Thursday, November 21st, 2019 --  Tucson native and Phoenix Rising FC head coach Rick Schantz was named the USL Championship Coach of the Year.

This past season was Schantz's first full season as the head coach and he guided Phoenix Rising FC to the 2019 USL Regular Season Title. In addition to the regular-season title, Phoenix Rising FC set the league record for most wins (24), most points (89) in a single season, and set the North American modern-era professional record with a 20-match winning streak. 

Schantz joined the Phoenix Rising FC coaching staff as an assistant coach on January 9, 2017, and served two terms as the interim head coach before being named the head coach on November 14, 2018. His career regular-season record stands at 36-10-9. 

Prior to joining Phoenix Rising FC, Schantz was one of the founding owners of Premier Development League's FC Tucson along with Jonathan Pearlman, Greg Foster, and Chris Keeney. Schantz served as the head coach from 2010-2017 where he compiled a winning record of 71-22-17. He also guided FC Tucson to the Western Conference Finals in three consecutive seasons and a third-round appearance in the 2013 U.S. Open Cup where he eliminated two professional clubs in the process. 

Schantz played high school soccer at Salpointe Catholic High School and worked within the youth soccer scene in Tucson for more than 20 years. He founded Calcio FC, organized the Gunners Competitive Program at Fort Lowell Soccer Club, and served as a coach with CDO Soccer Club.