Clarkson University

Clarkson University Athletics Dept
Box 5830 Potsdam, NY 136995830

Division 3 New York Northeast

Private Small National competitor

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Coaches

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Zac Shaw

Zac Shaw is entering his fifth year season as the head coach for the Golden Knights' Women's Soccer program for the 2023 season. In his first three seasons at the helm (2019, 2021-22), Shaw has posted 23 wins along with seven ties in 53 contests. For the fall of 2021, Shaw brought in a strong first-year class that saw two players earn Liberty League All-Star status as freshmen, and another standout recruiting class in 2022 helped the Golden Knights advance to the Liberty League Semifinals after moving on thanks to a shootout victory against Skidmore in the opening round.

In the season prior to joining the Clarkson staff, Shaw spent the 2018-19 season with the University of Rochester Women's Soccer program as the team's first assistant coach, helping the Yellowjackets finish with a 9-8-1 record and a berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Shaw brings a wealth of knowledge and experience at both the Division I and Division III levels. Prior to his season with Rochester, he spent seven years as the Associate Head Coach at the University of Connecticut. Consistently a nationally-ranked program over the last decade, UConn's staff was voted American Athletic Conference Staff of the Year in both 2015 and 2016.

Before his time at Connecticut, Shaw held the position of head coach for six years at the University of Rhode Island. While with the Rams, he was named Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year in 2005 and guided the Rams to two runner-up finishes in the A-10 regular season and another in the conference tournament.

In addition to his time at UConn and Rhode Island, Shaw also worked as an assistant coach at several other top Division I programs, including Florida (2004-05), where he helped bring in a recruiting class ranked in the top 10 nationally, Wisconsin (2003-04), and Penn State (1998-2000, 2002).

Shaw graduated from Ithaca College in 1992, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Neuroscience, after spending four years with the Bombers' soccer program. He was a NSCAA First-Team All-American, ISAA Division III Goalkeeper of the Year and Empire Athletic Association Men's Soccer Player of the Year in 1991 and he earned three All-EAA honors and a pair of All-Region selections during his time at Ithaca. He was elected to the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998.

After graduating college, he got his first taste of coaching at two Division III programs at Nazareth (1992-93) and Ithaca (1993-94). Prior to his Division I experience, he played professionally for the Buffalo Blizzard of the NPSL in 1996 and 1997, and with the Atlanta Ruckus and Rochester Rhinos in the A-League in 1996. On the international level, he played in Belgium for four teams from 1993 to 1996, including stints at 1st Division teams Club Brugges and KV Oostende.

Shaw is married to former US Women's Soccer National Team player Emily Shaw (Oleksiuk) and the couple has four children.

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Marlene Fries

Marlene Fries is entering her first season as the top assistant coach for the Clarkson University Women's Soccer program for the 2023-24 year.

A recent graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in Exercise Science, Fries spent four years with the Pride's soccer program. She started all 22 matches in 2021, playing nearly 2000 total minutes on the pitch while helping the team to a program record 13 shutouts and just a 0.58 goals against average, with the latter figure ranking 12th in the country. Fries also played in 17 matches and made 11 starts in 2019 and in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. Her senior season of 2022 was wiped out due to injury.

A native of Geltendorf, Germany, Fries excelled in the classroom as well with a 3.92 grade-point average, earning numerous academic honors. She served as team captain for FC Bayern Munchen U-17, winning titles in 2017 and 2019.