Goucher Turns Volleyball Program Over to Kozak

TOWSON, Md. — Although Goucher College conducted a national search to fill the position, it found its new head volleyball coach right here in Maryland.

Kaitlyn Kozak, who was the first assistant women's volleyball coach at the U.S. Naval Academy, has accepted an offer to take over Goucher's program, Director of Athletics Geoffrey Miller announced today.

"We could not be happier about Kait Kozak becoming our next head volleyball coach," said Miller. "She has significant experience as a coach and a recruiter, both in Division III and in Division I.  However, the attributes that came through strongest in the interview process was her ability to build relationships, and her commitment to being a holistic educator. Watching this program grow and improve in the coming year is going to be so much fun to be a part of!"

Kozak has been on head coach Larry Bock's staff at Navy since February 2011. Before that, she was the head women's volleyball coach at Western New England University for two seasons. In her first season there, she guided the Golden Bears to a 26-9 record and earned Coach of the Year honors in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.

Within months after graduating from the University of Miami (Fla.) in 2006, Kozak entered the coaching profession as a graduate assistant on the women's volleyball staff at Springfield College (Mass.). While there, she earned a master's in counseling psychology and student personnal administation with a concentration in athletic counseling.

At Miami, she was an education major with a concentration in sports administration, with minors in education and psychological studies, and business administation.

"I want to begin by thanking Geoff Miller for making this happen," Kozak said in a statement. "It was great to see the time and effort he put into filling this position as it tells me I'll have his support. Goucher is a place that aligns with my values. I'm anxious to begin working with the returning players and getting started with recruiting, and excited to put in the effort necessary to grow the program in this new era."