Kasza Accepts Assistant Coach Position at Northern Illinois

DeKalb, Ill. – Michigan Tech Assistant Women's Basketball coach Maria Kasza has accepted an offer to join the staff as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Northern Illinois University. Kasza just completed her fifth season as an assistant with the Huskies and was also a member of the team as a player for three seasons.

"I'm excited about my new role as an assistant coach at Northern Illinois," Kasza said. "It's a great opportunity at a great school and in a well-known conference like the MAC. I'm excited for the challenges that are ahead of me and I feel like working with Coach Cameron at Michigan Tech has set me up for the next part of my life as a coach.

"I can't put it all into words about my time and experience at Tech and what this special place mean's to me. I had the opportunity to play here for three years, meet lifelong friends, and experience back to back Elite Eight tournaments. I'm thankful for the opportunity to start my college coaching career at a place that means so much to me. It's been awesome working with Coach Cameron and getting to experience all the success we had together. I'm so grateful that she took a chance on me five years ago and let me grow as a coach. Hopefully I can be half the coach she is someday."

"Maria has been an amazing part of this program and I want to thank her for her passion, drive, and commitment to continuing the tradition of Michigan Tech," Cameron said. "She recruited not only some great players, but great people who have bought into and believed in the fundamentals of what this program is built on. She has done her very best to make the program the best that it can be. We are really going to miss her, but she has earned this opportunity to coach at the Division I level and we wish her the very best of luck."

During her five seasons an assistant coach, Kasza along with Head Coach Kim Cameron, guided Tech to an overall record of 107-37 and three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North Division Championships. The Huskies claimed the GLIAC Tournament Championship in 2014-15 and reached the tournament semifinals three times, including this past season. Tech has been nearly unbeatable at home, posting a record of 64-8 in the SDC Gym during the past five years.

The Huskies also punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament twice over the course of those five seasons. Kasza has been an integral part of recruiting student-athletes who not only excel on the court but also in the classroom. She also played a key role in helping run the "Little Huskies" camps, which give opportunities for girls from grades 2-12 to build their basketball skills.

Prior to returning to her alma mater, Kasza spent two seasons coaching high school girls' basketball in Michigan. She spent the 2010-11 season as the varsity assistant coach at Kalkaska High School where she helped the Blazers to a 23-2 record. That season she also coached the seventh grade boys' basketball team at Kalkaska Middle School. In 2011-12, she was the head coach of the freshman girls' basketball team at Williamston High School.

Kasza was a member of the basketball team at Tech for three years and was an integral part in two of the team's NCAA Division II Elite Eight Appearances. She received both her bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from Michigan Tech. Kasza was a member of the Dean's List and Beta Gamma Sigma Honors Fraternity.

Coach Cameron has begun a national search for a new assistant coach and interested applicants can visit the Michigan Tech human resources page for more information and to apply for the position.

The Huskies tip-off the 2017-18 season on Friday November 10^th against Davis & Elkins in Pepper Pike, Ohio at 3 p.m.

The official Northern Illinois press release can be viewed by clicking here.