Annette Stromberg enters her fifth season as an assistant coach for the Grand Valley State women's soccer team in 2020. She served two additional seasons as a graduate assistant coach before assuming the assistant role. Stromberg has been a part of three National Championship teams and made five appearances in the championship match with the Lakers. She is heavily involved in the coordination of youth camps at GVSU throughout the year while also coordinating operations for training, travel, scouting, video and more.
The Lakers won the 2019 National Championship, the sixth in program history, and the coaching staff earned United Soccer Coaches National Staff of the Year and GLIAC Staff of the Year honors. GVSU matched the program record for wins (25) and set a new record for goals (117). Riko Sagara was unanimous National Player of the Year and the Lakers boasted six All-Americans, seven All-Region performers and 10 All-GLIAC performers as GVSU swept through the conference, making history by not conceding a single goal.
The 2018 team reached the National Championship for a fourth time in five years, but fell to Bridgeport 1-0. The Lakers finished the season 25-1-1, setting a program record for wins and led the nation with 99 goals, finishing second in the nation in both scoring offense and scoring defense. GVSU captured a tenth straight Midwest Region title, 14th consecutive GLIAC Regular Season title and 12th GLIAC Tournament crown in a row.
The 2017 team fell to the eventual National Champions in the Elite Eight, finishing the season 20-4. GVSU won a ninth straight Midwest Region championship, 13th consecutive GLIAC regular season title and 11th GLIAC Tournament crown in a row. Gabriella Mencotti was CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year and the Laker coaching staff won GLIAC staff of the year.
The 2016 Lakers allowed just one goal in conference play all season and posted a goals-against-average of .344, the third-best mark in Division II, all while posting a shutout percentage of .769, the second-best mark in Division II. Jennifer Steinaway posted a 23-2-1 record in goal for the Lakers, compiling 15 clean sheets under Stromberg's tutelage. GVSU advanced to a fourth straight NCAA Division II National Championship game, won their eighth straight Midwest Regional Championship, a 12th straight GLIAC Regular season title and a 10th straight GLIAC Tournament title.Â
Continuing her work with the GVSU goalkeepers in the 2015 season, Stromberg guided freshman Emily Maresh to a stellar first season, posting a 19-1-1 record with 13 solo shutouts. Maresh finished the season ranked eighth national in goals against average (.476) and 10th in save percentage (.873). Maresh was named to the D2CAA All-Region First Team as well as the NSCAA Midwest Region Third Team, and earned a spot on the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team for her dominant effort in the semifinal and championship game, with the latter being a shutout. Under Stromberg’s tutelage, Maresh led all GLIAC goalkeepers in goals against average (.52), was second in save percentage (.857) and tied for second in goals allowed, with just 11 in 21 games.Â
Stromberg worked primarily with the GVSU goalkeepers in 2014, helping Andrea Strauss rank eighth nationally in goals against average (0.423). Strauss also etched her name into the Laker career record books, recording the fourth-lowest goals against average (0.41), fourth-highest save percentage (.883), tying for the fourth-most solo shutouts (16), posting the fifth-most wins (22) and eighth-most saves (83) in program history. Stromberg's efforts helped Strauss earn Daktronics All-Midwest Region Second Team, Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the NCAA Tournament, All-NCAA Tournament Team, All-GLIAC Honorable Mention and Capital One Academic All-American honors as well.
Prior to her arrival in Allendale, Stromberg was an assistant coach at Alma College under current Grand Valley State head coach Jeff Hosler for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Since the conclusion of her playing career, Stromberg earned a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Level 2 Goalkeeping License, United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National "D" License and a USYSA National Youth License. The North Muskegon High School product was also a staff coach with the TNT Dynamite Soccer Club and an evaluator for Michigan's ODP. In 2012-13, she helped the '99 girls club team reach the State Cup Final.
Prior to the start of her coaching career, she was a four-year varsity midfielder at Alma. During her time with the Scots, Stromberg played in 82 games and tallied 30 points. As a sophomore in 2010, Stromberg helped Alma capture its first-ever Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association regular season title. The following season, she guided the Scots to the 2011 MIAA Tournament crown and the program's only NCAA Tournament berth.
Stromberg earned a bachelor's degree in integrative physiology and health science with a minor in chemistry. Her and her husband, Mike, have one daughter, Ezra (2).Â
