William & Mary Athletics

During his 28 seasons on campus, W&M assistant head coach and offensive line mentor Bob Solderitch has made a positive impact on several generations of Tribe linemen, maintaining a legacy of success he helped create as an all-conference center for the Tribe.
  
A 1986 graduate of W&M, Solderitch returned to Williamsburg in 1996 to take over the offensive line and eventually assumed the duties of assistant head coach in 2000. In what is a tribute to his dedication to the program, a private donor provided funding to have the staff room in the Laycock Football Center named in his honor.
  
In addition to overseeing the Tribe’s offensive front, Solderitch acts as the program’s liaison in a wide-ranging list of administrative duties, such as compliance and summer camp director, to name a few.
  
During his time as an assistant, Solderitch has helped six Tribe standouts garner All-America honors - the most recent of which was Jerry Ugokwe (2016), who signed a free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts following his graduation in 2017.
 
In addition to Ugokwe, Connor Hilland and Chris Durant also signed NFL free agent contracts with the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers, respectively, during the summer of 2018.
 
In his first season as a full-time assistant (1996), Solderitch groomed guard Josh Beyer to consensus first-team All-America honors, while Matt Mazefsky (2000), Dwight Beard (2001, 2002), Keith Hill, Jr. (2010) and Matt Crisafi (2013) also garnered national distinction.
  
In all, Solderitch has seen 25 players earn 34 all-conference awards on his watch, including eight all-league selections during the last three seasons.
  
After a brief stint in pursuing a professional playing career with the Indianapolis Colts (in 1986), Solderitch returned to his alma mater as a graduate assistant from 1986 to 1990. While earning his MBA at W&M, his responsibilities included tight ends, long snappers and organizing the scout team. He also assisted with the offensive line and helped prepare Tribe All-America linemen Scott Perkins and Reggie White.
  
After receiving his MBA, Solderitch was named as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Newport News Apprentice School. He helped guide the team to a 17-9-1 overall record between the 1991 and 1993 seasons.
  
While earning his B.A. in economics as an undergraduate, Solderitch was a three-year starter at center and earned all-state and All-East Coast Athletic Conference honors his junior and senior seasons. In 1985, he was named team captain and won the Tribe’s outstanding lineman award. In 1990, he was named to William & Mary’s 100 Years All-Time squad.
  
Prior to his return to Williamsburg, Solderitch had a two-year stint at the Virginia Military Institute, where he coached both the offensive and defensive lines over two seasons (1994-95) under then head coach Bill Stewart. His offensive lines paved the way for standout Keydet tailback Thomas Haskins, who would graduate as the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher among the Football Championship Subdivision ranks.
  
Solderitch graduated from Whitehall High School in 1982, where he was an all-district lineman and member of two East Penn Conference championship teams (1980-81).
  
Solderitch recruits the Northern Neck, Fredericksburg and Stafford (Virginia), Eastern Pennsylvania, Northern Atlanta, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.