Soccer
Mike Montoro
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia College soccer coach Wealthy Rodriguez has introduced that longtime defensive assistant coach and coordinator Jeff Casteel has rejoined the Mountaineer teaching employees because the bandits coach.
“Jeff has an impressive resume of defensive success, together with being a key member of our employees throughout probably the most profitable durations in West Virginia historical past,” Rodriguez mentioned. “I’m excited to as soon as once more have him on my teaching employees. His expertise and management shall be a beneficial asset for our teaching employees and gamers.”
Casteel is reunited with Rodriguez as soon as once more after serving as his line of defense coach in 2001, co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2002 and defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2003-07 at West Virginia. He rejoined Rodriguez from 2012-16 because the defensive coordinator at Arizona.
Casteel most lately served because the senior defensive analyst and director of highschool relations at WVU from March 2020 – June 2023.
Casteel has 35 years of defensive teaching expertise, together with 27 years as a coordinator. He has helped information groups to 14 convention championships and 15 bowl appearances and has coached quite a few All-Individuals {and professional} gamers. He was named the Rivals Defensive Coordinator of the 12 months in 2007, Huge East Defensive Coordinator of the 12 months in 2008, a Broyles Award nominee (5 instances) and the Soccer Scoop Linebacker Coach of the 12 months in 2014.
Throughout his tenure at WVU, the Mountaineers skilled one in every of their biggest durations of success, together with profitable three BCS bowl video games – 2006 Sugar Bowl, 2008 Fiesta Bowl and the 2012 Orange Bowl.
Casteel returned to West Virginia in 2020 after serving because the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Nevada for 3 years. In 2019, the Wolfpack completed 7-6 and earned a spot within the Well-known Idaho Potato Bowl. In 2018, 5 of his starters earned All-Mountain West honors. From his first 12 months to his second 12 months, the Nevada protection improved from permitting 208.2 yards per sport dashing to 142 and dropped the entire protection from permitting 471.3 yards to 378.3 yards per sport. 4 of his gamers earned All-Mountain West Convention honors.
At Arizona, Casteel helped lead the Wildcats to the 2014 Pac-12 South championship and 4 bowl appearances, together with the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. The protection aided in setting a college report for many wins over a four-year interval.
Whereas at WVU, the protection helped the WVU soccer program win six Huge East Convention championships and produced 4 All-Individuals, three Tutorial All-Individuals, 9 all-conference honorees and 23 skilled gamers.
The Mountaineers completed No. 3 within the nation in whole protection in 2010, No. 7 in 2007 and No. 15 in 2005.
He additionally hung out at UTEP because the defensive ends coach (2000) and at Shepherd College, first because the line of defense and power coach from 1988-90 and because the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 1991-2000.
Casteel earned his bachelor’s (1984) and grasp’s levels (1986) from California College of Pennsylvania. He began his teaching profession as a graduate assistant at his alma mater from 1984-86, earlier than changing into the defensive coordinator at Palmetto Excessive College in Miami, Florida, and was a coaching camp assistant with the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Soccer League in 1989.
Casteel, and his spouse, Rosemary, have two kids, Jake, who will be part of his father on the Mountaineer teaching employees as a defensive analyst, and Sarah, a graduate of West Virginia.
