HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 29, 2020)  – It's time for the next installment of "Meet The Duck Tuesday." This week, we caught up with Assistant Women's Soccer Coach, Melissa Koster. 

Set for her third season on Castle Point, Koster has helped guide the Ducks to consecutive conference championships and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. During Koster's tenure with the women's soccer program, the Ducks have posted a 33-7-1 record, including a perfect 15-0 record in conference play and a pair of NCAA victories. Additionally, the Ducks have totaled 15 all-conference selections over the last two years and compiled four major awards from the Empire 8 and MAC Freedom.

Prior to arriving in Hoboken in 2018, Koster spent two seasons on the staff at Moravian College, helping the Greyhounds post a 19-13-2 mark and earning a spot in the Landmark Conference Championship match in 2016. Prior to her stint in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the Hamilton, New Jersey native patrolled the sidelines for one season on the staff of her alma mater, Montclair State University as the Red Hawks finished with a 15-4-2 mark and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

As an undergraduate, Koster totaled two goals and six assists over 77 matches for the Red Hawks and earned Second Team All-America recognition from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (now United Soccer Coaches) following her senior campaign. Koster was a three-time New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) champion and Montclair State won five NCAA matches during her time as a student-athlete. The 2014 NJAC Midfielder of the Year earned two First Team All-NJAC selections and converted a penalty kick at the DeBaun Athletic Complex on Sept. 12, 2014 in the Red Hawks' 3-0 victory over Stevens for her lone points against the Ducks in three career matches.

Koster earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Montclair State in 2016 and would go on to earn her Master of Education degree from Moravian in 2018.

• First year at Stevens: 2018
• Favorite thing about working at Stevens: Working and collaborating with the student-athletes. 
• Proudest moment during your time at Stevens: When we receive the semester GPAs. It amazes me how well they all do in the classroom with their difficult coursework, while balancing soccer, and participating in other extracurricular activities. 
• A fun fact about you that most people do not know: I'm pretty good at juggling.
• What is the most interesting fact about you? I grew up in a mixed religion household. My Mom is Catholic and my Dad is Jewish so I got to experience holidays from both sides.
• What accomplishment are you most proud of? The thesis I wrote for my Master's degree
• First job: Furniture salesperson 
• Five favorite songs: "C'mon," Ke$ha; "Vienna," Billy Joel; "Mary's Place," Bruce Springsteen; "Out Like That," Luke Bryan; "Dear Maria Count Me In," All Time Low
• First concert: Billy Joel
• Favorite entertainer: Florida Georgia Line
• Favorite movie or television show: One Tree Hill
• Favorite book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
• Favorite food: Vietnamese pho
• Favorite snack: Chex Mix – any flavor. They are all incredible! 
• Favorite radio station: 94.7 - New York's Country
• Favorite number and why: 2. I felt like choosing 1 was cocky. 
• Favorite college or professional sports team: N.Y. Mets and Philadelphia Eagles
• Favorite place on campus: DeBaun 
• Favorite pizza place in Hoboken: Gio's
• What's the one food you could never bring yourself to eat? Raw oysters 
• Who would play you in a movie? Kate McKinnon
• What did you want to be when you were a child? A veterinarian  
• What is your go-to karaoke song? Piano Man 
• Who was/is your mentor: Jeff Parker, Jeff Ykoruk, Pat Naughter 
• Favorite quote: "What is meant to be will be" 
• Favorite family tradition: Making pierogies before Christmas 
• Favorite board game: Catan
• Using one word, how would you describe your family? Short
• How do you spend an off day? Visiting my nephews 
• Favorite teacher and why? Dr. Scrabis-Fletcher. She was tough, but pushed us to be the best teachers we could be. 
• What is something popular that annoys you? Posting what you're eating on social media. 
• Favorite place to travel to: Boston  
• Best advice you ever received: Be yourself
• If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why? Time travel so I could meet family members I never had the chance to. 
• Who would be at your perfect 'Table for Four'? My dog Shea, my dog Jeter, my cat Oreo and me. 
• What is your most prized possession? My grandmother's wedding ring 
• Who is your oldest friend? Where did you meet? My best friend Chelsea. We met at two years old in preschool. 
• Who is your hero? Why? My Mom. She's the toughest person I know.

• Dog or cat? Dog
• In or out? In
• Hot or cold? Cold
• Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla
• Introvert or extrovert? Introvert 
• Coffee or Tea? Coffee 
• Pancakes or waffles? Pancakes
• Cardio or weights? Cardio
• Bacon or Sausage? Bacon
• Sunrise or sunset? Sunset 
• Cake or Pie? Pie
• Online shopping or shopping in a store? Online 
• Breakfast, lunch or dinner? Breakfast
• Beach or pool? Beach 
• Pen or Pencil? Pen
• Driver or passenger? Drive
• Glass half empty or half full? Half full
• Card game or board game? Board game
• Ninjas or Pirates? Ninjas (Turtles to be specific)
• Fruits or vegetables? Fruits
• Would you rather be rich or famous? Rich
• Library or museums? Museums
• Summer or Winter? Winter
• Hamburgers or hot dogs? Hot dogs 
• Who would win in a fight? Superman or Batman? Superman due to his superhuman powers but I would be rooting for Batman. 

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