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News Release

UMBC HIRES TARA KOLESKI AS HEAD WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH

6/23/2006

Tara Koleski led West Chester to the NCAA Division-II quarterfinals in 2005.

Baltimore, Md.-Director of Athletics Dr. Charles Brown today announced the hiring of Tara Koleski as the head women’s soccer coach at UMBC, making her the sixth head coach in the program’s 19-year history.

“I was excited to accept the position because of the chance to join the staff at UMBC,” Koleski said. “The staff is committed to building a successful women’s soccer program. I believe there is a talented group of players that already exists within the program, and I look forward to building upon that talent.”

Koleski comes to UMBC after three seasons at West Chester University, the last two as head coach. At West Chester, Koleski led the Golden Rams, ranked fourth in the nation at the Division-II level last season, to a school-best 20-2-2 overall record in 2005 and their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in school history.

Koleski was named the 2005 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Coach of the Year, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Northeast Region Coach of the Year and the Southeast Pennsylvania Coaches Association (SEPCA) Women’s College Coach of the Year.

In two seasons as head coach at West Chester, the Golden Rams posted a combined 31-9-5 record after going 12-6-3 in her only season as assistant coach. Her teams have finished at the top of the PSAC regular-season standings each year, and she has coached the two-time conference Athlete of the Year, the Rookie of the Year and three first-team all-regional players.

An All-American forward and outside midfielder at the University of Portland, Koleski helped lead the Pilots to the NCAA Final Four in 1996 and 1998. She also earned First-Team All-West Coast Conference honors, and she was an Umbro Select Senior All-Star and a Far West Regional Team member.

She then played professionally in Germany in 1999 and 2000 before the San Diego Spirit of the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) drafted her in the 11th round in 2001. In addition to the Spirit, Koleski also played for the Philadelphia Charge and New York Liberty in her WUSA career, which lasted until 2003.

Koleski was also a member of the U.S. U-21 National Team in 1996-97 and was part of the full women’s national team pool in 2002.

Prior to joining the Gold Rams, Koleski served briefly as the head coach of the semi-professional Rochester Reign of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), and she was a volunteer assistant coach at Villanova University (2002) and Swarthmore College (2003).

“Tara Koleski brings to our program a new energy that I believe will match our commitment to bring UMBC women’s soccer prominence on both the regional and national level,” Dr. Brown said. “As a former all-American at University of Portland, professional soccer player and coach of a nationally ranked Division-II squad at West Chester University, I believe she brings to UMBC outstanding credentials. Her drive to succeed will put us on another level.”

Koleski has directed numerous camps and clinics throughout her career. She is the head coach for the Pennsylvania Olympic Development Program Under-14 team and on the ODP staff working with the Under-13 Region Team. She teaches USSF D courses for Pennsylvania and has received her NSCAA National and National Advanced diplomas.

A native of Phoenix, Ariz., Koleski graduated from Portland in 1999 with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, and she is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in sport and athletic administration.

Koleski inherits a senior-laden Retriever team that finished last season 9-9-1 and earned the No. 6 seed in the America East Championships but fell in overtime to third-seeded Binghamton.