Zach Schilawski completed his second season as a member of the UNCW men's soccer coaching staff after being hired in July 2021.
The Seahawks posted a 6-4-7 overall record in 2022 and finished second in the Colonial Athletic Association with a 5-1-3 showing. The Seahawks played CAA regular season champion Elon to a scoreless draw in the regular season finale to clinch the CAA Tournament's no. 2 seed along with hosting rights to the tournament's opening week.
In his first season at UNCW, the Seahawks authored a 9-6-2 record, including a 4-3-1 mark in the CAA. The Seahawks downed No. 15 James Madison by a 1-0 result and also earned a victory over Atlantic Coast Conference opponent North Carolina.
Schilawski, a Cary, N.C., native, joins the Seahawks after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Denver since 2020. The Pioneers, who authored a 6-2 record during the spring 2021 season, captured the Summit League regular season title and placed six student-athletes on the All-Summit League Teams, including three First-Team selections.
“I am delighted to have been able to attract someone of Zack Schilawski’s caliber to join our coaching staff to work with our current and future student-athletes at UNCW," said Head Coach Aidan Heaney. "His resume as a collegiate athlete is unparalleled. He epitomized what a student-athlete should be during his time at Wake, winning a national championship on the field and being an All-American in the classroom.”
A 2010 graduate of Wake Forest, Schilawski appeared in a program-record 99 career matches for the Demon Deacons with 42 starts. He stands as one of four players in Wake Forest history to record 100 or more career points after registering 40 goals with 20 assists.
Schilawski netted 15 game-winning goals during his All-American career, including the title-winning tally against Ohio State in the 2007 NCAA Division I Championship Game. He earned Third-Team All-America plaudits from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America as a senior in 2009 after leading the Atlantic Coast Conference with 14 goals and 35 points.
In addition to his talents on the field, Schilawski earned First-Team CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors during his junior and senior seasons. He also claimed a spot on the NSCAA/adidas Men’s College Scholar All-America First Team and was a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in 2009.
The ninth overall pick in the 2010 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, Schilawski started 28-of-50 games in two seasons with the New England Revolution. He ranked second on the team with five goals during his rookie campaign in 2010 and became the first rookie in MLS history to register a hat trick in his home debut when he struck for three goals in the first half against Toronto on Apr. 10, 2010.
Schilawski contributed a goal with an assist while starting 13-of-25 contests in 2011 before ending his professional career to pursue law school at the University of North Carolina School of Law.
“I feel extremely fortunate for the opportunity to get back to North Carolina and join the fantastic men's soccer program at UNCW,” Schilawski said. “Having grown up playing soccer in North Carolina, I have always been impressed by what Aidan and the student-athletes at UNCW have accomplished. I cannot wait to join the team and I hope to add value to the team's already strong tradition.
“In a short amount of time, it has become obvious to me that I am joining a group which values community, relationships and excellence both on and off of the soccer field. Those are aspects of the student-athlete experience that remain meaningful long after graduation. For those reasons, I am especially excited to join the group and continue providing such a great experience for current and future UNCW student-athletes.”
In 2017, Schilawski was admitted to practice law in North Carolina. He focused his practice on all aspects of North Carolina family law litigation and negotiation with the Wake Family Law Group.
Schilawski has coaching experience in the PDL, assisting North Carolina FC’s U-23 team in the summers.
“Zack’s career is one of consistent success – he is a winner and someone our players will be able to learn from at so many levels,” Heaney added. “Before he joined Wake Forest, he always impressed me with his ability, but even more so with his leadership, demeanor on the field and the way he played the game. He built on that in college and at the professional level. Zack embodies the character, intelligence and discipline we want from our players at UNCW and I know he will be a fantastic fit for our program and university.”
