When strikers break through the back line, the last barrier standing between the ball and the back of the net is the goalkeeper; for the University of Rhode Island women’s soccer team, Assistant Coach Conner Golley has become a defining force in preparing goalkeepers for these situations.

Golley started as a goalkeeper himself, spending four seasons at Gannon University from 2018 to 2022, where he won three regular season conference titles. He then moved into the coaching scene, with his first opportunity being as an assistant coach for St. Bonaventure University, working primarily with goalkeepers. He initially coached for the men’s team only, then eventually coached the women as well.

In his time with the Bonnies, he supported and coached goalkeeper Chiara Gottinger ’24 to a 2023 Atlantic 10 Conference All-Academic selection. Honing his craft in New York from August 2023 to November 2024, Golley said he wanted to expand his coaching experience. Seeing an opportunity on the coach staff, Golley interviewed for a vacant position for Rhode Island and was added on by URI Head Coach Megan Jessee in April 2025.

During his four years at Gannon University, Golley said that he trained under and lived with leaders and teammates, something Golley said helped him build a base for his early coaching career.

“Being around that kind of leadership and being around those kinds of guys pushed you to a higher level,” Golley said.

Only four months after graduating from the institution, Golley got his first coaching opportunity as an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure. Working with both the men’s and women’s goalkeepers, Golley for the first time had to manage two coaching assignments.

“Having to balance both really helped me get into the coach’s life,” Golley said. “I had to have a routine; the guys practice in the morning, the girls at night, and they need different things. Getting that routine really helps you mature.”

While coaching for the Bonnies, Golley built his coaching style and started to develop his vision of what he wanted his coaching career to be. After spending two seasons with the university, he developed an affinity for the women’s side of the game, and a spot became available in Rhode Island.

“I think it was time for me as a person and as a coach to expand my repertoire,” Golley said. “I saw URI, I already knew the A-10, I knew I wanted to go to the women’s side and when I saw it came open, I pounced on it. The interview went well. I’m here, and I love it now. I don’t think it could’ve gone any better if I’m being honest.”

Since Golley joined Rhode Island’s coaching staff, the Rams have already surpassed their win total from last season. Of the team’s eight victories, under Golley’s guidance, seven have been shutouts, and the team has allowed the second-fewest goals in the A-10. For Golley, the goalkeeper’s success comes down to their mental toughness.

“Me being honest, when I was a goalkeeper, it always got to me,” Golley said. “I let in one goal, [and] it’s hard to forget about, but I think the biggest part is the encouragement. You can’t fix the goal you gave up in that moment. Our biggest thing, our GK Union, I like to call it, is ‘The Next Play.’ Is your next action going to be good?”

Golley is hoping his time here at Rhode Island could potentially lead to climbing up the ranks, but for now, he’s enjoying his time with the Rams.

“I think maybe one day down the road I want to be a head coach, but right now I’m extremely happy here,” Golley said. “I can see myself here for a while. I love this goalkeeper group, I love these coaches [and] this whole team. This is probably one of the best teams I’ve been around; the culture’s unreal.”

Golley and the Rams will be back in action this weekend when they host Fordham University at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. and stream on ESPN+, with a radio broadcast available on RIU2.org.

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