Coaches

Rob Marinaro

One of the longest-tenured coaches in the Mid-American Conference, Rob Marinaro has been part of the Kent State’s women’s soccer staff since the program’s inception in 1997 and recently completed his 22nd season as head coach of the Golden Flashes.


The three-time MAC Coach of the Year has the second-most wins in conference history and owns a 200-165-52 record, including a 121-91-29 mark in league play. Marinaro has led Kent State to one MAC Tournament championship, three MAC regular season titles and three MAC East Division crowns during his tenure. Additionally, he has overseen the development of two All-Americans, 12 All-Region honorees and 39 All-MAC selections. In 2018, Marinaro captured the 200th win in school history and earned his 200th win at the helm of the program against Bowling Green in 2022.


The success does not end on the field for Marinaro’s teams, as the women’s soccer team regularly posts one of Kent State Athletics’ highest term grade-point averages. The Flashes have been among the nation’s elite academically as noted by 10 NSCAA Team Academic Awards since 2007, which included a national Top-20 GPA for four consecutive seasons from 2009-12. Marinaro’s student-athletes have earned three CoSIDA Academic All-American honors, 24 MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete honors and over 130 Academic All-MAC honors.


In 2021, Marinaro's Flashes returned to some of their best form, ending the season with a 13-5-3 record. They only lost one game in regular season MAC play. Eventually, the Flashes made it all the way to the MAC Championship. Their overtime performances were huge in their success, as they ended the season undefeated in overtime. Over the course of the season, the Flashes outscored their opponents 44-30. Forwards Cameron Shendenhelm and Karly Hellstrom made the All-MAC First Team, as did defender Tianna Harris. Harris was also named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Freshman Flashes also stood out, as midfielders Siena Stambolich and Alisa Arthur and defender Grace Barresi were all named to the All-MAC Freshman Team.


The 2020 season was moved to the spring of 2021 and was limited to a 10-game schedule of only MAC opponents. Three of those games were canceled. The Flashes went 2-1 in their remaining three home games.


In 2019, the Flashes outshot their opponents and forced them into 117 saves over the course of the season. Three Flashes were recognized with All-MAC distinctions: midfielder Vital Kats (first team), forward Cameron Shedenhelm (second team) and defender Grace Wolber (freshman team). Kats was brilliant from midfield for the Flashes scoring 8 and assisting 8. Shedenhelm showed great all-around forward play, scoring 6 and assisting 6.


The 2018 season saw the Golden Flashes reach the 10-win mark and qualify for the MAC Tournament for the eighth consecutive season and is the only MAC women’s soccer program to accomplish both feats during that stretch.


Under Marinaro's leadership, the 2017 team captured the program's third MAC regular season championship with a 9-2 league record and hosted the MAC Tournament’s final weekend for the second year in a row. Paige Culver was named a United Soccer Coaches All-American and MAC Defensive Player of the Year as the leader of a backline that matched the program record with 11 shutouts. Midfielder Vital Kats was the third Flash to earn MAC Freshman of the Year honors.


The historic 2016 campaign included Kent State’s first NCAA Tournament appearance and program record 15 victories, which included a 13-match unbeaten streak. The Flashes posted an 8-1-2 conference record to win the MAC East Division crown and captured the program’s first MAC Tournament Championship with a 1-0 victory over Northern Illinois inside of Dix Stadium. Two-time MAC Offensive Player of the Year Jenna Hellstrom was named Kent State’s first ever NSCAA All-American after totaling a program record 38 points. Hellstrom headlined a record five All-MAC selections for the Flashes.


Kent State began its double-digit victory streak in 2011 with a MAC East title, marking the team’s first conference trophy since back-to-back first-place finishes in 2003 and 2004.


After being promoted to head coach Jan. 1, 2001, Marinaro quickly moved Kent State to the top of the MAC, winning back-to-back MAC regular season championships in 2003 and 2004 when the program posted a combined 23-9-8 record. The Flashes posted a record-setting 11 shutouts in 2003 and earned a share of the MAC crown in 2004 by jumping from fourth place into a tie for first in the season’s final weekend.


As an assistant coach on Colleen Marcum’s staff for the program’s first four years, Marinaro helped the Golden Flashes rebound from a difficult inaugural season to go a 31-24-2 over the next three years. His primary duties as an assistant included working with the goalkeepers and defense, as well as scouting and recruiting.


A goalkeeper by trade, Marinaro spent five seasons (1993-97) playing with various teams in the National Professional Soccer League, finishing his professional career with the Cleveland Crunch. He also played for the Harrisburg Heat, Buffalo Blizzard and Chicago Power. He was selected to the NPSL All-Rookie Team in 1994 and was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors as a member of the Power. Marinaro first played professionally with the Toronto Blizzard of the American Professional Soccer League from 1992-93. His brother Hector, currently the men’s soccer coach at John Carroll University, is the all-time leader in points and goals in Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) history.


In addition, Marinaro served as a coach for the Ohio State North team for the Olympic Development Program and was a member of the ODP Region II staff. He also worked at the Cleveland Crunch Summer Camps in 1995 and 1996. Currently, he is the director of coaching for the Stow Soccer Club.


A native of Toronto, Ontario, Marinaro received his master’s degree in sports administration from Kent State in the summer of 2001. He graduated from Clemson University in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in language and international trade and was a member of the Tigers’ 1987 national championship team.


Marinaro currently holds a United States Soccer Federation National “B” Coaching License.


He resides in Stow with his wife, Michele, and their son, Michael.

Rocky Sasitharan

Rocky Sasitharan was promoted to assistant coach in July 2021 following three seasons as a volunteer assistant with the Kent State women's soccer program.


Sasitharan helped the Flashes have a great season in 2021. A 13-5-3 record (7-1-3 MAC) marked the best season for Kent State since 2017. Six Flashes were honored by the MAC as All-Conference performers: Cameron Shendenhelm (forward), Karly Hellstrom (forward) and Tianna Harris (defender) all made the All-MAC First Team while Siena Stambolich (midfielder), Alisa Arthur (midfielder) and Grace Barresi (defender) made the All-MAC Freshman Team. Harris was also named MAC Defensive Player of the Year.


During Sasitharan's time working as a volunteer coach on the Kent State soccer team, the Flashes went 2-1-1 versus Power Five schools. The Flashes averaged 1.85 goals per game during the 2018 season, which ranked second in the Mid-American Conference. Sasitharan had various responsibilities, including handling scouting reports, coordinating team training sessions, conducting retrograde and video analysis, and evaluating prospective student-athletes.


Prior to holding his volunteer position at Kent State, Sasitharan was the Girls' Director of Coaching at FC Durham Academy, where, at the time, he was the youngest coach in Canada with a National B coaching license. Sasitharan also spent two years on the club coaching staff for Ajax Soccer Club in Ontario.


Sasitharan's soccer experience as a player includes stints with Sigma FC Academy (2005-10), Erin Mill Soccer Club (2000-10), and York University (2010-11).


Sasitharan graduated with honors from York University in 2016 with a B.A. in Psychology. He then went on to graduate from the University of Akron School of Law in 2021, Juris Doctor-Cum Laude.

Jenna Hellstrom

Jenna Hellstrom was hired as an assitant coach of the Kent State soccer program in March 2023.


Hellstrom is a former member of the Canadian Women's National Soccer Team who was called in as recently as February 2023 when she played for the Canadians in the She Believes Cup. She was a member of the 2019 World Cup team that reached the Round of 16, and has had stints at the club level with Rosengard, Djurgarden, Vaxjo, Washington Spirit, Orebro FC, and Dijon FC. Prior to her professional career, Hellstrom had an illustrious career at Kent State, finishing as the program's all-time leader in goals (37), assists (33), and points (107). She became the first All-American iin Kent State soccer history when she earned NSCAA Second Team All-American honors in 2016.


As a senior in 2016, Hellstrom led the Mid-American Conference in points (38) and assists (10) and was second in goals with 14. She finished the season ranked seventh in the nation in points per game (2.0), 11th in assists per game (0.53) and 14th in goals per game (0.74), being named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year as well as earning First Team All-MAC, NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region First Team and MAC All-Tournament Team honors


During her junior season in 2015, Hellstrom had ten multiple-point games, scoring at least one point in 14 of 19 contests en route to being named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-MAC. She led the conference in most offensive categories, including points, points per game, shots, shots per game, assists per game, and game-winning goals, as well as finishing fourth in the country in assists and eighth in assists per game. Hellstrom was named First Team OCSA All-Ohio and NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region.


In 2014, Hellstrom led the Flashes with 20 points en route to being named First Team All-MAC, All-Ohio First Team, and College Sports Madness All-MAC First Team. The year prior, she was named the MAC Freshman of the Year after tallying five goals and five assists in 16 games. She also earned a spot on the Division One OSCA All-Ohio Team and College Soccer Madness All-Conference Team.


Hellstrom graduated from Kent State in 2017 with a Bachelor's degree in Sport Administration and a minor in Business.

No Men's Soccer Program