Mario Zuniga-Gil begins his second season as assistant coach on Katie Hultin's staff in the 2023 season.
In his first season as assistant coach at Grand Valley State, Zuniga-Gil helped guide the Lakers to a 16-2-5 overall record and 10-1-3 GLIAC mark. The Lakers won both the GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championship and also advanced to the NCAA Tournament sweet sixteen for the 17th consecutive season. GVSU placed eight on the All-GLIAC Team and won three major awards with Taylor Reid earning Offensive Player of the Year, Cate Brown earning Defensive Player of the Year, and Kendall Robertson earning Goalkeeper of the Year.
Zuniga-Gil was on staff with Hultin at the University of Michigan in 2021 to help guide the Wolverines to a Big Ten Championship and an NCAA Elite Eight appearance. Prior to joining the UM staff, he served as head girls coach at Father Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor and the head boys coach at Chelsea High School.
Originally from Spain and now a dual-citizen, Zuniga-Gil also served as the director of coaching of the Chelsea Soccer Club during his time on the Wolverines' staff. He has held multiple jobs in Michigan since 2015, including director positions with the Chill SBC in Lansing and Kingdom SC in Kalamazoo. He was also an assistant coach with Madonna University in 2018.
Zuniga-Gil holds a degree in translation and interpretation from the University of Granada (Spain) and a master's degree in recreation and sport sciences with a concentration in soccer from Ohio University. He holds his UEFA 'A' license; the second highest credential attainable from the federation.
In 2021, Zuniga-Gil was selected for the prestigious United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 program, which annually recognizes 30 up-and-coming coaches under 30 years of age who are leading the way in developing soccer players and enhancing the game.
