joined MrRyan Rogers, Athletic Director

Ryan Rogers is excited to begin his eighth year as Athletic Director at Independence High School, where he has led Indy Athletics since the school opened in 2019. What began as a brand-new athletic program has grown into one of Virginia’s most successful and well-rounded high school athletic programs, serving more than 1,000 student-athletes across 40+ teams and supported by 90+ coaches.

Independence has established a strong tradition of excellence both in competition and in the classroom. In just seven years, Indy Athletics has earned 20 team state championships, 13 state runner-up finishes, 74 individual state titles, 51 region championships, and 20 region runner-up finishes. Independence has also been named the Army National Guard Cup Champion and is a three-time National Guard Cup runner-up, recognizing the strength and success of the athletic program as a whole.

Ryan is especially proud of the culture that has developed across Indy Athletics. Many of the program’s 90+ coaches have been part of Independence Athletics since the school’s early years, providing consistency, strong relationships, and a shared commitment to developing student-athletes.

As Athletic Director, Ryan oversees all aspects of Indy Athletics, including hiring and supporting coaches, scheduling, budgeting, facilities, equipment, and VHSL and LCPS compliance. Most importantly, he works to create an environment where student-athletes and coaches feel supported and have the opportunity to succeed.

Ryan brought significant LCPS athletic experience with him when he opened Independence. Before coming to Indy, he spent four years as an Athletic Director within LCPS and previously served as a teacher and head varsity wrestling coach. His experience as both a coach and administrator gives him a valuable perspective on what it takes to lead a team, support coaches, and provide a positive experience for student-athletes.

For Ryan, the success of Indy Athletics is about more than championships. With the support of Independence families, coaches, staff, students, and the greater Tiger Town community, he looks forward to continuing to build a program that develops great competitors, great teammates, and young people who represent Independence with pride.

Go Tigers!

Contact Mr. Rogers at ryan.rogers@lcps.org or 571-367-4218.

Mat Shannon, Assistant Athletic Director

Mat Shannon joined Independence when it opened in 2019 after many years of successful coaching in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties.  He was part of District/Region/State Championships as a coach and player.

Contact Mr. Shannon at steven.shannon@lcps.org or by phone at 571-367-4218.

ATHLETIC TRAINING

Larry Hess – lawrence.hess@lcps.org

Anna Georgi- Annaliese.Georgi@lcps.org

FALL COACHES

Football – RJ Windows – ronald.windows@lcps.org

Field Hockey – Jennifer Darrow – indyfieldhockey@gmail.com

Cheer – Becky Gonzalez – rebecca.gonzalez@lcps.org

Cross Country – Michael Schuster – michael.schuster@lcps.org

Golf – duanebn@yahoo.com

Volleyball – Haley Sutton – halessutton10@gmail.com

WINTER COACHES

Boys Basketball – Brian Nelson – bknelson43@gmail.com

Girls Basketball – Zack Orchant – zachary.orchant@lcps.org

Gymnastics – TBD

Indoor Track – Katie Davis – coachdavistrack@gmail.com

Swim – Ryan Webb – ryan.webb@lcps.org

Wrestling – Eric Russo- eric.russo@lcps.org

SPRING COACHES

Baseball – Joe McDonald – joseph.mcdonald@lcps.org

Softball – TJ Hageny – tjhageny@gmail.com

Boys Soccer – Matt Aubel – raymond.aubel@lcps.org

Girls Soccer – TBD

Boys Lacrosse – TBD

Girls Lacrosse – Kristen Freudiger – Kristen.freudiger@lcps.org

Outdoor Track & Field – Katie Davis – coachdavistrack@gmail.com

Boys Tennis – John Cummins – jwcummins@fcps.edu

Girls Tennis – Ben Canfield – Benjamin.canfield@lcps.org