Michael Marchiano walked toward the women’s soccer sideline on Sunday with a slow grin growing across his face.
Maryland women’s soccer had just won its first Big Ten game in more than two years. Marchiano was appointed as interim coach three days earlier.
The players jumped around Marchiano, pushing him closer to the swarm of Terps. Before he could resist, defenders Halle Johnson and Tahirah Turnage-Morales dumped an ice-cold bucket of Gatorade over his head while the team cheered.
“I didn’t love the Gatorade shower, but for sure, it makes a great memory,” Marchiano said. “I’m beyond happy for them to be able to smile and celebrate victory after what they’ve been through.”
Marchiano was hired as an assistant coach ahead of this season. He assumed the interim position shortly after the team parted ways with third-year coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer with just five games left in the year.
Maryland struggled for the past two seasons, finally ending a streak of more than 700 days without scoring a conference goal.
[Maryland women’s soccer tops Nebraska, 2-0, for first Big Ten win in two years]
The difference on Sunday was the coach and the positive energy he inspired in the team, according to Delaney DeMartino, who scored the first goal in the Terps’ 2-0 win over Nebraska.
“I would say Mike has been the glue of this team. He stepped up in a big moment, and he’s kept us together,” DeMartino said. “He’s motivated us to keep going no matter what.”
His pride comes from a personal place. Marchiano served as men’s soccer captain for two years when he played at Maryland under current men’s soccer coach Sasho Cirovski.
He was a midfielder on the Terps’ NCAA championship teams in 2005 and 2008. Marchiano was assistant coach of the Maryland men’s team for two years, where it made two appearances in the NCAA quarterfinals.
Marchiano coached at Army West Point, Drexel and was awarded as one of the top assistant coaches in the country by TopDrawerSoccer for his time at Loyola Maryland. His only head coaching position before returning to his alma mater was from 2020-2022 with Drexel’s men’s soccer team.
[Coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer to leave Maryland women’s soccer]
“I haven’t been here for that long, and I think all of us have had relationships that are growing, and we’ve been through ups and downs, a lot of downs,” Marchiano said. “I think we’ve developed some really strong relationships.”
Marchiano is working to maintain that energy on and off the field. His focus is on how to create the best experience for the 32 players and staff for the remainder of the season.
Marchiano felt happy leaving Sunday with three points in the Big Ten standings, hoping for more of the same for Thursday against Minnesota.
Athletic director Damon Evans said the Terps will open a national search for a new coach. For now, Marchiano will lead the team for the remainder of the season as they look to find some bright spots amid a challenging year.
“I think that the one thing that we’re going to continue to ask is for people to show up with some self-pride, despite all the adversity,” he said. “I want the best for this, the school and what it’s given me… I have too much pride for this place.”
