Ave Maria University

Ave Maria University Athletics
5050 Ave Maria Blvd. Ave Maria, FL 34142

NAIA Florida Southeast

Private Small Competitive team

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Coaches

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Cesar Markovic

Cesar Markovic was hired as Ave Maria University's men's soccer coach in January 2023. Markovic brings a quarter century of collegiate coaching experience, including time at four NCAA Division I programs during his career.

Markovic has won more than 200 games during his collegiate coaching career, including more than 150 at the NCAA Division I level. His stops include Siena College, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Stony Brook University, Saint Peter's University, and Hunter College.

Most recently, Markovic was the head coach at NCAA Division I Siena College, where he led the Saints for seven seasons. He coached Siena to the conference semifinals during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and led the Saints to multiple postseason wins for the first time in program history. He also guided Siena to a top-25 national ranking during the 2016 season, another program first.

Markovic has shown great success at each of his stops, including five straight conference championships at Hunter College, NCAA Tournament appearances at both Saint Peter's and Stony Brook, and a school record for wins at NJIT. He was a two-time Conference Coach of the year at Hunter, and earned the same honor in the MAAC in his final year at Saint Peter's. Markovic was an October 2002 inductee into the Hunter College Hall of Fame, and his 2003 team at Saint Peter's was inducted into the Saint Peter's Hall of Fame. Additionally, Markovic set the single-season program record for wins at both Saint Peter's and Stony Brook.

Markovic holds a USSF A License, the highest granted in USA Soccer, an USCAA Premier License, and he was among the first American coaches granted a Brazilian Professional Coaching license after serving as an apprentice/assistant with the famed Sao Paulo FC.

Away from the collegiate ranks, Markovic has also served as the technical director of the Puerto Rican senior national team, as well as the Director of Coaching of the New York State Boys and Girls Olympic Development Program.

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Kelly Recke

Kelly Recke is in his second season as an assistant on the Ave Maria men's soccer staff.

Recke also serves the University as its Associate Director of Admissions, as well as an admissions counselor for prospective student-athletes.

Prior to coming to Ave Maria, Recke graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a degree in finance. While at Steubenville, he picked up experience in athletics as a member of the Barons' game day staff.