Kevan Watkins has completed his fifth season at Rock Valley College, leading the women’s soccer program to three consecutive NJCAA Division II National Tournament appearances. Watkins brings more than 20 years of coaching experience across the collegiate, Olympic Development Program (ODP), high school, and club levels. He holds a United States Soccer B License, a United Soccer Coaches Advanced National Diploma, Goalkeeper Level 2 certification, and multiple special topic diplomas through United Soccer Coaches.
The Golden Eagles matched the program record for wins during the 2025–2026 season, finishing with a 17-4-2 record. Rock Valley recorded 12 shutouts while scoring 75 goals, with 20 different players contributing either a goal or assist throughout the season. Nine players recorded 15 or more points, highlighting the team’s depth across the attacking and midfield positions. The program captured its third consecutive Region 4 Championship and Midwest District Championship while returning to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament. Rock Valley finished the season ranked No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches Junior College final national rankings.
Freshman Joscelyn Posada (6 goals, 9 assists) was named Region 4 Player of the Year while earning First Team All-Region 4 honors, NJCAA Second Team All-America recognition, United Soccer Coaches All-West Region honors, and United Soccer Coaches All-American recognition. Freshman center back Aniah Schaffer earned First Team All-Region 4 honors along with United Soccer Coaches All-West Region and All-American recognition. Additional All-Region 4 selections included Emilia Arias (Midfielder), Isabelle Rivera (Forward), and Izze Fritz (Midfielder).
Watkins was named Midwest District Coach of the Year following the season. The coaching staff of Watkins, Reegan Kingpavong, and Brynn Jacobi were also recognized as the United Soccer Coaches Midwest Staff of the Year.
The 2024–2025 season was another historic year for the Golden Eagles. Rock Valley finished 17-4-1, setting a program record for wins in a season. The team also recorded a program-record 13 shutouts while allowing just four goals in Region 4 play and finishing with a +72 goal differential. The Golden Eagles extended their unbeaten streak in Region 4 competition to 33 matches while capturing back-to-back Region 4 Championships and Midwest District Championships. Rock Valley entered the NJCAA Division II National Tournament as the No. 7 seed and finished the season ranked No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches Junior College national rankings.
Emma Ambrose, a captain and midfielder, recorded 10 goals and 16 assists while being named Region 4 Tournament MVP, First Team All-Region 4, NJCAA Second Team All-American, and a United Soccer Coaches All-American. Ambrose also finished her career as the program’s all-time assists leader with 32. Forward and captain Anika Elgin returned during the second half of the season and recorded 11 goals and six assists in 11 starts, earning First Team All-Region 4 and United Soccer Coaches All-American honors. Additional First Team All-Region 4 selections included Gisselle Farias (Defender), Isabelle Rivera (Forward), and Sydney Carlson (Defender).
Goalkeeper Naitzy Garcia set the program’s single-season shutout record with 13 and finished her career holding the program record for career shutouts with 17. Garcia also ranks third in program history in both single-season saves (60) and career saves (116).
Watkins was named Region 4 Coach of the Year and Midwest District Coach of the Year following the season. The Rock Valley coaching staff of Watkins, Jose Alonso, and Brynn Jacobi were also named the United Soccer Coaches Midwest Staff of the Year and were nominees for the United Soccer Coaches National Staff of the Year.
During the 2023–2024 season, Rock Valley achieved several program firsts, including its first NJCAA Division II National Tournament appearance, first Region IV Championship, and first Midwest District Championship. The Golden Eagles finished 16-4-3 while scoring a program-record 118 goals, averaging 5.13 goals per match. Rock Valley received its first NJCAA Division II national ranking and finished the season ranked No. 16 in the NJCAA poll and No. 12 in the United Soccer Coaches Junior College national rankings.
Individually, Anika Elgin led NJCAA Division II with 36 goals, 13 assists, and 85 points. Jocelyn Harms finished fourth nationally in total points with 26 goals and 17 assists for 69 points. The team produced four First Team All-Region IV selections, including the Region IV Player of the Year. The season also included one NJCAA All-American, one United Soccer Coaches All-American, NJCAA and United Soccer Coaches Player of the Week honors, two United Soccer Coaches DII Women’s West All-Region selections, one United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American, and multiple NJCAA Academic All-American selections. Watkins was named Region IV Coach of the Year and Midwest District Coach of the Year.
Rock Valley completed its first season competing in NJCAA Division II during the 2022–2023 campaign. With 13 new players joining seven returning players from the previous season, the Golden Eagles finished 10-4 and qualified for the NJCAA Division II Region IV Tournament. Rock Valley scored 59 goals in 14 matches, averaging 4.21 goals per game and finishing just shy of the program record. The team produced three First Team All-Region IV selections, one NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention selection, NJCAA and United Soccer Coaches Player of the Week honors, two NJCAA Academic All-Americans, and a Theta Chi Alpha National Honor Society recipient.
Watkins joined Rock Valley College in July of 2021 and quickly rebuilt the roster from five to 16 players within his first month on campus. The Golden Eagles finished the season with three wins and qualified for the NJCAA Region IV Division III Tournament. Two players earned N4C Conference and All-Region First Team honors, while four players received N4C Conference and All-Region Second Team honors. Three players were named NJCAA Academic All-Americans and three were recognized as Theta Chi Alpha National Honor Society recipients.
In addition to his collegiate coaching responsibilities, Watkins remains active in the Rockford soccer community with the Rockford Raptors organization. He has worked with the club’s United Women’s Soccer League teams since 2024 as the program entered the semi-professional UWS1 and UWS2 divisions. The UWS2 team finished first in the Midwest Division in 2025 with a 7-1 record.
Watkins also coaches the Raptors U-23 team competing in the Illinois Women’s Soccer League (IWSL). The team finished the 2023 season as State Champions and Regional Champions before placing fourth at the United States Adult Soccer National Tournament. The 2022 squad finished as State Finalists, Regional Champions, and qualified for the National Tournament. Watkins also serves as a head staff coach within the Rockford Raptors ECNL National League, Regional League, and Juniors programs.
Watkins has also served as a Head Staff Coach with the Alabama Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program since 2013, working with both boys and girls programs. During that time he helped develop players for the state of Alabama and Region III, including two players identified for the United States Youth National Team pool and 28 players selected to Region III teams.
Prior to his time at Rock Valley, Watkins gained extensive collegiate coaching experience on both the men’s and women’s sides of the game. He served as an assistant men’s soccer coach at Stetson University from 2004–2005 and again during the spring of 2011. He later worked as an assistant women’s coach at Shorter University, helping guide the program through its transition from NAIA competition in the Southern States Athletic Conference to NCAA Division II in the Gulf South Conference. During that transition, the program recorded a historic 14-9 record in its first eligible NCAA Division II season while producing an NCAA Division II and NCCAA Second Team All-American, winning an NCCAA Regional Championship, and qualifying for the national tournament. Seven players were named CoSIDA Academic All-District and three players earned First Team All-Conference honors.
From 2018 to 2021, Watkins served as an assistant with the Berry College men’s soccer program. The team finished the 2019 season with a 9-8-2 record and advanced to the Southern Athletic Association Tournament semifinal. That season produced one NCAA Division III All-Region Second Team selection, a Southern Athletic Association First Team selection and Conference Offensive Player of the Year, two Second Team All-Conference selections, a Southern Athletic Association Sportsmanship Team selection, and 11 Southern Athletic Association Academic Honor Roll selections. The 2018 team finished with a 10-5-2 record and earned five All-Southern Athletic Association selections along with a Google Cloud Academic All-District selection.
As a player, Watkins competed in the Premier Development League with the Cocoa Expos from 2001 to 2004. During the 2001 season the Expos reached the Eastern Conference Final and were crowned Southeast Region Champions. The team also competed in exhibition matches against MLS clubs Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion, the Haitian National Team, and multiple United States U-17 National Teams.
Watkins also played NCAA Division I men’s soccer at Stetson University from 1997 to 2001. A four-year starter and letterwinner, he helped lead the program to three Trans America Athletic Conference Tournament appearances while recording 20 career points.
