Joe Zakowicz is entering his fourth season at the helm of the Seahawks Men’s Soccer team. During his time he has recorded a record of 23-23-6 overall, and 16-9-4 in Sun Conference play.
This past season, Joe led the Seahawks to a 7-11-1 overall record and an appearance in the Sun Conference Tournament semifinals. He tutored three All-Conference players and one NAIA All-American.
In the 2015 season, Zakowicz team upset the number one team in the country during the opening round of the NAIA National Tournament. He coached one All-American and five All-Conference players while finishing the season with a 9-5-3 record.
During his first season, he guided the team to a 7-7-2 overall record which doubled the win total from the previous year. Also he coached six All-Conference players.
Zakowicz was previously the Head Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach at Ave Maria University for two seasons. He was named the Sun Conference Coach of the Year after the 2011 campaign. Prior to Ave Maria, Joe was the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at Mid-Continent University for a decade, posting a 142-64-19 record in ten season.
He guided the Cougars to a Sweet 16 (2007) and an Elite 8 (2002) appearance in the NAIA National Tournament, and five NAIA Regional Finalist (2002-04, 2006-07). Mid-Continent made seven appearances in the NCCAA National Tournament under Zakowicz’s watch, including a run to the 2005 Championship which netted Joe the NCCAA National Coach of the Year. Joe also held the title of Director of Athletics and Associate Vice President for Advancement while at Mid-Continent.
He began his coaching career at Wesley College (Dover, DE) under Steve Clark. He took his first Head Coaching position at Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 1995. He served as the Head Women’s Soccer Coach, where his team set more than 20 new records in his two seasons at the helm. Zakowicz also assisted with the men’s program at OWU. He then moved on to become the Head Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach at Bethel College in Tennessee, building the two programs from start up to NAIA Regional contenders in their first two years before heading to Mid-Continent.
Currently, Zakowicz serves as the Sun Conference Chair for Men’s Soccer, along with being a member of the NAIA National Tournament Games Committee, the secretary for the NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches Association, and an NAIA National Rater. Joe is the Advisor and Head Coach of the Cape Hurricanes, of the NPSL, a division on US Soccer. Joe was named NPSL Coach of the Month for the month of March, and will be eligible for the NPSL Coach of the Year award, given out in December. Zakowicz also holds the #16 spot for the NAIA’s most wins for current active coaches.
Zakowicz met his wife Darla while studying at Bartlesville Wesleyan College in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Both are active alums of Oklahoma Wesleyan University. They have been married for more than 30 years, and have one daughter, Alisha who resides in Ave Maria, Florida.
