Rob Baarts enters his sixth season as the Aggies head coach after a historic 2022 campaign where Baarts' team secured the most wins in program history with a 13-5-3 record, culminating in the program's first-ever conference title after three shutout victories in the WAC Tournament.
Last season's championship run also led to the program's first postseason appearance – a game where the Aggies nearly pulled off an upset over seven-seeded Mississippi State, ultimately falling 2-1 to the Bulldogs in Starkville.
With those 13 wins on the season, Baarts stands alone as the winningest coach in program history, with an overall record of 33-56-7. Baarts secured this accomplishment with a win over Tarleton State (9/30/22) in shutout fashion (4-0), surpassing Freddy Delgado (24) for the most wins as an Aggie head coach.
Under Baarts, the Aggies were also able to secure the most conference wins (7) in program history while also featuring the school's first undefeated season at home, going 7-0-2 when playing in Las Cruces.
In total, seven Aggies secured All-WAC recognition – the most in a single season – with Loma McNeese (first team), Makenna Gottschalk (second team), Landy Williams (second team), Xitlaly Hernandez (second team), Jena Johannes (freshman team), Sofia Beerworth (freshman team) and Sydnee Johnson (freshman team) all earning a spot on the WAC's yearly awards lists.
In addition, five of Baarts' players made the WAC's All-Tournament Team following the programs win over Utah Valley (1-0) in the WAC Championship: Loma McNeese, Sofia Beerworth, Xitlaly Hernandez, Tati Jerman and Makenna Gottschalk all secured a spot on the list with Gottschalk earning Tournament MVP – the first Aggie to do so.
Baarts picked up his first win as a head coach in a 3-0 victory over Northern Illinois on Aug. 31, 2018, and his first conference win, 2-1, over Chicago State on Nov. 14, 2018. Under Baarts’ guidance, senior Aileen Garcia became NM State’s all-time leading goal scorer with a goal versus Albany on Aug. 19. The Aggies also posted nine Academic All-WAC award winners in Baarts’ first season at the helm.
Baarts joined NM State after spending two seasons at San José State, where he led the Spartans to their first Mountain West Conference regular-season title in 2017 with a 12-6-2 overall record and 9-1-1 league mark as an assistant.
The regular-season championship was just SJSU’s third title since the program started in 1995. The other two titles came during the 2009-10 seasons when San José State won it back-to-back years while in the Western Athletic Conference.
During his time with the Spartans, Baarts guided 12 players to all-league honors – including the 2017 MWC Player of the Year in Darriell Franklin and MWC Newcomer of the Year Jamilecxth Becerra.
“I am very much looking forward to getting started as the next head coach of the New Mexico State women’s soccer program,” Baarts remarked. “My experience in being a part of multiple Division I Final Four teams in my career as a player, and as a coach I believe will serve the program well in what it will take to become a national contender.”
Prior to his tenure at SJSU, Baarts spent 12 seasons as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer programs at his alma mater, the University of Portland. His time with the Pilots was highlighted by a national championships in 2005 with the women’s program that finished the year 23-0-2.
While with Portland, Baarts helped guide the both the men and women’s teams into postseason play in 2009. That year was also the women’s fourth-consecutive trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
Baarts was in charge of all recruiting activities during his time with the Pilots. In addition, he also oversaw scouting and preparations for opponents along with team travel. Both the men’s and women’s teams for Portland had a 96-percent graduation rate during a seven-year span under his supervision.
Over a dozen Pilots that played under Baarts went on to play professionally on soccer’s biggest stage – including Megan Rapinoe (U.S.A.), Stephanie Lopez (U.S.A.), Sophie Schmidt (Canada) and Christine Sinclair (Canada).
No stranger to success himself, Baarts was a four-year letter winner with the Pilots from 1987-90 where he guided Portland to three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. As a sophomore, Baarts captained the 1988 team to an undefeated regular-season as well as the program’s first semifinal appearance in the NCAA Tournament and finished with a 21-1-0 overall mark and perfect 5-0-0 mark in West Coast Conference play.
To this day, Baarts’ 13 game-winning goals still stands at second all-time in program history. He is still the single-season record holder with eight game-winning goals during the historic 1988 season.
After his collegiate career, the Vancouver, British Columbia, native spent eight seasons playing professionally with the Portland Pride, Portland Pythons and Utah Freezz.
Baarts’ coaching career started with the Portland City United youth team before leading the Sunset High School boys’ varsity team from 1991-2003, and won back-to-back coach of the year honors in 2001-02.
An active member of the United States Soccer Federation, Baarts is an “A” license holder, and has coached multiple youth soccer age divisions for the FC Portland Academy since 2004.
Baarts is married to his wife Jen and have four sons, Tyler, Carter, Tanner and Jaxson and one daughter, Nina.
Baarts Through the Years
2004-2013 | Portland | Assistant Coach
2016-2017 | San Jose State | Assistant Coach
2018-Pres. | NM State | Head Coach
Record at Portland: 99-103-36 (.492)
Record at SJSU: 22-12-6 (.625)
Record at NM State: 33-56-7 (.380)
Record as Assistant: 121-142-42 (.466)
Record as Head Coach: 33-56-7 (.380)
