Antoine Rivens joined the JCSU staff in July of 2015 and will serve as the offensive line coach for the Golden Bulls. He will also serve as the running game coordinator and the team academic liason.
Rivens previously spent seven seasons on the football coaching staff at Coastal Carolina, then left for Durham to serve as the tight ends and offensive tackles coach at North Carolina Central University prior to the 2010 campaign. He switched to defensive line coach in 2011 when Henry Frazier III became the new NCCU head coach. Prior to the 2013 season, Rivens was also tagged as the Eagles' run game coordinator and recruiting coordinator.
He also spent four seasons with the Eagles as assistant head coach and offensive line coach from 1999-2002.
While at Coastal Carolina, he served as assistant head coach and defensive line coach. While with the Chanticleers, he worked with six first-team and seven second-team All-Big South performers, including the Big South’s top two all-time sack leaders.
Prior to his NCCU tenure, Rivens was the offensive line and special teams coach at Livingstone College, helping the Blue Bears to the 1997 and 1998 CIAA Conference titles. During his five seasons at Livingstone, he had at least one all-conference lineman each season.
A three-year starter and letter winner on the offensive line at South Carolina, he was selected Freshman Player of the Year in 1989 and as a team captain for his senior season. Rivens graduated from USC in 1992 with a degree in criminal justice.
Following his collegiate career, Rivens played professionally with the former Charlotte Rage of the Arena Football League (1994) and the Shreveport Pirates in the Canadian Football League (1995).
Born in Charlotte, N.C., Rivens graduated from West Charlotte High School in 1988, earning letters in football, basketball and track and field. During his senior year, he was honored as the school's Athlete of the Year.
Rivens and his wife Tuletia are the proud parents of daughters Ariana and Taryn.
In 2011, he was selected to and participated in the NFL and NCAA Football Academy.
In 2012, Rivens coached a first team all-conference defensive lineman. The defense became the second-ranked rushing defense in the MEAC and ninth ranked in the FCS in tackles for a loss. He went on to lead the South to a victory as Head Coach of the 2012 FCS Senior Scout Bowl.
