Mario Rincon just completed his fifth season as an assistant coach after joining the staff on Jan. 23, 2012.
Rincon and the Razorbacks concluded their 2016 season at an all-time record 18-5-1 mark and accomplished several historic program milestones. He guided senior goalkeeper Cameron Carter to an overall season career-high 18 wins, a career-low 1.04 goals allowed average and six shutouts on the year. The Razorbacks would also earn a pair of wins against two top-five programs in 2016, both at home: Against then-No. 2 Duke on Aug. 26 and against then-No. 4 Florida on Sept. 16. The victory against Duke was the program’s first win against a top-10 opponent in school history while the win against the Gators was the program’s first win in 21 attempts.
These results, combined with other victories against quality opponents in 2016 would propel Arkansas to its highest ranking in national polls and NCAA RPI standings: The Razorbacks would conclude the 2016 season ranked No. 19 in the nation after peaking at No. 11 in early October, and the team climbed to as high as No. 9 in NCAA RPI rankings in late September. The Razorbacks would compete in their first SEC Tournament championship match since 1996 after defeating Vanderbilt and Auburn in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, respectively, and would also earn its third NCAA Tournament bid in four years.
Razorback Soccer completed the 2015 season at 6-11-1. Season highlights included a 2-2 tie in double-overtime against No. 10 South Carolina on Oct. 2, the program’s first result against a top-10 program since 2007; the selection of hybrid defender/midfielder Carly Hoke as the 2015 SEC Freshman of the Year; and senior defender Teni Butler being named by the Razorback Foundation as a Red Tie Co-Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Home attendance was also strong for a second consecutive year, with the all-time attendance mark at Razorback Field topped on Aug. 23 against TCU.
Rincon helped lead the Razorbacks to a 9-7-6 overall mark in 2014, giving the program its first back-to-back winning season since the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Arkansas was also the No. 9 seed in the conference tournament and earned the program’s second consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament (second in school history). After picking up a 3-2 overtime victory at Oklahoma in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, the Razorbacks fell at No. 3 Stanford, 1-0, in the Round of 32 to end the season.
In 2013, Rincon helped guide Arkansas to one of its most successful seasons in program history after reaching the final round of 16 in the program’s NCAA Tournament debut. His guidance helped Arkansas to a 15-8-1 overall record, the most wins in a season, and its first SEC Tournament win in 17 years. He worked with freshman goalkeeper Cameron Carter, who broke three season records in her first season, with 23 games played, 14 wins and 2,142 minutes spent guarding the net.
In addition to a successful season on the field, the Razorbacks also collected several accolades including the NSCAA Team Academic Award. Sophomore midfielder Ashleigh Ellenwood earned Second Team All-SEC and Second Team All-South Region, while Allie Tripp was named SEC Player of the Week. In addition, the Razorbacks ended the season ranked No. 24 in the Top Drawer Soccer Postseason Top 25.
In his first season with the Razobracks he helped lead the team to a 9-10-1, 6-6-1 Southeastern Conference record that resulted in Arkansas’ first SEC Tournament bid since 2000. In 2011, the Razorbacks were 4-14-0 and 2-9-0 in the SEC. In 2012, with a senior class of just two – Andrea Carlson and Allie Chandler – the Razorbacks managed a 4.5 game improvement from 2011, including four more wins in conference play.
His leadership helped Arkansas set a school record with six conference wins.
Rincon was an assistant at Army in 2011 after spending the three previous seasons as an assistant at Florida Gulf Coast University. Rincon is the recruiting coordinator, coaches the goalkeepers and handles day-to-day organizational details.
Rincon has 16 years of coaching experience, including helping start the program at FGCU with a 32-16-6 mark in his three seasons (2008-10). He helped the 2010 team finish 11-5-3 overall with a school-record .658 winning percentage and 6-2-2 mark in the Atlantic Sun Conference. He helped Army to a 12-4-5 mark in 2011.
Prior to his stint at FGCU, Rincon was on the staffs at Wright State, Baylor, Duke, Miami and Lynn University. During his two-year stay at Wright State (2006-07), Rincon helped the Raiders to a 23-8-5 mark.
Rincon spent two years at Baylor (2004-05) where he was instrumental in recruiting a freshman class that Soccer Buzz ranked nationally in 2004. Three players earned All-Big 12 conference honors, eight were named to the academic unit along with goalkeeper Ashley Holder being invited to the U-21 Women’s National Team training camp.
An excellent recruiter, he helped bring in a freshman class that ranked No. 8 by Soccer Buzz during his one-year stay at Duke. Five players were all-conference selections that fall with another named to the SCAA All-Southeast Region first team. In addition, he was instrumental in the development of an Atlantic Coast Conference first-team goalkeeper who was part of the Icelandic National Team at the Pre-World Cup Qualifier.
After joining the Miami staff in the fall of 2000, Rincon served as the interim coach from February-July 2001. He played a key role in helping the school earn its first national ranking along with receiving a bid to the 2001 NCAA Tournament. He also assisted in the development of the school’s first player to earn a spot on the Mexican National Team.
Rincon broke into the collegiate coaching ranks at Lynn University and was instrumental in helping the Fighting Knights to three NCAA Division II Final Four finishes, including winning the national title (19-1-0) in 1998 and runner-up honors in 1996 (20-1-0) along with reaching the semifinals in 1997 (19-2-0).
Rincon earned his degree in business administration from Lynn in 1999 after playing college soccer at Central Florida (1990-93). In addition to collegiate coaching, Rincon was the team administrator, scout and coach with Major League Soccer’s New York Metrostars (Jan. 1999-April 2000). The team won the Eastern Conference title with Rodrigo Faria earning 2001 MLS Rookie of the Year honors.
An Olympic Development coach for girls’ soccer since 1998 in the states of Florida, Ohio and North Texas, along with being a member of the Region II staff in 1992 and 1994, Rincon holds a United Soccer Federation “A” License and a NSCAA Advanced National License.
