Marisa Colzie named Women's Soccer Coach
Saint Mary's University Department of Athletics and Recreation is pleased to announce the appointment of Marisa Colzie as the head coach of our varsity women's soccer program.
Marisa Colzie (Kovacs) comes to Saint Mary's after a successful stint at the University of British Columbia. In just one year at the helm of the UBC women's soccer program, Colzie took a team that had won just 6 games in the previous year to a CIS National Championship. Under Colzie the Thunderbirds went 19-1-3 winning the Canada West regular season, and conference tournament championships going on to win the 2015 CIS National Championship.
Prior to UBC Colzie had successful coaching tenures in the NCAA at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Georgia, and Simon Fraser University.
In 2013-2014 as an assistant at SFU with the men's program, Colzie helped guide a team to back-to-back NCAA National Tournament appearances and a 2013 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship and NCAA Final Four appearance. While at SFU, she also completed her Bachelor of Education degree.
Before moving back home to Canada, Marisa spent nine years helping build the West Georgia program from the ground up. Colzie began as a graduate assistant coach in 2004, the inaugural season of play for the Wolves, and was promoted to head coach in 2006. She held the position until 2012. During her time at UWG, Marisa helped develop one All-American, two Gulf South Conference Players of the Year, four All-Region Performers, six Academic All-Conference players, 16 All-Gulf South Conference players and 61 Gulf South Conference Academic Honor Roll student-athletes. The Wolves advanced to the Gulf South Conference Tournament semifinals a total of four times between 2004 and 2012. Off the field, Colzie initiated annual fundraising efforts for the team and created the program's annual "Alumni Weekend." She also completed her Master of Education degree at West Georgia.
In addition to her degrees from UWG and SFU, Marisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina, where she played varsity soccer from 2000 to 2003. A four-year starter at NCAA Division I Coastal Carolina, she was a four-time Big South All-Conference team member and the league's Freshman of the Year in 2000. She served as captain for three seasons and made the Big South's All-Tournament team in 2003.
After finishing her varsity career, Colzie played for the W-League's Toronto Inferno, where she was team captain, and London Gryphons. In 2005, she suited up for her hometown Windsor Border Stars.
"I am extremely excited about the opportunity I have been afforded here at Saint Mary's University and I can't wait to get started. I would like to thank Saint Mary's Athletic Director Kevin Downie for entrusting me to lead the women's soccer program. SMU is an extraordinary institution with amazing people and I hope to build a soccer program we can all be proud of", said Colzie.
Kevin Downie, Director of Athletics & Recreation feels Marisa will bring new energy to the program and will help build on its tradition. He went onto to say, 'Coach Colzie has an extremely impressive soccer background as both a player and coach and I am thrilled that she has joined the Huskies family".