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Gia Cillizza is in her ninth year as head coach of the Cardinal field hockey team. During the past eight years, Cillizza has become CUA field hockey's winningest coach as she continues to build the program into one that is nationally recognized.
During the 2009 season, Cillizza guided CUA to 12 wins, including a 5-1 record in the Landmark Conference, as the Cardinals outscored their opponents 43-24 and surrendered only 1.26 goals per game. CUA hosted a pair of postseason contests as well, advancing to the semifinals of the ECAC Tournament following a 3-1 win over Kean University. Five of Cillizza’s student-athletes earned All-Landmark honors, including four on the First-Team, while Liz Grumbein was named to the All-South Atlantic Region Second-Team and Marian Cassilly was chosen to participate in the NFHCA Division III Senior All-Star Game.
Off the field Cillizza’s team continued to achieve at a high level as it earned an overall grade point average of 3.29 during the 2009 fall semester and was recognized with a National Field Hockey Coaches Association academic team award. In addition, 11 individuals were placed on the national academic squad by earning a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.30 through the first semester, led by co-captain Andrea Baick’s perfect 4.0 GPA.
Cillizza and her staff were named Landmark Coaching Staff of the
Year in 2007 and 2008 and Cillizza was honored as the Capital
Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2006. During her tenure,
she has coached four of the program’s five All-Americans, 10
All-Region selections, 29 All-Conference selections, two Conference
Rookies of the Year, two Conference Defensive Players of the Year
and five NFHCA All-Star Game participants. She has also
coached several CUA Athletics Department award winners including Ro
Dixon and Erin Swift (Donley Cup); Michele Repass, Jayme Dinsmore
and Stephanie Roselle (Outstanding Senior Athlete) and Carley
Walko, Kelly Burke and Kathleen Langan (Jone Dowd Role Model) as
well as Megan Payne, who received the President’s Medal in
2007.
During Cillizza’s tenure the Cardinals have won three
regular season titles (2006-08), played in four conference
championship games (2005-08), and advanced to the ECAC post-season
tournament five times (runner up in 2008, semifinalist in 2005,
2006, 2009 and quarterfinalist in 2007). They have also taken down
several nationally ranked teams including #4 Salisbury on the road
in 2006, #15 Juniata in 2007, and #15 William Patterson in 2008,
and earned ratings in the top 30 nationally from 2005-09, with its
top poll ranking of #13 in 2005.
Cillizza began her career as head coach in 2002 after serving for
three years as an assistant at CUA. In 2004 after a two-year stint
as a part-time head coach, Cillizza left her career in publishing
as assistant production editor, reporter and marketing manager for
National Journal Group (now Atlantic Media) to follow her passion,
full-time coaching. She has coached at U.S. Field Hockey's National
Futures Championship, served as a site director and coach in the
U.S. Field Hockey Futures development program, directed Revolution
Field Hockey camp at CUA, and coached camps with the University of
Maryland, Nike, Gateway Field Hockey, Cecil County Field Hockey and
Archbishop Spalding High School. She has also served on various
National Field Hockey Coaches Association and NCAA committees.
From 2006-10 Cillizza served as associate athletic director and senior woman administrator (SWA) at CUA. In this role she oversaw seven varsity programs, directed departmental events and programs, and oversaw special projects and committees.
Cillizza is a 1998 graduate of Division I Miami University in Ohio where she was a four-year letter winner and twice earned a trip to the Mid-American Conference championships. She was elected co-captain of her team both junior and senior year and was a three-year starter at midfield and defense. She earned a bachelor's degree in English literature and journalism and was a reporter and editor for the university's newspaper.
A St. Louis, Mo., native, Cillizza was co-captain of the Visitation Academy 1993 Midwest Championship team, which finished an unblemished 21-0, and was named first team all-conference her junior and senior years. During high school she participated in the U.S. Futures program and played on all-star teams at the National Field Hockey Festival. Her background includes high school and club softball and soccer as well as musical theater and dance.
Cillizza, her husband, Chris, and son live in Falls Church, Va.
