Rachel Roche
Associate Director, Compliance & Eligibility, Senior Administrator
Athletics
About Rachel
After a 19-year stint as the Bulldogs' Sports Information Director, Rachel Roche was named the Associate Director of Athletics in a restructuring of the department's administrative team in September 2019. Roche provides leadership for major events such as the Edwin B. Hales Golf Classic and the Athletics Hall of Fame. She has primary oversight for team schedules, student-athlete education and well-being, postseason host bids, championship travel, and tournament logistics. In 2022, she took on the responsibilities of Compliance and Eligibility Coordinator.
Since 2007, she has served as the Senior Woman Administrator. In early 2019, she was selected to attend the NCAA's Division III-specific Senior Woman Administrator Program in Atlanta, Georgia.
Roche was honored with the 2007 President’s Award for Administrators, which recognizes the top employees of the year at the University of Redlands. That year she also completed the HERS Institute for Administrative Advancement through the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA), now the Women Leaders in College Sports, in Denver, CO.
Besides Women Leaders in College Sports, Roche is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). In addition, she serves on the D3soccer.com Women's Top-25 Poll. On campus, she has represented the department on a variety of committees related to mental health, retention, and more.
Throughout her career, Roche has elevated the expectations and success of sports information at Redlands by adding technology, enhancing the Bulldogs’ social media presence, and maintaining a relentless pursuit of excellence. As an institution, Redlands has hosted various national championships, NCAA early-round events, and conference tournaments with high commendation. Her former graduate assistants have landed full-time jobs with junior colleges; NCAA Division I, II, and III programs; professional sports; and public relations firms.
She originally worked as the Athletic Facility and Event Coordinator and Assistant Volleyball Coach for one year and then moved into the role of Assistant Director of Athletics with direct oversight in Sports Information. She stepped away from the coaching ranks in 2006 and began serving as the Senior Woman Administrator for the Bulldogs.
Roche graduated from the College of William & Mary in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. She gained experience as a student athletic trainer, working primarily with the Tribe women’s soccer team. She later earned her Master of Arts in Educational Administration through the University of Redlands. As part of her coursework, Roche completed a grant proposal for an internship and received $15,000 in funding for a new position in the Bulldog Athletics Department.
In her spare time, Roche likes to travel, attend sporting events, and hang out with friends and family. She is married to Geoff Roche, who coached the Bulldog tennis teams from 2000-2021. They reside in Redlands with their daughter, Kenzie.