded by the leadership of A.D. Patrick Yelsik.

“The department really tries to take care of the athlete from how we are outfitted on the field to how we travel,” Larson said. “For regionals the players feel like they’re well-taken care of and I think that you can see from our success in elimination tournaments that, of course, the players are good and they’re in a great environment and that allows them to perform their best at the right time of the year. And in NJCAA National Tournaments, it’s second to none. Most significantly, we make sure that the environment feels right to them, and they’re in a place that sets them up for success.  At Schoolcraft, a foundation is created for each athlete, so at their next stop, more than likely, a four-year school they are equipped with the knowledge that it takes to be successful.”

Larson, meanwhile, is now wearing two coaching hats for the Ocelots after he was named in 2023-24 to lead both the men’s and women’s golf programs at Schoolcraft.

“Coach Larson is the epitome of leadership who has helped shape now generations of Schoolcraft student-athletes,” Yelsik said. “As much success as he’s had with winning games and propelling our men’s soccer program into national prominence, his top priority always has been and will be the students.  I look forward to continuing watching Coach Larson’s profound impact at Schoolcraft College.”

THE LARSON FILE

OTHER COLLEGE COACHING EXPERIENCE

Madonna University women’s soccer (1998-2000): Head coach, reached the 2000 NAIA Final Four (first in school history; team was inducted into the MU Hall of Fame in 2012); Oakland University women’s soccer: Associate head coach (2001-03).

HIGH SCHOOL COACHING EXPERIENCE

Madison Heights Bishop Foley girls (1995-2001): MHSAA Class B-C-D champs (1995, 1997); D3 champs (1998, 1999); D2 champs (2001); D2 runner-up 2000); Bloomfield Hills Lahser girls soccer (2004-06): D2 runner-up (2006); Livonia Clarenceville boys basketball (1994-99): varsity head coach; Clarenceville boys soccer (1996): varsity head coach.

OTHER COACHING EXPERIENCE

Club: Livonia Soccer Club, Livonia City SC, AC Milan Detroit, Wolves Academy, Nationals Academy.

COACHING CERTIFICATIONS

U.S. Soccer: ‘A’ License; Asian Football Confederation (Australia): ‘B’ license.

EDUCATION

Clarenceville High School: 1987 grad (played basketball, tennis, baseball, football); Central Michigan University: 1992 grad with a B.A. degree in Earth Science & Geography.

FAMILY

Wife: Kari, attorney for Axiom; son: Kellen, 19, sophomore at Schoolcraft (member of the men’s soccer team): daughter: Summer, 16, junior, Northville High (plays club soccer for Liverpool International Academy): dogs: Lizzie, 11; Lola, 8 months.

Coach Larson's Past 9 Seasons