Jason Kozak was announced as the sixth head coach in the 30-year history of Saint Francis University women’s volleyball on March 10, 2014. He enters his second season at the helm in 2015.
In Kozak’s first season, he brought the Red Flash back to the Northeast Conference Postseason Tournament as the No. 3 seed. SFU won 12 games and held an NEC record of 8-6. Under Kozak’s guidance two players earned All-NEC selections as Hannah Kutny and Breanna Opera each were represented on the Second Team. In addition, Red Flash players broke many SFU records in 2014. Newcomer Jenna Veres made her presence known early in her Red Flash career setting a new Saint Francis record in digs in a season with 465. Kutny and Veres moved their way into the top-ten category in most digs in a game.
With 15 years of collegiate coaching experience, including nine at the NCAA Division I level, he arrives in Loretto on the heels of an impressive two-year stint at the University of Charleston (W.Va.).
In his first season at Charleston in 2012, Kozak guided the Division II Golden Eagles to a 16-16 mark and a berth in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason. UC won its first two matches in the WVIAC tournament before bowing out in the semifinals.
His 2013 squad improved to 22-9 and posted a 12-4 record in the newly-formed Mountain East Conference, at one point reeling off an 11-match win streak. The Golden Eagles, which held a dominant 74-37 edge over opponents in sets won during the season, advanced to the MEC semifinal round.
Kozak’s Charleston squads accumulated six WVIAC and MEC All-Conference selections and picked up a AVCA Team Academic Award in 2012.
Prior to his time at UC, Kozak spent two years as the head coach at Hollins University in Roanoke, Va. where he oversaw the program as it reclassified to NCAA Division III status. At Hollins he led a young squad to only the second postseason appearance in program history.
From 2002 to 2008, Kozak spent six seasons as an assistant coach for the women’s volleyball team at the University of Virginia where he mentored five All-America, five All-Region and ten All-ACC selections.
The Rochester, N.Y. native helped the Cavaliers to a 114-77 record, while posting 18 or more wins in each of his final five seasons. The 2006 squad finished second in the ACC with a school-record 16 conference wins and a 23-8 overall record. Kozak was UVA’s recruiting coordinator in 2007 and served as director for the university’s volleyball camps beginning in 2005.
Kozak also brings experience as an assistant at the University of Pennsylvania, where he helped lead the women’s volleyball squad to the Ivy League Co-Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001. He also coached two seasons at Appalachian State University.
He is a 1997 graduate of SUNY-Brockport and a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Kozak and his wife Jennifer have two children, Jacklin (4) and Jake (3).
Jason Kozak File | SAINT FRANCIS CAREER RECORD |
| Season | Record | NEC Record | Tournament |
| 2014 | 12-17 | 8-6 | #3 Seed in NEC Tournament |
| TOTALS (1 Year) | 12-17 | 8-6 | |
