STANDISH, ME - Saint Joseph's College announced today that Michael Bolanz '00 has stepped down as the head coach of the women's soccer program and has accepted the position of Director of Alumni Relations in the Institutional Advancement Department at the College.
Bolanz leaves the soccer program with a 97-54-17 record over nine seasons on the sideline and ranks as the Monks' all-time leader in coaching victories. The longest-tenured coach in the 25-year history of Saint Joseph's women's soccer, Bolanz recorded the second-highest winning percentage (.642) among the program's head coaches and guided the Monks to NCAA DIII Northeast Region Independent Championships in 2004 and 2005 and ECAC Tournament berths in 2006 and 2007.
Along with success on the pitch, sides led by Bolanz have also earned various honors for academic excellence. His 2010 and 2011 teams garnered National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic honors and many of his players have earned Great Northeast Athletic Conference All-Academic accolades over the last six seasons.
Along with his coaching duties, Bolanz also served as the Recruitment Coordinator for the Athletics Department. He skipped both the men's and women's soccer sides in 2006 and 2007 and, as one of the finest goalkeepers in SJC men's soccer history, was inducted into the Saint Joseph's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
"Michael has played a significant role in our department over the years and we will miss his professionalism and his willingness to help in any way to make progress," adds Athletic Director Brian Curtin. "It is good to know we will still be working with him and collaborating on projects. We wish him the best and know he will do very well in his new position."
In his new role, Bolanz will work closely with the Alumni Association Council on existing and new initiatives. He will officially start in Institutional Advancement on Monday, December 3rd.
"I have had a fantastic nine years here as the head coach of the women's soccer team and will definitely miss many of the aspects of being a coach, but I now look forward to this new chapter and these new challenges that lie before me," states Bolanz. "I have had the pleasure of working closely with current students here for the last nine years and now I get the chance to work with them after graduation and even reconnect with some of my former classmates and teammates as well," he continues. "I am really excited to be part of the Alumni Office but still work very closely with the Athletics Department. Saint Joseph's is a great place to be a student and a great place to work; we have a fantastic community here and I just love being a part of it."
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.
