Fighting Illini soccer head coach Katie Hultin announced the addition of Marisa Kanela to the coaching staff as an associate head coach on Jan. 27, 2025.

"I am beyond excited to welcome Marisa to the family," Hultin said. "She is a proven competitor with an incredible passion for developing student-athletes both on and off the field. Her dedication to helping athletes and teams reach their full potential aligns perfectly with our mission and her talent for recruiting the best and brightest makes her an invaluable addition to our program. Marisa's drive, character and commitment will have an immediate and lasting impact on our program, and I can't wait to see the growth and success she will help cultivate here at Illinois."

Kanela comes to Illinois after serving as the Girls Academy Director at Beadling Soccer Club in Pittsburgh. The Wantagh, N.Y., native, followed up her decorated playing career at West Virginia (2002-05) by spending 14 seasons on the Mountaineer coaching staff (2007-23), including five as the associate head coach.

"I am grateful to Katie [Hultin] for this opportunity and I'm especially excited to work alongside a leader and staff who all share the same values and vision for this program," Kanela said. "From the moment I stepped on campus, it was clear that the values, culture and commitment to helping student-athletes reach their full potential are at the heart of everything we do here. I look forward to mentoring our athletes, setting an example for them and fostering a championship mentality that will help them grow into the best versions of themselves both on and off the field. Through passion for the game and a commitment to their development, I'm excited to work with the entire staff to continue elevating the success of this program and represent such a prestigious institution."

During her time in Morgantown, Kanela helped guide the Mountaineers to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a national runner-up finish in 2016, three Big East Tournament championships, five Big 12 Tournament championships and five Big 12 regular season titles.

Kanela was also part of a coaching staff that developed 20 United Soccer Coaches All-Americans, 33 All-Big 12 First Team selections, nine All-Big East First team honorees and 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy winner, Kadeisha Buchanan.

Also under her tutelage, 37 players have gone on to play professionally and have success at the highest level in the sport. West Virginia stars Ashley Lawrence and Buchanan have become stalwarts for both the Canadian national team and European powerhouse Chelsea FC. A total of 12 players coached by Kanela have made their senior debuts at the international level. A total of three players (Buchanan, Lawrence, Michaela Abam), have featured in the FIFA Women's World Cup, with Buchanan and Lawrence also earning gold and bronze medals at the Olympic level.

Kanela began her coaching career as a volunteer coach in 2007, assisting the legendary Nikki Izzo-Brown and her staff in a variety of roles on and off the field. She witnessed the program's first Big East Tournament title and NCAA Tournament quarterfinal appearance in 2007 while assisting with administrative tasks, team travel, on-campus visits, game day management, academic tutoring, practice sessions and other duties. She was then promoted to assistant coach in 2010 and eventually associate head coach in 2017. In addition to her on-field overseeing of being in charge of the attack and forward line, Kanela also oversaw the academic, audio/video, scouting, compliance, camps and clinics and community service efforts of the team.
 
Kanela spent one season with the West Virginia Illusion, a former member of the W-League, as an assistant coach. She also spent time as a player/coach with the Illusion during its inaugural season and worked out at the 2008 Women's Professional Soccer Combine in Tampa.
 
Kanela holds Level I & II regional and state goalkeeping licenses and National Youth Soccer Association coaching licenses. A member of the United Soccer Coaches since 2007, she has her USSF "C" license and is working toward her USSF "B" license.
 
A four-year letterwinner from 2002-05, Kanela participated in four NCAA Tournaments at West Virginia while being named an NSCAA Scholar All-American, Big East Academic All-Star, Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll honoree and the Big East Institutional Female Scholar-Athlete. She was a part West Virginia's first-ever Big East champion squad in 2002 and the program's first appearance at the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals in 2003.
 
Upon graduation, she ranked in the school's top 10 for career goals, assists and points and led the 2004 and 2005 teams in scoring. A two-time NSCAA all-region selection, Kanela earned All-Big East First Team honors in 2005, second team honors in 2004 and was an all-rookie team pick in 2002. The former New York State Gatorade Player of the Year was team captain of the 2005 WVU soccer team.