Rion Rayfield joined the Parkside Men's Basketball staff as an Assistant Coach in June of 2025. He brings over a decade of collegiate coaching experience and a championship pedigree at all three NCAA levels.
Prior to Parkside, Rayfield spent eight highly successful seasons at UW-Platteville, where he helped build the Pioneers into one of the top Division III programs in the country. During his tenure, the team made six NCAA Tournament appearances, captured five WIAC regular season championships, and won four WIAC Tournament titles. He was instrumental in the development of one National Player of the Year, three All-Americans, 13 First Team All-WIAC selections, and three WIAC Players of the Year. His responsibilities included recruiting, player development, scouting, and day-to-day operations.
Before his time at UW-Platteville, Rayfield served as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Otero Junior College. He also held the role of Director of Basketball Operations at NCAA Division I UW-Green Bay, where he was part of the coaching staff that led the Phoenix to a Horizon League Tournament Championship and a berth in the 2016 NCAA Tournament—the program’s first in 20 years. Rayfield’s coaching resume also includes a season at NCAA Division II Black Hills State in South Dakota.
A standout point guard during his playing career at Florida Southern College, Rayfield finished his career with 1,870 points and 544 assists. He remains the program’s all-time leader in games played (135) and three-pointers made (364). During his four-year career, the Mocs advanced to four consecutive NCAA Division II Tournaments, won three Sunshine State Conference titles, and Rayfield earned NCAA Division II Bulletin Honorable Mention All-American honors.
Rayfield’s extensive recruiting experience in Wisconsin and the Chicagoland area has helped him establish deep connections across key pipelines that have traditionally fueled Parkside’s success
