Parkside head men’s basketball coach Kyle Blackbourn has announced his coaching staff ahead of the 2026-27 season. Returning to the Rangers is Rion Rayfield who is entering his second season with the program as an assistant coach, while Matthew Mors and Jacob Ricciardi will be joining the program.
“I’m really thrilled with how our coaching staff came together. Each of these guys brings a unique skill set and coaching background that will enhance our program.” said Blackbourn. “They all have a strong work ethic and care deeply about our student-athletes both on and off the court. Their combined experience and knowledge will help us get better every single day.”
Rion Rayfield – Assistant Coach
Rion Rayfield joined the Parkside Men’s Basketball staff as an Assistant Coach in June of 2025, bringing 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.
Matthew Mors – Graduate Assistant Coach
Mors joins Parkside after he concluded his collegiate career at South Dakota State, where he was a four-year contributor for the Jackrabbits. Over 132 career games, including 80 starts, he shot 47.6 percent from the field while developing into a consistent and versatile presence on both ends of the floor.
Off the court, Mors was equally accomplished academically. He was a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection (2024-25, 2025-26), a three-time Summit League Academic Honor Roll honoree (2023-25), and was named to the Summit League Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence in 2023-24. He also earned NABC Honors Court recognition in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.
During his final two seasons, Mors was a full-time starter and key contributor. In 2025-26, he started all 32 games and averaged 8.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting an efficient 51.2 percent from the field. He logged 27.8 minutes per contest and added a 30.8 percent mark from three-point range.
A native of Yankton, South Dakota, Mors was one of the most decorated high school players in state history. He was a three-time South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year, a five-time all-state selection, and a three-time Argus Leader Player of the Year. Mors led Yankton High School to a state championship in 2018 and averaged more than 19 points per game in every season of his prep career, including 24.2 points per game as a senior. A four-star recruit by ESPN, he was ranked as the top prospect in South Dakota and among the top power forwards nationally in the 2021 class.
Jacob Ricciardi – Volunteer Assistant Coach
Ricciardi brings extensive coaching and player development experience to the Rangers, including five seasons working at the NCAA Division I level with Northern Arizona University and the University of South Alabama.
Prior to Parkside, Ricciardi served as an assistant boys basketball coach at Whitefish Bay High School. He helped guide the program to a 20-7 record and a Wisconsin state championship while serving as the lead assistant. Ricciardi led in-season player development efforts that helped produce three all-conference selections, including a unanimous first-team honoree, while also assisting with the implementation of the team’s offensive system, game planning and daily practice preparation.
Ricciardi previously spent three seasons as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Northern Arizona from 2020-23. With the Lumberjacks, he led on-court player development and assisted with daily practices and game-day instruction. Ricciardi also oversaw the program’s rebounding efforts, helping Northern Arizona improve from ninth in the Big Sky Conference to first in offensive rebounding percentage. He was also heavily involved in recruiting high school prospects and collegiate transfers.
Before joining Northern Arizona, Ricciardi served as the director of player development at the University of South Alabama from 2018-20. In that role, he worked extensively with student-athletes both on and off the court, assisted with practices and player development and supported the academic progress of the Jaguars through class checks and academic scheduling. He also worked with athletic department staff to strengthen relationships with program sponsors, donors, fans and the surrounding community.
