Rhett Soliday returns for his second season as the Head Coach of the Vanguard Basketball program, after his inaugural season in 2010-2011. Inheriting the Lions in April of 2010, Soliday and his staff made some quality additions and competed at a high level in the Golden State Athletic Conference. The 2011-2012 Lions return seven active players from a season ago, and add ten newcomers to the mix, trying to build off the previous year.
Vanguard opens the 11-12 campaign picked seventh in the GSAC preseason poll. Aside from the rigorous 18-game GSAC slate, Soliday and his squad will have several tough tests with pre-conference schedule this fall, including a matchup with NAIA preseason No. 2 Mountain State University (WV) on November 11. Vanguard also hosts a pair of holiday tournaments, playing two games over Thanksgiving and after Christmas in the inaugural Bill Reynolds Classic at VU.
Soliday was selected as the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Vanguard University on April 5th by the Vanguard Athletic Department. Soliday had served as an assistant coach at University of California, Irvine for the last four years and four years at Concordia University prior to the UCI assignment.
Soliday's first experience with the Golden State Athletic Conference came as a player when he transferred to Concordia from Big Bend Community College. He joined the coaching ranks immediately after a successful two-year playing career for the Eagles, where he earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete and GSAC Player of the Week, among other awards. Becoming one of the youngest head assistants in the country at the time (22 years old), Soliday helped Head Coach Ken Ammann and the staff turn the Concordia men's basketball program into a national champion. He was the lead recruiter for the Eagles as well as carrying offensive and defensive duties on the court, scouting and game strategy, academic monitoring and mentoring, and strength and conditioning duties off the court. In his four-year term at CUI, the Eagles were the 2003 NAIA Champions, 2004 NAIA Runner-ups, 2005 GSAC Tournament Champions and 2005 NAIA Tournament participants.
Soliday moved on to the NCAA Division I level to join the staff of Head Coach Pat Douglass at UC Irvine, where he served as an assistant coach for the next four years. His recruiting efforts paid off once again as the Anteaters made it to the Big West Conference Tournament Championship game in 2008, for only the second time in school history. UCI was a BWC Tournament semifinalist in 2007 and a BWC Tournament participant in 2010, while finishing fourth in the BWC in 2009. In addition to recruiting, Soliday was active in every area of practice and instruction, as well as scouting opponents and game day preparation, and monitoring and mentoring players off the court.
"I feel honored and blessed to be the head coach at Vanguard," states Soliday. "All of my personal and professional development to this point has been geared toward being prepared for this opportunity. It's not just about being a head coach, but about working at an institution like Vanguard with the quality of leadership that makes it so special."
Aside from having extensive local and national recruiting connections, a positive passion and knowledge of the game, Soliday, CUI's 2002 Champion of Character Award winner, will be a great fit for the basketball program and overall mission within Vanguard athletics and the entire institution.
"I couldn't be more excited about the challenge that lies ahead for the men's basketball program," Soliday continued. "What's great about the journey ahead is that not only will we get to mentor young men, but we get to do so with the support of an amazing community of believers who are fully committed to seeing each of them succeed and find significance in their lives."Soliday is married to his high school sweetheart Kim, and they have two daughters and a son: Peyton (6), Lucy (1) and Colton.
Brian "Boomer" Roberts returns to the sidelines for his second season as an assistant coach for the VUSC Men's Basketball program. Roberts joined the Men's Basketball coaching staff after two seasons serving as Russ Davis' lead assistant for the Vanguard Women's Basketball program. In his two seasons with the VU Women, Roberts helped the Lions to a 58-7 record and back-to-back Elite-8 finishes at the NAIA National Tournament. The Lions spent several weeks ranked No. 2 in the country, and never fell below fifth during Roberts' time as an assistant.
A student of the game and the son of a coach, Roberts' main duties include recruiting, scouting and game strategy, and assisting Soliday with the offense, along with on-court player development. Roberts works primarily with the guards and wings on individual skill training and improvement, specifically shooting and ball handling. Roberts also helps with team conditioning, academic monitoring, and co-leads the program's Bible studies.
Brian, nicknamed "Boomer", played four seasons for the VU men's basketball program. A two-time GSAC and NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Roberts was named Vanguard's Male Athlete Champion of Character as a senior. A pure shooter who scored 690 career points, he shot 42% from three-point range, making 155 treys in his 120-game career. Brian also made 79% of his free throws and tossed out 155 assists, playing an instrumental part in a pair of 20-win seasons and a trip to the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Championships during his career. Giving back to the Vanguard program with his love for the sport of basketball, there is no doubt that Roberts will help Vanguard Men's basketball return to the upper echelon of the GSAC.
"I am very excited about our second season as a staff and the new culture of the program," says Roberts. "Vanguard is a home to me, and this is a great chance to impact the lives of our guys. I look forward to helping Coach Soliday build this program back to where it should be."
Brian graduated from Vanguard in the spring of 2008 with a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies. In addition to his position as Assistant Coach, Roberts is also the Assistant Sports Information Director at Vanguard.
Brian and his wife, Brittney, a Vanguard alum, live in Irvine.
Brad rejoins Rhett Soliday as an assistant coach for the Lions, his second season at Vanguard. Known as a defensive-minded coach, Davis is reunited with Soliday once more, after serving on the same staff at Concordia University, Irvine.
Davis grew up in Pasadena in a basketball family. At last count, fourteen members of the Davis family played or coached college basketball. Brad followed suit and played Junior College basketball at Orange Coast College and Pasadena City College. In 1987, while redshirting at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Brad was invited to play for a basketball team touring Spain. After playing in Spain, he decided to enroll at Point Loma Nazarene University.
His experience working with the youth in Spain awakened a passion to teach and coach. He changed his major from computer science to education and finished his playing career at PLNU. After graduation, he began his teaching and coaching career, which includes stops at Blair High School, Tri-City High School, and San Clemente High School, as well as Concordia.
"I jumped at the chance to work with Coach Soliday once again, especially at a place like Vanguard," Davis states. "The VU program is about growing together as a family on and off the court, and I am proud to be a part of it."
Brad and his wife of 16 years, Erica, live in San Clemente, and have two great sons, Porter (9) and Shad (12).
Levi is back for his fifth season as an assistant for the Vanguard Lions men's basketball program, although he has remained in contact with the program since his graduation from VUSC in 2006. Returning to California after playing professionally for the Griffith Demons in Australia, Seekins will be the strength and conditioning coach for the Lions, as well as the Director of Weight Room and Intramurals.
Seekins began his collegiate coaching career after a four-year playing career with the Lions, where he developed as a person and as a player, finishing with an amazing senior season that included Vanguard Male Athlete of the Year and VU Male Champions of Character honors. He brings the same work ethic, desire, and dedication on the court in his coaching role. Seekins will focus on fitness and strength, conditioning, and individual player development for the forwards, primarily in settings outside practice and games. Seekins also helps with academic monitoring, and co-leads the program's Bible studies.
After graduating from Vanguard, Seekins earned a player/coach position with the Griffith Demons in the Australian League. Primarily a forward, Seekins was an overall force for the Demons, scoring a season-high 37 points against the Bathurst Goldminers. After one season in Australia, Seekins returned to his alma mater. Seekins co-led a basketball team on a mission trip to the Philippines in the summer of 2009, along with VU Associate Athletic Director Nolan Steputis. Joining Seekins and Steputis were former VU Men's Basketball players Dennis Heenan and Brian Bergerson.
As a student-athlete at Vanguard, Seekins developed from a walk-on, to a role player, to the team's leading scorer as senior. Named a co-captain as a senior in 2005-2006, Seekins became the Lions' go-to player, averaging 16.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Levi helped Vanguard earn a third-place finish in the GSAC and the program's first NAIA National Tournament appearance since 1990. For his efforts, Seekins was honored as an All-GSAC player and an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American.
"I am excited to work for Coach Soliday, and be a part of the new Vanguard program," Seekins states. "VU has been instrumental in my life, and this is going to be a fun year. I am looking forward to seeing how we compete this season."
Seekins is single and lives in Costa Mesa.
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