University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Coach | Wide Receivers | Returners
- Email:
- Phone:
- 970.351.3046
Updated December 2025
Mike Rigell serves as the Receivers and Returners Coach at the University of Northern Colorado, joining Head Coach Ed Lamb’s staff in February 2024. Rigell brings extensive coaching experience across multiple levels of football, including collegiate, the CFL, and the NFL.
During the 2025 season, Rigell oversaw the development of one of the most productive wide receivers in Northern Colorado history in Carver Cheeks. Cheeks delivered a breakout campaign, finishing with 71 receptions, the third-most in a single season in program history, while his 929 receiving yards ranked 10th all-time. His six receiving touchdowns tied for the 15th-most in a season, and his three 100-yard receiving games tied for 10th in a single season. Cheeks also climbed the career record book, finishing the year ranked 14th in career receptions (93) and 16th in career receiving yards (1,274). His performance earned First Team All-Big Sky honors, highlighting Rigell’s impact on receiver development in his first season with the Bears.
Before coming to UNC, Rigell was selected for the Calgary Stampeders internship in the Canadian Football League (CFL), serving as a Wide Receivers and Special Teams Guest Coach. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Simon Fraser University from 2019 to 2023, overseeing all aspects of the program, including recruiting, academics, budgeting, hiring, scheduling, team travel, fundraising, equipment procurement, and alumni and community engagement. Before his promotion to head coach, he served as Receivers Coach, Special Teams Coordinator, and Recruiting and Academic Coordinator from 2018 to 2019.
Rigell’s coaching career has spanned multiple collegiate programs. He served as Secondary Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Southern Virginia University (2016-17), coached running backs and wide receivers at Snow College (2014-16) while also serving as Special Teams Coordinator, and was the Running Backs Coach at the University of Puget Sound in 2013.
In the summer of 2013, Rigell participated in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Kansas City Chiefs, gaining hands-on experience during training camp, OTAs, and mini-camps as part of the NFL’s initiative to develop minority coaching talent.
His early coaching experience includes stops as Running Backs and Wide Receivers Coach at New Mexico Highlands University (2012-13) and Running Backs and Returners Coach at Idaho State University (2010-11). He also spent time as a Volunteer Assistant Coach at the University of Utah in 2010.
As a player, Rigell was a standout wide receiver and return specialist at Brigham Young University (1997-2001) under legendary head coach LaVell Edwards, earning Honorable Mention All-Mountain West Conference honors. He went on to play professionally in the Arena Football League from 2003 to 2006.
A native of Lakewood, Washington, Rigell earned his bachelor’s degree in Communications – Broadcast Journalism from BYU in 2002 and later completed a master’s degree in Special Education from New Mexico Highlands University in 2019.
Education:
B.A., Communications – Broadcast Journalism (BYU, 2002)
M.A., Special Education – Youth Mental Health Therapy (New Mexico Highlands, 2019)
Hometown: Tacoma (Lakewood), Washington
Children: Daughter, Mataya Rigell Perry
| Year | School | Position |
| 2005 | Shelton HS (WA) | Running Backs/ Special Teams Coordinator/ Secondary |
| 2006 | Clover Park HS (WA) | QBs/ Receivers/ Returners/ Secondary |
| 2007 | Foster HS (WA) | Offensive Coordinator/ QBs/ Receivers |
| 2008-2010 | Interlake HS (WA) | Running Backs/ Receivers/ Defensive Coordinator |
| 2010 (Spring) | University of Utah | Volunteer Offense Asst-Receivers: Academics |
| 2011-2012 | Idaho State University | Offensive Analyst/ Running Back/Returners |
| 2012-2013 | New Mexico Highlands | Running Backs |
| 2013 (Summer) | Kansas City Chiefs | Running Backs/ Returners |
| Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship | ||
| 2013-2014 | University of Puget Sound (UPS) | Running Backs/ Returners |
| 2014-2016 | Snow College | Running Backs/ Receivers/Returners |
| 2016-2017 | Southern Virginia University | Secondary Coach/ Pass Game Coordinator |
| 2018-2019 | Simon Fraser University | Receivers/ Sp.Teams Coordinator |
| 2019 (May)-2023 | Simon Fraser University | Head Coach |
| 2023 (Summer) | Calgary Stampeders | Receivers/ Special Teams Asst |
| 2024-Present | University of Northern Colorado | Receivers/Returners |
