Tim Romanello
Head Men's Soccer Coach/Facilities and Events Coordinator

Rock Valley College selected Tim Romanello as the program's second coach in July 2019, replacing the retiring Frank Horvat.  Romanello came to RVC after spending two years as an Assistant Coach at both NCAA D1 Oakland University and University of Detroit Mercy; he has more than 17 years of coaching experience across all levels.

Romanello and his Golden Eagles are coming off the program's most successful season, finishing their spring 2020 campaign with an overall 7-4 record. The traditional fall competitive season of 2020 was moved to the spring of 2021 due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic. The 2021 Spring saw the Golden Eagles finish runners-up in both the North Central Community College Conference regular season standings and Region IV Tournament, an impressive enough mark to receive one of three NJCAA Division III National Tournament At-Large Bids. Seeded seventh, the Golden Eagles went 1-1, losing to national runners-up Camden County in the quarterfinals, then defeating the six-seed Monroe College-Bronx, 4-2, to conclude their historic season.

Enroute to their national tournament appearance, the program rewrote a bit of their own history book, finishing with the program's highest winning percentage (.636), points-per-match (1.91) and largest goal-differential (+16) to date, including the program's first winning record in conference play since 2015. Despite playing in five fewer games, the team finished third all-time in goals scored (34) in a season and second in goals scored-per-game (3.09). Six players made All-Conference and All-Region teams while Romanello was named N4C Coach of the Year.

Romanello inherited a RVC team that went 9-7 season in 2018. In his first year at the helm of Rock Valley College men's soccer team, Romanello went 7-8-1 overall, finishing fourth in both the N4C and NJCAA Region IV. The Golden Eagles won their first playoff game in three seasons. RVC appeared in their first semifinal since 2016, defeating Elgin Community College 4-3 in an overtime thriller. The quarterfinal win was Romanello's 75th collegiate win on the men's side.

Romanello spent 2017 and 2018 falls seasons as an Assistant Coach at NCAA D1 Oakland University. He also served as the Director of Player Development and head youth coach of five teams at Royal Oak FC, a position he has held since June 2017. Romanello has an extensive history in men's and women's soccer as he was both the men's and women's head coach at Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, Kansas. He was the head men's soccer coach from 2008 to 2017 and the women's head coach from 2011 to 2017. Prior to that he was the head men's soccer coach at University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan and an assistant at Lakeland University men's and women's soccer.

He has more than 17-plus years of experience coaching soccer overall and has coached players to 54 All-Region accolades, four NSCAA All-American teams and has brought in an average of 27 players per year (from 39 countries and 29 states). He rebuilt the Dodge City men's soccer program, coaching the team to a 50-38-5 mark across five years (2010-14). He also turned around the Dodge City women's soccer program, turning a three-win team into a squad that won 51 games in six seasons. At the time, Romanello coached the men's team to five winning seasons in seven years (and the only winning seasons in program history).

Romanello coached Dodge City CC to six-straight Region VI Women's Tournaments (2011-16) and seven consecutive Region VI Men's Tournaments (2010-16). He was named the Dodge City Coach of the Year in 2012 and coached both teams into the national rankings. Thirty-eight (38) of his players earned Academic All-Conference Awards, while 12 were NJCAA Academic All-Americans. In his 10 years as head coach, his team's had a cumulative GPA of 3.28.

"I want to thank Athletic Director Darin Monroe and the search committee for placing their trust in me, and giving me this opportunity to lead this program forward" said Romanello.  "it's a brilliant opportunity that RVC provides quality throughout- from its athletics, its campus, its people and the community.  I'm extremely excited about getting started and incredibly happy to be here."

"I would like to welcome Tim Romanello and his family to Rock Valley" Athletic Director Darin Monroe said. "Tim brings a wealth of experience to our Men's Soccer program having served as a former Junior College head coach and as an NCAA D1 assistant coach.  Tim also has experience as an Interim Athletic Director which will be extrermely beneficial as we continue to move our department forward in a positive direction.  The future of our Men's Soccer program is very bright under Coach Romanello."

Romanello and wife, Annie, and their two sons, Taylor (9) and Keaton (7) reside in Rockford, IL.