Coaching Staff

Tony McManus, who spent nine years playing professionally, enters his seventh season with the men's soccer coaching staff and third as Richard Mulrooney's associate head coach.

McManus joined the Tigers program after spending the 2013 season at Stetson University as an assistant coach, recruiting and travel coordinator for the Hatters.

"Tony was a person I thought of right off the bat when I was first hired," said head coach Richard Mulrooney. "I got to meet Tony at a recruiting event in 2013 and the impression he made on me was huge. He is a first-class person who was raised here in the city of Memphis and brings a ton of credibility with him to the field from his playing days in college as well as MLS. He comes from Stetson University and the knowledge and experience he gained from there will help us tremendously here at Memphis."

The Memphis, Tenn., native played a critical role in developing a team that reached new heights as a member of the American Athletic Conference. Memphis picked up 10 wins, the most in a single season during McManus’ Memphis career. McManus was also a factor in the Tigers having five all-conference players. Sam Ashton was named first team all-conference, while Ben Roberts and Gurman Sangha landed on the second team. Additionally, Peter Chang and Ford Hunt were named to the all-rookie team.

McManus has helped develop multiple AAC All-Conference selections including David Zalzman and Ben Roberts. Both players were selected to the Second-Team All-Conference. Zalzman led the team with seven points, and he tied with Roberts as leading scorers with two goals each.

The duo of Roberts and Zalzman repeated the feat in 2018, both earning First-Team All-AAC. Most notably, the pair led the Tigers to a first round win over USF in the AAC Championship, claiming the first conference tournament win as members of the AAC.

Under McManus' tutelage, Raul Gonzalez, an AAC All-Conference player, became the first player under the current coaching staff to sign a professional soccer contract. Former keeper Jake Leeker and Zalzman have since joined that list, inking professional contracts of their own.

Before arriving in Florida, McManus spent one season at Oglethorpe University, a Division III school in Atlanta, Ga. In his lone season with the Stormy Petrels, McManus helped guide the team to the conference tournament semifinals and a 9-7 season record.

Before his time in the coaching ranks, McManus spent nine seasons playing in Major League Soccer (MLS), United Soccer Leagues (USL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL). He began his professional career with the Chicago Fire of the MLS in 2004.

A native Memphian, McManus spent much of his professional career playing for the Atlanta Silverbacks of the USL First Division from 2005-08 as a midfielder. In 2007, McManus appeared in 30 matches and helped the Silverbacks to the USL Championship Game. In 2005 McManus was a brief teammate of Head Coach Richard Mulrooney at FC Dallas where he spent the end of the season on loan, although they never played together because of an ACL injury suffered by Coach Mulrooney.

In 2009, McManus moved west to the Portland Timbers of the USL, who went on a 24-match winning streak that season, one of the longest unbeaten streaks in U.S. soccer history. The Timbers went on to claim the USL First Division Commissioner's Cup.

McManus stayed at Portland through the 2011 MLS season before stints with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Carolina Railhawks, both of the NASL. McManus won the Supporters Shield that year with the Railhawks.

In 2012, McManus returned to the Atlanta Silverbacks in the NASL where he went on to finish out his career as the all-time appearance holder with 132 appearances before retiring following that season.

Since 2004, McManus has worked with numerous youth soccer clubs that include the Roswell Soccer Club, Bridlemile Soccer Club, Vestavia Steamers, Chicago Sockers Soccer Club and the Triangle Soccer Club. Currently he is coaching at CSA Lobos Rush in Collierville, Tenn. as well as on the ODP Region Staff. McManus holds a USSF A license.

A four-year letterwinner at UAB, McManus received his Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in Health Education in 2003. McManus was a two-year captain for the Blazers during the 2002 and 2003 seasons as he captured National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and College Soccer News All-American honors during his senior campaign. He also garnered the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year award and was selected to the C-USA First Team and the First Team All-South Region in 2003. During his time in Birmingham, UAB was crowned C-USA champions in 1999, advancing to the Elite Eight that season to begin a span of three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
 

Norris Howze enters his fourth season as an assistant coach for head coach Richard Mulrooney and the University of Memphis men’s soccer program. Howze spent his previous stop as the director of operations at UAB following his four-year playing career with the Blazers.

Along with Howze’s coaching, Memphis reached new heights in 2019, winning 10 matches for the first time since 2011, while landing five players on all-conference teams. Senior forward Sam Ashton was named first team all-conference, while senior defender Ben Roberts and sophomore midfielder Gurman Sangha were named second team all-conference. Freshmen Ford Hunt and Peter Chang were also added to the all-rookie team.

Howze's second season on staff saw the duo of Roberts and Zalzman repeat as all-conference performers, this time as first-team selections. The Tigers also defeated USF with a 3-1 final score in the quarterfinal match of the AAC Championship, the first conference tournament win for the Tigers as members of the American Athletic Conference.

His first season as an assistant coach saw two players become Second-Team All Conference picks. Ben Roberts and David Zalzman finished tied with the most goals on the team at two. Zalzman also pitched in three assists as he led the team with seven points.

As the director of operations at UAB, Howze was responsible for the organization of travel and meals for the Blazers along with day-to-day office operations. During his time at UAB, Howze had the opportunity to travel to the Netherlands and Italy as a player and director of operations.

While playing for UAB from 2010 to 2013 as defensive midfielder, Howze saw action in 69 games with a pair of goals scored. In 2011, he was selected to the UAB ‘Soccer For A Cure’ Classic All-Tournament team for his role in helping the Blazers to the championship. Howze was also the teams Most Improved Player in 2011.

After his time playing with the Blazers, Howze continued his playing career for two summers with the Birmingham Hammers, a team in the National Premier Soccer League, in 2015 and 2016.

Also in the time between his stints at UAB, Howze was the BUSA Academy coach in the spring of 2014, the Oak Mountain High School freshman head coach and assistant varsity coach in 2014 and 2015, and the Vestavia Academy coach in 2015 to 2017.

A native of Hoover, Ala., Howze was a four-year varsity starter at Hoover High School coached by Kris Keplinger. Coming into college, Howze was the No. 6 player in the South by TopDrawerSoccer.com. In 2009, he was named to the North-South All-Star contest and was an all-state and all-metro selection following his senior year.

Remco de Jong | Volunteer Goalkeeper Coach

Remco de Jong is in his 17th season with the Memphis men's soccer program as the volunteer goalkeeping coach.

Most recently, de Jong played a key role in the success of goalkeeper Jake Leeker. Leeker was a solid force in goal for the Tigers as he finished his career with a 1.43 goals against average. After graduating, Leeker signed a professional contract to play for Real Monarchs SLC of the USL.

De Jong's guidance was instrumental for goalkeeper Conor Hurley in 2011. Hurley posted the most wins (11) and shutouts (6) by a Memphis keeper since 2004. Hurley was a 2011 All-Conference USA third team selection for his performance.

Under de Jong's tutelage, former U of M keeper Tyler Strom led C-USA in goals-against average (0.91) and was third in save percentage (.791) in 2007. Strom's 1.17 career GAA ranks second all-time at Memphis.

De Jong was also responsible for goalkeeper Michael Goodlett's development during his U of M career (2006-09). Former head coach Richie Grant credits de Jong for Goodlett's progress in becoming one of C-USA's top goalkeepers. Goodlett ended his career with the program's third-best, all-time goals-against average.

A native of Amsterdam, de Jong started playing soccer at Ajax in the Netherlands when he was 10 years old. As a goalkeeper with Ajax, he played with John van het Schip, Stanly Menzo and Marco van Basten, who coached the Dutch National Team to a 2006 World Cup round of 16 appearance.

De Jong's U18 team, coached by three-time European Cup champion Johan Cruyff, won the Netherlands National Championship in 1981-82. His Ajax 3 team also won the national championship in 1985-86 and was a regional champion from 1985-88.

In Holland, de Jong coached the amateur club RKAVIC from 1996-2000. He came to the U.S. in 2001 and began coaching goalkeepers with the West Tennessee Futbol Club Dragons. He is in his eighth year with the club that just recently merged with the Tennessee Rush Soccer Club.

De Jong is married to Angela de Jong-Angelici, a freelance writer/producer and karate instructor in Bartlett. The couple has two children: a daughter, Alyssa, and a son, Luca.

Brad Ruhanen | Strength and Conditioning Coach

Brad Ruhanen joined the University of Memphis Athletic Performance staff as Director of Athletic Performance for Olympic Sports in July 2015.

In his role, Ruhanen is responsible for the strength and conditioning programs for student-athletes competing in 16 sports at the University of Memphis.

Ruhanen joined the Memphis staff from Oral Roberts University where he had worked the past four years. He was named the Director of Sports Performance at ORU in March 2013.

At Oral Roberts, Ruhanen and his staff provided a culture of hands-on coaching, which like on the practice field or court, demanded great effort.

Ruhanen previously worked as a graduate assistant at North Dakota State where he worked with football and men’s golf, wrestling and softball as well as both the men’s and women’s track and field student-athletes competing in the throwing events. He also worked one year as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Michigan Technology University. Ruhanen’s experience also includes working as a graduate assistant football coach.

Ruhanen graduated from Michigan Tech in 2006 with a degree in management information systems. He played wide receiver while also taking on the role of kickoff and punt returner during a four-year playing career at Michigan Tech. He was a team captain and named the most outstanding freshman during the 2002 season.

He has reached Level 1 Sports Performance Certification through the USAW and is CPR/AED certified. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.