Six-time NAIA National Coach of the Year, Coach Ray Wells has directed Lindsey Wilson College to a 348-59-19 overall record in 18 seasons as the Blue Raiders only head coach.

Wells has guided the men's soccer program to seven NAIA National Championships (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2005) and an .839 winning percentage entering his 19th season.

Wells created the men's varsity soccer program from scratch in 1990, and led the Blue Raiders to a 115-9-2 record while winning four NAIA National Championships during a five year stretch (1998-2002) in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

Along the way, Wells' teams have produced winning streaks of 28 (the longest in NAIA soccer history), 22, 20, and 13 games, and hold the second-longest unbeaten string in NAIA soccer history (31 games), which includes a 25-0-0 record during the 1998 championships season.

In over 21 collegiate seasons as a head coach, Coach Wells has led his teams to a combined mark of 420-95-29. At four-year institutions, Wells' record is 359-71-22 in 20 seasons.

At Lindsey Wilson, Wells' teams have reached the NAIA National Tournament 15 times in 18 years, including appearances in the NAIA National Championship game seven of the past 12 seasons, where the Blue Raiders have never lost. The Blue Raiders' record in the NAIA National Tournament is 34-8-4 (.783 win pct.).

Since the inception of the Lindsey Wilson men's soccer program, the Blue Raiders have lost just two conference games. Formally of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) and currently as a member of the Mid-South Conference (MSC), Wells' teams have posted a 77-2-1 record in conference regular season games and a 113-3-1 record against conference foes all-time, including 14 consecutive post-season conference tournament titles.

Wells has guided Lindsey Wilson to 170-14-7 (.914 win pct.) record at home, including a 96-11-1 mark in the first seven seasons at Lindsey Wilson Park, the Blue Raiders' state-of-the-art on-campus soccer stadium.

Wells has been named KIAC Coach of the Year on seven different occasions and Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year three times, along with being named NAIA regional coach of the year six times.

During his first nine years at Lindsey Wilson, Coach Wells was also Lindsey Wilson's athletic director, where he oversaw the development of 13 new sports programs.

Prior to becoming a coach, Wells was a standout collegiate player at Appalachian State (NC) University, earning All-Southern Conference honors in 1981. After earning his bachelor's degree in 1982, Coach Wells was hired as assistant men's soccer coach at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. He spent one season as an assistant before being elevated to the head coaching post in 1983, leading the Eagles to an 11-12-3 record in two seasons.

In 1985, Wells was named head men's soccer coach at Andrew College, a junior college in Cuthbert, Ga., where in five seasons he led the Tigers to a 61-24-7 overall record, including a trip to the NJCAA Final Four in 1988.

In his 20+ seasons as a head coach, Wells' teams have produced 70 All-Americans (67 at LWC), 86 all-region choices, and 144 all-conference performers.

Wells and his wife, Cindy, have two sons, Chris and Trae.

  Education

High School: Miami Norland Senior High, 1977
College: Miami Dade Community College-North, 1979 (AA)
Appalachian State University, 1981
Georgia Southern University, 1984 (MED)
Georgia Southern University, 1985 (EDS)   Collegiate Coaching Career   1982: Asst. Coach (Georgia Southern Univ.)   Georgia Southern University 

  Andrew College (Junior College) 

  Lindsey Wilson College 

Contact Information

Office: Morrison House
Phone: 270-384-8069
Fax: 270-384-8078
Mail: 210 Lindsey Wilson Street, Columbia, KY 42728
E-Mail: wellsr@lindsey.edu