Grand Rapids Community College is excited to announce the hiring of Mario Zuniga-Gil as the new head coach for the women’s soccer team. Zuniga-Gil takes over from Jason Hill, who led the program during its first two seasons before stepping down.
Director of Athletics Lauren Ferullo expressed her enthusiasm for Zuniga-Gil's appointment, stating, "I am thrilled to welcome Mario to the GRCC family! His extensive soccer expertise, combined with his passion for the game make him an invaluable addition to our team. I am confident his leadership will elevate our women’s soccer program to new heights, both regionally and nationally."
Zuniga-Gil brings a wealth of coaching experience from all levels of NCAA soccer. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach for Calvin University’s women’s soccer team, helping the Knights to an impressive 15-3-2 record, capturing the MIAA regular season and tournament titles, and advancing to the second-round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2024.
Prior to his time at Calvin, Zuniga-Gil was an assistant coach at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), where he helped the team secure back-to-back GLIAC regular season and tournament titles in 2022, a Midwest Regional Championship in 2023, and strong NCAA Division II Tournament runs, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2022 and an Elite 8 finish in 2023.
Zuniga-Gil also served as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan in 2021, where the Wolverines won the Big Ten Championship and advanced to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Division I Tournament. His coaching experience extends beyond the collegiate level, having worked with high school teams, club programs and university programs, where he earned a strong reputation for talent development and tactical expertise.
Accepting the position at GRCC, Zuniga-Gil said, "I’m ecstatic to join GRCC and accept my first head coaching job at the collegiate level. GRCC is an amazing institution with a history of providing a great education to students of all backgrounds, and I couldn’t be more excited to become a part of it. I see a huge potential in our women’s soccer program thanks to the incredible location of the school in the city of Grand Rapids, and the vast amount of soccer talent that we have in our community. I can’t wait to get started and see how far we can get together!"
Originally from Spain, Zuniga-Gil holds a UEFA 'A' license— the second-highest credential in European soccer— and was selected for the United Soccer Coaches "30 Under 30" program, which recognizes rising stars in the field. He earned a degree in translation and interpretation from the University of Granada (Spain) and a master's degree in recreation and sports sciences, with a concentration in soccer from Ohio University.
In addition to his coaching duties at GRCC, Zuniga-Gil will continue this work as the college recruiting coordinator and performance phase director at the Michigan Rangers Football Club.
With Zuniga-Gil’s leadership, GRCC is poised to build on the foundation established in the program’s first two seasons. His diverse coaching background, international experience, and vision for the future mark an exciting new chapter for GRCC athletics.
For those interested in joining next year's team, fill out a questionnaire.