Genesee Community College Women's Soccer Coach Named National Northeast Coach of the Year

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Kelly Gillow, Genesee Community College’s Women’s Soccer coach

BATAVIA, NY (12/29/2010)(readMedia)-- Genesee Community College's Women's Soccer coach, Kelly Gillow was recently named National Northeast Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Kelly Gillow joined Genesee Community College in fall of 2007 as the head Women's Soccer Coach. Kelly came to Genesee with many years of collegiate playing and coaching experience. As a player, Gillow competed at the Division I collegiate level at University at Buffalo. She captained the team, during her senior year. Currently, she is an active player in various women and co-ed soccer leagues in the Buffalo area.

Her collegiate coaching career began in 1998, as an assistant coach at Niagara County Community College. In 2001, Gillow assisted the Division I Canisius College women's soccer team, where she was in charge of on and off-campus recruiting, fundraising, and training the goalkeepers and defenders.

She has coaching experience at the secondary and club soccer levels. For eight years, Gillow has been a head girl's soccer coach for the Empire United Soccer Academy (formally known as Buffalo United). During that time, she was also coaching the North Tonawanda junior varsity team along with assisting within the Olympic Development Program, based out of Western New York. Coach Gillow received her USSF national "C" license certification in May of 2008 and received the Bob McNulty Award during the certification process. Coach Gillow has been honored as the New York State West Olympic Development Coach of the Year for the 2008 season and most recently was named 2010 NJCAA Region III Coach of the Year.

In the 2009 fall season Coach Kelly Gillow led the lady cougars to the final four of the national tournament. This was the college's first ever appearance and coach Gillow was honored as Region III and District A Coach of the Year in 2009. The 2010 season brought more accolades to the team and the coach Gillow as they placed second in the nation, losing only to Clinton Community College in a tough 3-2 loss. After a fantastic 2010 season that saw the GCC Lady Cougar Soccer team make it to the national finals, two of coach Gillow's players got national recognition as well. The Lady Cougar's finished their season at 19-2-2.

Athletic director Margaret Sisson noted Coach Gillow has been an incredible asset to Genesee, "Kelly is an exceptional coach! We are very lucky to have her at Genesee. She is a great motivator and teacher of the game."

Gillow received her B.A. in early childhood development from University at Buffalo, and went on to obtain her master's degree at Canisius College in elementary education. She resides in North Tonawanda, New York with her husband, Beau.

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