Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – Vassar College Head Women's Soccer Coach Keith Simons has announced the promotion of Shaela Krayer to Associate Head Coach. Krayer, who joined the Vassar staff prior to the 2021 season, begins her third campaign with the Brewers in 2023.
 
"I am really grateful to both Keith and the administrative team here at Vassar for valuing my work and creating a space for me to have a real impact on our student-athletes. I am very excited to step into this new role and feel quite proud to be a part of this unique and competitive environment," say Krayer upon the promotion.
 
Over the course of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Krayer has been an integral part of the Brewers success. Vassar has produced a 17-12-6 overall record over that stretch, including an 8-6-4 mark in Liberty League play, while making a pair of appearances in the Liberty League Championship.
 
Vassar finished the 2022 season ranked third in the Liberty League in goals allowed and under Krayer's tutelage, Teresa Zimmer finished the season second in the conference in goals against average and first in total shutouts. Zimmer went on to be named All-Liberty League Honorable Mention with Krayer also mentoring First Team All-Liberty League defender Jessica Young. 
 
Said Simons, "Shaela has been an integral part of our success here and fully deserves this recognition. She's shown a phenomenal ability to teach and connect with our student-athletes on all levels and is a key part of their entire experience as Vassar soccer players." 
 
Krayer joined the Vassar staff after serving as head coach and Director of Junior Development for Park City Soccer Club in Utah for the past year. During her tenure, she maintained coaching responsibilities for two elite teams, oversaw all development of junior aged teams, while also overseeing the implementation of additional club programs (goalkeeper training, etc.).

Prior to her time at Park City, Krayer was an assistant coach and goalkeeping coach at Stevenson University for two years. With the Mustangs, she assisted in player evaluation, training session, video review and analysis, scouting report reviews and recruitment. During her first season with the program, she helped guide the squad's starting goalie to an impressive .824 save percentage. Krayer also served as the Maryland State ODP coach for the U13 boys from 2019 through 2020.

Before her tenure at Stevenson, Krayer was in Maine where she spent two years as the Assistant Coach and Keeper Trainer for Southern Maine Community College. There she helped the team into the conference playoffs both seasons. During the 2017-18 campaign, she coached the team's freshman goalie to second in goals against, while the team placed second overall in the conference standings.

In addition to her work at SMCC, she also joined the Seacoast United team as a Goalkeeper School lead coach and took her '03 girls to finals of all but one tournament in her first season, helping them move up a division by her second year.  

Krayer, who played collegiate soccer at Division II USC-Aiken before transferring to George Mason, earned her Bachelor's Degree from George Mason University and also holds her USSF B license. She is currently working toward an MA in Coaching and Sport Leadership.
 
Vassar kicks-off the 2023 season on Friday, September 1 on Gordon Field against non-conference foe the College of Mount Saint Vincent.