Ray Kralis is a proven winner at Illinois State. As a player at Illinois State, he helped the Redbirds capture the 1989 Missouri Valley Conference Championship. He has been a winner more recently as the head coach for both the men's and women's golf teams, with each team winning the 2005 Missouri Valley Conference Championship. He knows what it takes to have a winning program, and continues the winning tradition of golf at Illinois State.

Kralis began his career as a student-athlete at Illinois State in 1986. He served as co-captain for the Redbird golf team in 1989 and in 1990. In 1988, He was an All-Missouri Valley Conference selection. He was a member of the 1989 Missouri Valley Conference championship team before graduating cum laude with a degree in finance in 1990.

After graduation, Kralis was the assistant golf professional at the Illinois State golf course and assistant men's coach for the Redbirds for nearly two years before completing his PGA apprenticeship as first assistant at Franklin Hills Country Club in Franklin Hills, Mich.

In 1993, Kralis returned to Bloomington-Normal to resume his duties with the Illinois State team while also working as a PGA teaching professional.

Kralis was the Central Illinois Professional Golfers Association Teacher of the Year in 1994, 1997 and 1998. Kralis still spends time coaching in the Central Illinois area as time permits.

Since 1993, Kralis has been a Class A member of the Professional Golf Association. He continues to play in professional events, and has six victories. He also holds the course record at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington with a seven-under-par score of 65.

In 2000, Kralis took over the Illinois State women's golf program and has since won the Valley Coach of the Year award in 2003 and 2005. The team won the Missouri Valley Conference Championship in 2004 and 2005.

Kralis took over the men's golf program from his mentor and former head coach Harland Kilborn in 2005. The men's team continued its winning tradition, capturing the 2005 Missouri Valley Conference Championship.

Kralis and his wife Raquel, have two sons Tyson, age 5, and Braden, age 2.