Release courtesy of Wes Frahm, Director of Athletic Communications & Marketing, Michigan Technological University
HOUGHTON, Mich. — Michigan Technological
University athletic director Suzanne Sanregret announced today the
hiring of Michelle Jacob as the school’s first-ever
women’s soccer coach. The former head coach at Marian
University in Fond du Lac, Wis., will begin the duties of starting
Tech’s soccer program from scratch Feb. 8.
“We’re excited to have Michelle join our staff,”
said Sanregret. “She has experienced success both as a player
and coach, and she possesses a recruiting background in areas that
will be critical for us to build a strong program.
“We’re very confident that Michelle will work
tirelessly to bring our program to a high level both on and off the
field. We believe she will be a great fit with the University and
athletic department and look forward to working with
her.”
Jacob has been the head coach at Marian for the past three seasons,
where she led the Sabres to a 32-24-1 record. The program was
4-12-1 the year prior to her arrival and finished 11-7-1 a year ago
with a Northern Athletics Conference Tournament semifinal berth.
Her 2008 squad set school records for regular season wins and
longest winning streak.
Prior to taking over at Marian, Jacob spent three seasons as the
assistant women’s soccer coach at Wisconsin-Stevens Point
under an NCAA Women and Ethnic Minority Grant. She helped lead the
Pointers to a 36-16-5 overall record and a 16-5-3 mark in the
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. She also worked as
the assistant to the athletic director handling event management
for all sports and advising UWSP’s Student-Athletic Advisory
Committee.
“We are thrilled to get an individual with Michelle’s
qualifications,” said Dr. Pat Joyce, who serves as
Tech’s faculty athletics representative. “We had a very
strong and diverse pool of candidates, and Michelle really stood
out.”
Jacob turned in a stellar four-year playing career at UW-Stevens
Point while earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She was
an All-America First Team selection and the WIAC Player of the Year
in 2001. The midfielder was a key component in the Pointers
compiling a 75-15-2 record and four WIAC titles during her four
years.
“I am incredibly excited to have this opportunity to work at
Michigan Tech,” said Jacob. “Through the interview
process, I was very impressed with the quality of the educational
opportunities for student-athletes, the passionate and dedicated
staff and the facilities at Tech.
“I am really eager to work with the student-athletes who will
be the foundation for the success of this program. Putting together
a successful, competitive program at this level is a phenomenal
challenge, and I can’t wait to get started.”
The Huskies’ women’s soccer team will open play this
fall with membership in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference. Tech will play 15 league games and will schedule three
non-conference tilts for the NCAA maximum allowed number of 18
regular season contests.
In addition to her coaching duties, Jacob will be an instructor in
Michigan Tech’s Department of Exercise Science and Health and
Physical Education.
Michigan Tech announced the addition of the women’s soccer
program this past October as an effort to bolster women’s
enrollment on campus. Longtime University supporter Pat Nelson
donated 100 percent of the costs associated with starting up the
new program, which gives Tech 14 varsity sports—seven
women’s and seven men’s.