From OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Owens Community College is continuing to grow the Owens Express athletic program by reintroducing women’s soccer for the 2023 season. Zane Polack has been hired as the head coach and is actively recruiting to build the roster.
The original women’s soccer team debuted as a club sport in 2009 and played its first varsity season in 2011. The 2013 and 2014 teams advanced to back-to-back NJCAA national tournaments, compiled a combined 31-7-4 record and achieved a No. 10 national ranking in the coaches’ poll.
Bolstered by high caliber players from club and high school soccer, Owens women’s soccer was highly competitive and gaining momentum.
In 2016, the College made the difficult decision to close the women’s soccer program along with men’s soccer and men’s golf programs in a cost-savings measure. The baseball and softball programs also were suspended that year.
“We brought back baseball and softball in 2019 before losing a year in 2020 due to COVID-19. As the pandemic was coming to an end, we were able to bring those sports back to build the number of programs we offered our student-athletes,” Owens Express athletic director Shelley Whitaker said. “We are now in a position to add another sport and women’s soccer is the ideal choice. With Coach Polack on board, we are excited to identify the first recruiting class and look forward to games next fall.”
Polack, a Bowling Green native, is celebrating not only his head coaching position, but also a homecoming. He played for the Express men’s soccer team in 2007 and 2008. He then transferred and play at Gannon University. He also played professionally for the Detroit Waza Flo in the Major Arena Soccer League from 2011-2015.
He has coaching experience at the youth, collegiate and professional levels.
“Owens will provide an opportunity for local players to continue playing after high school and also provide a bridge for players who have aspirations to play at a four-year university,” Polack said. “I am honored to have the opportunity to empower players while they navigate their own career path. I want to restore the program to compete at a regional and national level.”
Polack lives in metro Detroit with his wife and four children.
Tryouts will be at 4 p.m. Friday, May 5 and Friday, May 19 at the Express Soccer Field on the Toledo-area Campus.
For more information on Owens Community College athletics, please visitowensexpress.com.
