| Rick Candaele | |
|
|
Head Coach |
| football@cms.claremont.edu | |
| 909-607-1768 | |
| College of Idaho | |
| Season: 13th | |
| Overall Record: 65-72, .474 | |
| SCIAC Record: 22-43, .338 | |
Coach Candaele came to CMS in 1993 and has been head coach since
1995. Prior to coaching in Claremont, Rick was the head coach at UC
Santa Barbara for four years. He compiled a record of 22-8, giving
him the highest winning percentage in Gaucho history. Before he
became the head coach, Rick also served as defensive coordinator
for UCSB and his defense ranked fifth in the nation among Division
II teams. He has also served as head football coach/teacher at
Armijo High School in Fairfield, CA and Nampa High School in Nampa,
ID.
Candaele attended the College of Idaho and earned twelve varsity
letters playing football, baseball, and basketball. He received
All-American honors in football and baseball his senior year. Rick
enjoys all types of movies, travel, and attending athletic events
to watch his four grandchildern (Peyton, Emery, Devyn and Bobby).
His son Coley is currently the Head Football Coach at Vista
Murrieta High School and has been both California Athlete of the
Year and California Coach of the Year. Daughter Kirsten teaches 5th
grade and coaches basketball in Oxnard, CA. Kirsten earned 12
varsity letters at Carpinteria High School and has been honored as
teacher of the year in the Oxnard School District.
Wife of 40 years, Maren, resides in Wildomar, CA and spends many hours watching her grandchildren, going to games, and dealing in her favorite hobby,antiques.
Thanks to family, coaches, parents and players for making CMS a great place to coach.
| Steve Retzlaff | |
|
|
Defensive Coordinator/LB's |
| steve.retzlaff@cms.claremont.edu | |
| 909-607-1808 | |
| UC Santa Barbara | |
Coach Retz arived with Coach Candaele in 1993. He begins his
third year on defense after a 7 year stint on the offensive side of
the ball. Steve has been in college coaching since '85 when he
joined the coaching staff at UCSB with Coach Candaele. At UCSB he
started as the defensive line coach and became the defensive
coordinator in 1989 helping guide the team to its best three-year
stretch in history. After leaving UCSB he coached briefly in the
CFL before joining the staff at Hofstra University in Uniondale,
NY. He is a graduate of Principia Upper School in St. Louis, MO
where he lettered in 3 sports (Football, Basketball and Track). He
then played two years at Palomar Junior College before transferring
to UC Santa Barbara where he finished his career. He graduated with
a B.S. degree in mathematics in 1985 and holds a NY state teaching
credential obtained at Long Island University.
In addition to coaching football, Steve has served as CMS' golf
coach as well as having coached softball and rugby. He has taught
mathematics at both the junior high and high school level. His
hobbies used to include golf, cooking, travel and his yellow Lab,
Copa. Steve makes him home in Claremont with his wife Maxanne (2006
NCAA Tennis Coach of the Year) where he now enjoys his time with
their sons Reggie-6, Jake-4 and Danny-2 which along with football
take up much of his time.
| Brent Baier | |
|
|
Offensive Coordinator/QB's |
| California Lutheran University | |
Brent has been with the Stags since '04 and he will again be working with the quarterbacks and coordinating the offense. He is a graduate of California Lutheran University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. While at Cal Lu, Brent was a 4 year letterman on the Kingsmen football and track teams. He is currently working on his masters degree. He lives in Claremont with his fiancee Kasi Benbrook.
| Matt Wiegand | |
|
|
Offensive Line |
Matt is in his first season with the Stags and is working with the Offensive Line and Field Goal units. He is in his third year of coaching; his first two years were at Arcadia High School. He graduated in 2007 from the University of La Verne with a B.S. in Movement and Sport Science and is currently working on his Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership. He started his college football career at the University of Arizona and finished last season at the University of La Verne earning First Team All Conference Honors in the SCIAC at Offensive Line.
| Amahl Thomas | |
|
|
Receivers |
Amahl is entering his 10th year of coaching receivers at the collegiate level- seventh with the Stags. After prepping at Santa Barbara High School, Amahl attended UC Santa Barbara where he set various records which included most catches in a season, most touchdowns in a season and most catches in a game. These accomplishments earned him All-American honors in 1991. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara in 1992, Amahl began teaching high school. He received his Master's degree in Education from Claremont Graduate University in 1995 and is finishing his PhD program there as well. Currently, he teaches both undergraduate and graduate level courses at Claremont Graduate University. Coach Thomas lives in Fontana with his beautiful wife Charrma and their three children Apollo, Savannah and Justice
| Josh Walter | |
|
|
Defensive Line |
After graduating from Claremont McKenna and being commissioned in the United States Army in 2001, Josh spent four years serving our country as a logistics officer at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland and at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. After fulfilling his active Army commitment, Josh and his wife Marisa returned to Claremont. Josh works as an Associate Director of Alumni Relations at CMC and is in his first year coaching the Stags. Josh started all four years as a wide receiver and eventually was voted by the players to be a team captain for CMS in 2000. During Josh's career, the Stags grew into the perennial force we see to today. With an insurmountable toughness and vast knowledge of the game, he returns to coach the D-Line with military precession.
| Bob Sierra | |
|
|
Corners |
Coaching the Stags since 2003, Bob coaches defensive backs and all returners. He was born and raised in Compton, CA. He moved to Norwalk where he played high school football and went on to play college football in 1976. From college he went on to coach varsity football at Norwalk High School. Bob went on to coach at a couple of other schools and is now in his 22nd year of coaching. Bob is currently living in Claremont and is single.
| Ben Negrete | |
|
|
Safeties |
Ben has been with the Stags since 1998. This year he will coach the outside linebackers/safeties and help coordinate the defense. He has been coaching football for 27 years, on both the college and high school levels. He has coached two C.I.F. Championship squads at Schurr High School and Upland High School. Ben is a graduate of Montebello High School and Cal State Los Angeles. He teaches Social Studies and Health at Schurr High School in Montebello.












