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CHARLOTTESVILLE The Virginia women’s soccer team announced the additions of two new members of its coaching staff as Kerry Dziczkaniec was named assistant coach and Jessica Ballweg was named volunteer assistant coach.
“We could not be more excited about both Kerry and Jess joining our staff this fall,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “For Kerry, it is a homecoming of sorts as she has been a member of the Virginia family before. Kerry not only knows Virginia, but she has a tremendous amount of coaching experience especially within the ACC, has an excellent reputation for training and developing goalkeepers at this level, understands the Virginia student-athlete experience and has proven herself as a strong recruiter. We are extremely fortunate to bring someone in with the qualifications, experience and character of Kerry and look forward to a very smooth transition as she becomes part of our program again.”
Dziczkaniec will begin her second tenure as an assistant coach with the Cavaliers this season. She returns to Charlottesville after spending the past four seasons as the head coach at Vermont.
In her four seasons in Burlington, Dziczkaniec twice led Vermont 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 for back-to-back ranked classes. Her 2007 squad led 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) and at Maryland for five seasons (1999-2003) on the staff of Hall of Famer Shannon Higgins-Cirovski. During her time in College Park, the Terrapins made four NCAA Tournament appearances and she worked with two All-ACC goalkeepers.
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.
“It is an absolute thrill & honor to join the University of Virginia and its women’s soccer program,” said Dziczkaniec. “I am thankful and appreciative to Coach Swanson for this wonderful opportunity. I look forward to serving the staff, student-athletes and community with great pride and passion in its pursuit of uncompromised excellence.”
Ballweg joins the Cavalier staff this season as a volunteer assistant coach. A standout at Santa Clara and with the United States youth national teams, she has previously served on the staff at Rutgers.
“I worked with Jess at the Youth National Team level and feel her values as a person, her passion for the game and her unique experiences as a player, including winning both a World and National Championship will benefit our players immensely,” said Swanson. “Jess is a leader and someone who will make a difference coaching in our program and within our community.”
Ballweg began her collegiate coaching career in 2006, serving as the Director of Soccer Operations at Rutgers. That season the Scarlet Knights posted a schol record 16-3-4 record and was ranked No. 12 nationally. She spent part of 2007 in New Zealand, where she served as an assistant coach for a regional U-13 team.
A 2005 graduate of Santa Clara, Ballweg earned a degree in English with a minor in Studio Arts. As a freshman in 2001, she helped the Broncos win the school’s first NCAA Championship. A starter on defense, she assisted on the game-winning goals in the NCAA quarterfinals and semifinals and on Aly Wagner’s goal to give Santa Clara a 1-0 win over North Carolina in the final. Ballweg was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team and was a Soccer America Freshman All-American. In 2002, she helped the Broncos make a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament final. She was named the NCAA Tournament’s Defensive MVP and earned All-Tournament honors for a second time. As a junior in 2003 she was an All-WCC selection, as Santa Clara won its third consecutive conference title and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. A team captain as a senior in 2004, she suffered a displaced fracture of her right leg in the opening game of the season and was redshirted. She returned in 2005 but was only able to make an appearance in one game in the NCAA Tournament.
Ballweg was a member of the United States youth national teams from the U-16 to U-21 levels. In 2002, she was a starting defender on the American team that won the U-19 World Cup in Canada.
A native of Metuchen, N.J., Ballweg was the 2000 NSCAA, Gatorade, and Newark Star-Ledger State Player of the Year. The 2001 Parade National High School Defender of the Year, she was also a two-time NSCAA All-American.
“I am really excited to become a part of the Cavalier program and to have the opportunity to work with a great coaching staff,” said Ballweg. “I am also looking forward to being able to work with such a highly motivated and talented group of players, and having the chance to share my experiences with them.”