Alfred University Athletics

 

Hired at AU:	May of 2014
Prior to AU:	Assistant Coach at Alfred University (1999-2013)
D3Football.com All-East Region Coach of the Year:	2016
Empire 8 Conference Coach of the Year:	2016
Playing Career:	Ursinus (1995-1998)
Alma Mater:	Ursinus '99
Personal:	Rankl lives in Hornell with his wife, Torri, their son, Tyler, and daughter, Shaylynn.
Recruiting Areas:	NY: Section 5, 6; FL: Palm Beach Area

 
Bob Rankl was appointed 27th Head Coach of the Alfred University football team prior to the 2014 season after serving 15 years as an assistant for the Saxons. Since taking over the team, Rankl has become one of the most successful coaches in the nearly 125-year-old program becoming the fastest coach to earn 40 wins at the helm. 

Since the 2014 season, the Saxons have totaled nine seasons with a .500 or better regular season record. During the 2016 season specifically, the team finished with a perfect 10-0 record in the regular season, claiming the Empire 8 Conference crown and becoming the first team in Empire 8 history to go through a season unbeaten. The Saxons were the top seed in their region of the NCAA tournament, and hosted three games. AU defeated Bridgewater (MA) State and Western New England in the first two rounds before falling to Mount Union in an Elite 8 shootout at Yunevich Stadium. The Saxons won a school-record 12 games and were named winners of the Lambert Cup as the top Division III team in the East. It marked the first time since 1971 that an Alfred University team earned the Lambert Cup. As part of the historic season, Rankl and Alfred University were named as the 2016 Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year. Rankl was also named ECAC North Coach of the Year, D3football.com East Region Coach of the Year, and AFCA Division III Region 1 Coach of the Year.

Under Rankl, the Saxons have been selected to compete in the ECAC Championship on five occasions, winning in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Most recently, the football program competed in the 2025 ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl against WestConn. 

The football program has achieved both team and individual success under Rankl. There have been 100 All-Empire 8 selections, along with 19 All-Region honorees and nine All-Americans. During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, A.J. LiCata was named as the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year. LiCata was also named as the 2016 Jay Berwanger Division III Player of the Year by the Metropolitan New York Football Writers Association, and was a semi-finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy. The Gagliardi Trophy is an annual award that recognizes excellence in Division III football, taking into account athletics, academics and community service. Two seasons later, Raeqwon Greer received Defensive Player of the Year honors for Alfred University. On the offensive end, Tyler Johnson was selected as the 2016 Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year. For the special teams unit, Trevor Monk received 2017 Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Year recognition. Rankl has additionally coached the likes of Joe Copp, who broke the all-time career tackles record (443) as part of the 2024 season.
 
Prior to being appointed head coach of AU, Rankl served as the defensive line coach from 1999-2000 for the Saxons, before transitioning to coaching the offensive line and coordinating the Saxons' running game from 2001-2013. Rankl was instrumental in helping the Saxons reach the postseason 10 consecutive years (2004-2013), including six ECAC Bowl Championships, two Empire 8 Championships and appearances in the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, reaching the national quarterfinals in 2010. During that time, AU set 19 different school records on offense.

During Rankl’s tenure, AU has had one of the most potent ground games in the region. Nine different Saxons have rushed for more than 1,000 yards under Rankl’s tutelage, including five of the top seven career rushing leaders at AU. 
 
Prior to coming to Alfred in 1999, Rankl enjoyed a standout playing career at Division III power Ursinus, where he was a four-year starting defensive lineman. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Ursinus in 1999 and received his master’s degree in education from AU in 2001. He lives in Hornell with his wife, Torri, their son, Tyler, and daughter, Shaylynn.
 

NCAA Tournament Appearances:	2016
ECAC Bowl Championship Appearances:	2024, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014
Empire 8 Championships:	2016

 

Gagliardi Trophy Semifinalists:	1
All-America Honors:	9
All-Region Honors:	19
ECAC Defensive Player of the Year Honors:	2
Empire 8 All-Conference Honors:	100
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year Honors:	1
Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year Honors:	3
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Year Honors:	1

 

Alfred University	Overall Record	Empire 8 Record	Postseason	Year-End Finish
2024	7-4 (.636)	5-2 (.714)	0-1	ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl Runner-Up
2023	4-6 (.400)	2-4 (.333)	N/A	4th (of 7)
2022	2-8 (.200)	1-5 (.167)	N/A	6th (of 7)
2021	5-5 (.500)	4-2 (.667)	N/A	3rd (of 7)
2020	1-1 (.500)	1-1 (.500)	N/A	N/A
2019	5-5 (.500)	2-4 (.333)	N/A	5th (of 7)
2018	7-4 (.636)	4-3 (.571)	1-0	ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl Champions
2017	8-3 (.727)	5-2 (.714)	1-0	ECAC James Lynah Bowl Champions
2016	12-1 (.923)	8-0 (1.000)	2-1	NCAA Tournament Quarterfinalist
2015	8-3 (.727)	5-3 (.625)	1-0	ECAC Robert M Whitelaw Bowl Champions
2014	5-5 (.500)	3-5 (.375)	N/A	7th (of 9)
Overall Totals	64-45 (.587)	40-31 (.563)	5-2 (.714)	--