CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) Naomi Kolarova, who registered 118 wins in 12 seasons at Tennessee Wesleyan, has been named head coach for Austin Peay State University women’s soccer team, athletics director Ryan Ivey announced Thursday.
Kolarova, who took the Tennessee Wesleyan to the NAIA National Quarterfinals last season, becomes the second head coach of the Governors soccer team. She takes over for Kelley Guth who resigned in November after leading the program since its inception in 2002.
“What a great day for our women’s soccer program,” said Ivey. “We are excited to welcome Naomi and her family to Austin Peay and Clarksville. I am confident that with her experience and approach she will be able to move our program to the next level and compete for OVC Championships on a consistent basis.
“I also would like to once again thank Kelley Guth for her service and work over the past 16 years on behalf of our women’s soccer program. To be able to start a program and grow it to what it is today, is a phenomenal feat, and she deserves our utmost respect.”
“I am thrilled to be joining the Austin Peay community and the women’s soccer program,” said Kolarova. “I want to thank [Austin Peay president] Dr. Alisa White, Ryan Ivey, and the search committee for this opportunity. The atmosphere in athletics that Ryan has built in his time at APSU is exciting and I look forward to being a member of the Govs athletic department staff.
“Coach Guth has created a solid foundation in the Govs soccer program and I am very excited about continuing to propel the program in a positive and successful direction. I’m eager to get on campus and begin work with our returners as well as hit the ground recruiting for our future.”
In her 12 seasons at Tennessee Wesleyan, Kolarova has coached 66 all-conference athletes and seven athletes who received the Appalachian Athletic Conference’s top soccer awards. That latter total includes two Appalachian Athletic Conference Players of the Year, two Offensive Players of the Year, a Defensive Player of the Year and two AAC Freshmen of the Year. In addition, Nicole Broderick became the first TWU athlete to be named an NAIA All-American, earning third-team honors in 2017.
Kolarova’s teams also excelled in the classroom with her program receiving the NAIA’s Scholar Team Award four times since 2012. In addition, 10 Tennessee Wesleyan soccer athletes have been named NAIA Scholar-Athletes 24 times during her tenure and 59 student-athletes have received academic all-conference honors.
A Cambridge, New Zealand native, Kolarova (nee Clarke) was a four-time National Soccer Coaches Association Division II All-American as a player. She played three seasons at Lock Haven (Pa.) where she was conference rookie of the year and ultimately scored 34 goals – still third most in that program’s history. Kolarova then transferred to Metropolitan State-Denver for her final season and was the conference player of the year after a 29-point (13 goals, 16 assists) campaign.
Kolarova began her coaching career at North Alabama where she was a graduate assistant for the 2005 season while earning her master’s degree in health promotion and human performance. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from Metropolitan State-Denver in human performance and sport with an emphasis in K-12 teaching. Kolarova, who signed a four-year contract, will be joined in Clarksville by her husband Hristo and their daughter Kiriana.