During her first season as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator of the University of Rhode Island women’s volleyball team, Marissa Soistman has helped the team already surpass their win total from a season ago and continues to build a bright future for the program.
Soistman started her coaching career at the University of New Hampshire right after she graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in May 2021. She began as a graduate assistant and director of operations at UNH and quickly worked her way up to an assistant coach for the 2023 season.
During her time with the Wildcats, they had a lot of success with a record of 53-31 and two appearances in the America East conference semifinals. Along with helping lead the team to these heights, Soistman built her connection with current URI Head Coach Ryan Sullivan, as he served as the associate head coach for UNH last season.
Sullivan was a part of the coaching staff at New Hampshire for all three years that Soistman was there and made sure that he would continue to coach alongside her when he got the job at Rhode Island in July of 2024.
“Throughout my time at UNH, Ryan was always saying ‘you’re going to be the first person I call if I get a head coaching job,’ and he did just that,” Soistman said. “He has taught me so much and I know that he sees my potential and I’m so grateful for that.”
Just a couple weeks after Sullivan got the job, Soistman officially joined the coaching staff with the Rams on July 16. Along with the influence of Sullivan, Soistman saw the opportunity to continue her climb up the coaching ranks as a main factor to taking the job in Rhode Island.
“It was not an easy decision to leave, but I was ready to take the jump and ready for the next step in my career,” Soistman said. “I had been a second assistant for three years and was ready to move up on the ladder.”
Soistman believes that the success that both her and Sullivan had at UNH could help build the program in Kingston. With her focus on recruiting, she is hoping that this experience will help ensure that they are able to continue to bring in talent and reach new heights in Rhode Island.
“Recruiting is obviously a huge factor for us, trying to get some of the best players in the nation to come here to a program that has been a little bit down in the past,” Soistman said. “Having experience in those pressure situations for us has been very helpful to figure out where we want to be.”
Prior to her coaching career, Soistman had a playing career at NJIT where she was a setter and a multi-year captain. This has been a big reason why she has already built close connections with the players in the short time she has spent with the Rams, according to fourth-year setter Katie Butler.
“It’s great having someone who’s been in your shoes and not too long ago,” Butler said. “She was just in college the other day and I think it’s really good having someone who’s been through it and knows what it’s like on the hard days and easy days.”
Aside from being a positive presence for the players, the team has already seen notable improvement under the duo of Sullivan and Soistman. After going 4-26 a season ago, the Rams surpassed that win total in just 11 matches this season. They currently sit at 7-13 and have won two of their last three conference matchups.
Although she is happy with the improvement the team has shown, Soistman has her sights set on getting into the top six of the conference standings and making the Atlantic 10 tournament for the first time since 2020.
“Our first goal is to make the conference tournament,” Soistman said. “Just taking it one win at a time, one win per weekend puts us in a really good place.”
Soistman and the rest of the volleyball team will continue this quest to reach the tournament when they travel to take on George Mason University at 6 p.m. on Friday in the first of a two-match weekend slate. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.