Hiram College

Hiram, OH 44240

Ohio Midwest

Private Small Developing team

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Coaches

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Kaela Kovanda

Kovanda enters her third season as head coach of the Hiram Terriers women's soccer program in 2023-24, having joined the Terriers from Bluffton University in Bluffton, Ohio, where she served as an assistant coach for two years.

Kovanda led Hiram to shutout road victories over Geneva and Washington & Jefferson this past season, with Ashley Sandru landing All-NCAC Third Team honors to cap off the year. Goalkeeper Skyler Huda ranked first in the NCAC with 152 saves to spearhead the Terriers in 2022-23.

Over her two seasons with Bluffton, Kovanda coached a trio of All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) honorees and helped the Beavers to their best record since 2015 and their best Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) finish since 2011 in 2019.

During her time with the Beavers, Kovanda also spent two seasons as the head coach with the Greater Toledo Football Club, conducting practices for 03/04 teams, managing games and maintaining a social media presence.

Kovanda began her coaching career at Dublin Jerome High School in Dublin, Ohio, spending one season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Celtics. In addition, Kovanda has coached and instructed at various soccer camps throughout her coaching career, providing skill instruction, assessing talent and providing players with a summary of their performance and areas of improvement.

A 2017 graduate of Malone University in Canton, Ohio, Kovanda was a four-year starter for the Pioneers women’s soccer team, tallying six goals, including a pair of game-winners, 13 assists and 58 shots over 70 games played. A two-time team captain, Kovanda was named the Defensive Team MVP her freshman and sophomore years, as well as the Greater Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 17, 2016.

A native of Marysville, Ohio, Kovanda was also a member of the U.S. Olympic Development Program Regional Team.

Kovanda earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Malone University in Dec. 2017, and her master’s degree in business administration with a focus in leadership from Bluffton University in May 2021.

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Maddie Wirtley

Wirtley enters her second year as an assistant coach with the Hiram College women's soccer program in 2023-24, having joined the Terriers after playing four years at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio.

A four-year letter winner for the Fighting Muskies, Wirtley saw action all over the field for the Muskies throughout her four years with the program, serving as a team captain her senior year.

A graduate of Edgewood High School in Trenton, Ohio, Wirtley was a three-year varsity letter winner for the Cougars, served as a team captain her senior year and earned an academic scholarship to play at Muskingum.

Wirtley earned her bachelor's degree in business marketing with a minor in business management from Muskingum University in May 2022, and is currently pursuing her master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Hiram College.

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Joe Chmura

Chmura enters his second season as the Head Coach of the Hiram men's soccer program in 2023-24, having joined the Terriers from the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio, where he served as an assistant coach for four years.

Chmura's 2022-23 team was spearheaded by freshman Matt Callan and sophomore Cole Koch, who both tied for the team lead in goals, shots and shots on goal. Jeremy Sgro also earned All-NCAC Third Team in Chmura's first season at the helm.

Over four seasons with the Purple Raiders, Chmura helped lead Mount Union to tremendous success both on and off the field, including multiple Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament appearances, national and regional rankings and a program-record 13 wins in 2018.

Under Chmura, the Purple Raiders garnered 20 All-OAC selections, including five first-team selections and the OAC Goalkeeper of the Year in 2019, five United Soccer Coaches All-Region selections and six All-Ohio selections. While off the field, Chmura oversaw 43 Academic All-OAC honorees and one College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-American®.

In addition to his role with the Purple Raiders, Chmura has also served as a camp director and instructor for various soccer camps throughout Ohio, working with Wright State University in Greene County, Ohio in July 2019 and the University of Akron from June 2019 through Feb. 2020, and most recently with College Coaches Skills Camps since July 2019.

Previously, Chmura spent the summer of 2019 as a soccer trainer at Force Indoor Sports, instructing group training sessions for ages 5-13, as well as assisting elite high school and collegiate athletes.

Chmura began his head coaching career with the City of Green Soccer, coaching the city’s U13 boys’ team for a season in 2017.

A 2016 graduate of Mount Union, Chmura was a four-year member of the Purple Raiders’ men’s soccer program, serving as a team captain his senior year and seeing action as a central defender.

Chmura earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science with a minor in coaching from Mount Union in May 2016, as well as his master’s in educational leadership in May 2018.

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Shelby Edwards

Edwards is entering his second season as an assistant coach at Hiram in 2023-24 after spending four seasons with the team as a goalkeeper.

His 37 games played with the program ranks 7th all-time, and his 175 saves ranks ninth in program history.

Originally from Olmsted Falls, Edwards was previously a goalkeeper trainer at Quick Hands Goalkeeping for five years.