COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Maryland women's soccer head coach Ray Leone has announced the addition of assistant coaches Ron Celestin and Kerry Dziczkaniec to his staff ahead of the 2019 season. The duo of veteran coaches bring a litany of impressive accolades to College Park, which includes a pair of National Assistant Coach of the Year honors, and will support in all aspects of the program.

"I'm excited to welcome Kerry and Ron to the Maryland family," said Leone. "They will be integral to the development and growth of our players, and will make an immediate impact on the program. Their expertise, coaching experience and passion for the game will be huge for our team, and I can't wait for them to get started."

Celestin comes to Maryland after a three-year stint as the Associate Head Coach at Northeastern. The Huskies saw immediate success in Celestin's first year in 2016, as he helped lead the program to a 14-win season and both the regular season and tournament CAA Championships. The Huskies followed it up with a 13-win campaign in 2017, the most wins in a two-season stretch in school history, while finishing as the CAA runner up.    

"Ron has been successful every place he has been," said Leone. "He has an excellent ability to coach and develop players at every level, and has deep ties to the soccer community throughout the country. Ron has coached on the big stage, guiding a team to the Final Four while producing player of the year and professional caliber student-athletes during his career." 

Prior to his time at Northeastern, Celestin was an assistant coach at Princeton from 1995 to 2016. During his 21-year tenure with the Tigers, Celestin was heavily involved in all aspects of the program, including on-field training, recruiting, scouting, and mentoring student-athletes. Celestin helped Princeton to seven Ivy League Championships and nine NCAA tournament appearances, including a run to the Women's College Cup in 2004.

"I am incredibly humbled to join a university and athletic department with so much tradition and championship prowess," said Celestin. "I am blessed and thankful to be afforded the opportunity to become a part of Coach Leone's staff. I'm looking forward to collaborating with Ray and the rest of the coaching staff in providing the best possible experience to our student-athletes."

Celestin has garnered honors as an AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003 and the Princeton Unsung Hero Award for Community Service in 2005, while being an inductee of the Princeton High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012.

While coaching at Princeton, Celestin also managed the New Jersey Wildcats women's soccer club (W-League) from 1996-98 and served as an assistant with the team in 2008-09. Celestin was a co-founder and technical director of the FC Magic United Soccer Club, and served as the head coach of the boys' soccer team at Princeton High School from 1986-96, during which time he led the squad to a New Jersey state championship. Celestin was also involved with the New Jersey ODP program at numerous levels.

Celestin played collegiately for West Virginia Wesleyan College–culminating his career with an NAIA national championship in 1985–before playing semi-professionally within the New York/New Jersey region.

Celestin graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education.

Dziczkaniec returns to coach in College Park after previously serving on the staff of National Soccer Hall of Famer Shannon Higgins-Cirovski from 1999 to 2004. Dziczkaniec oversaw some of the most successful teams in program history, as the Terrapins made four NCAA Tournament appearances and she worked with two All-ACC goalkeepers.

"We're excited to have Kerry back at Maryland where she spent six seasons as an assistant," said Leone. "She has a wealth of experience as a player, head coach and assistant coach, and will be a great fit for our program. She has coached some of the best players in the nation and on the U.S. National Team, and helped lead Virginia to back-to-back Final Fours. Kerry will do a great job with our goalkeepers and will be a great example for our team."    

She joins Leone's staff after 11 seasons as an assistant at Virginia. She has been a vital part of the Cavaliers' success in recent years and was recognized as the 2013 NSCAA National Assistant Coach of the Year.

Over the past 11 seasons, the Cavaliers have posted a 185-47-26 record, won the 2012 ACC Championship, the 2013 ACC regular season title on the way to the 2013 NCAA College Cup, advanced to the finals of the NCAA College Cup in 2014 and then followed it up with another ACC regular season title in 2015. Upon her return to Charlottesville, she worked for four seasons with goalkeeper Chantel Jones, who set the ACC career shutout record. Most recently, Dziczkaniec was instrumental in the development of goalkeeper Morgan Stearns, who set the UVA career win record with 69 victories in goal in 2016.

"I am grateful and thankful to Coach Leone and the search committee for this exciting opportunity to join the Maryland women's soccer program," said Dziczkaniec. "I have tremendous respect for Ray and Maryland's rich soccer history, and truly believe the sky is the limit for this program. I am truly looking forward to working with coach Leone, his staff and our outstanding group of student-athletes."

Prior to Virginia, Dziczkaniec spent four seasons as the head coach at Vermont. She twice led the Catamounts to the America East Conference playoffs, including the program's first conference tournament appearance in seven years in 2005. Her 2006 and 2007 recruiting classes were both ranked among the best in the region, marking the first time in school history with back-to-back ranked classes. Her 2007 squad led the fall sports teams in the conference by having 24 of 25 players earn America East Academic Honors.

Dziczkaniec began her collegiate coaching career at Virginia where she served on Lauren Gregg's staff in 1994 and 1995 and April Heinrichs' staff in the spring of 1996. She was also an assistant coach at Florida State for three seasons (1996-98) before her tenure at Maryland for six seasons (1999-2004).

A 1993 graduate of George Washington with a major of Exercise and Sport Science, Dziczkaniec was a four-year letterwinner on the Colonials' soccer team. A two-year starter in goal, she was the team's MVP in 1991 when she posted a career-high six shutouts and was a two-year team captain. Following college, she played several seasons in the USISL W-League, including leading the Maryland Pride to the 1996 National Championship, being named to the all-tournament team.

She holds a "C" coaching license from the U.S. Soccer Federation and has served as a coach of the Region I ODP staff.

-Terps-