On July 7, 2008, Stevens Institute of Technology Head Women’s Soccer Coach Jeff Parker announced the hiring of Mary Velan as the program’s new full-time assistant coach. Velan arrives in Hoboken following her matriculation and outstanding athletic career at the State University of New York at Oneonta. She graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and concluded her career as a six-time All-American in soccer and track and field.
Velan earned four All-America awards in soccer (2004-07). She graduated as Oneonta’s all-time leader in points (169), goals (71), and assists (27) and led the Red Dragons to four State University of New York Athletic Conference titles and NCAA tournament appearances. Oneonta reached the NCAA Championship’s ‘Elite Eight’ in both 2004 and 2005. Velan was a four-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America first-team All-New York Region selection, a two-time SUNYAC Player of the Year (2006 & 2007), a four-time all-conference first-team member, as well as an All-Academic team selection and the league’s rookie of the year in 2004. She was a part of a program coached by Tracey Ranieri, now the director of athletics at Oneonta, and current head coach Liz McGrail, who took over in the fall of 2007.
As a member of the Women’s Premier Soccer League’s Adirondack Lynx, Velan has played for coach P.J. Moffit since 2006 in what is the country’s top women’s soccer league.
She twice earned All-America status as part of Oneonta’s 4x400-relay team and qualified nationally as an individual in the 800-meter run in 2006. Velan also was part of SUNYAC Champions in both the 4x200- and 4x400-meter relays in 2005 & 2006.
On the coaching end, Velan has been very active member of the Oneonta soccer scene. She was an Assistant Girls Program Director at the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club as well as a regular coach and instructor as part of the Headwaters Soccer Camp in upstate New York.
