Bio

Jenna Kalwa enters her sixth season as Head Coach of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's soccer program in 2026 after becoming the fifth head coach in program history in August 2021. In her first five seasons at the helm, Kalwa has guided the Blue Jays to a 39-42-10 overall record, including a 34-25-10 mark in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play. She has also coached 18 All-GNAC selections during her tenure.

The Blue Jays have qualified for the GNAC postseason in all five seasons under Kalwa, extending the program's remarkable streak to 25 consecutive playoff appearances. In 2025, USJ earned the seventh seed in the GNAC Tournament before falling to second-seeded Rivier University in the quarterfinals.

Kalwa made an immediate impact in her first season, guiding the Blue Jays to a 13-4-1 record, the program's highest win total since 2012. USJ advanced to the GNAC semifinals as the fourth seed before falling to eventual conference champion Johnson & Wales University. For her efforts, Kalwa was named the 2021 GNAC Coach of the Year after leading the Blue Jays to a fourth-place finish and a 9-3-1 conference record.

Prior to joining the Blue Jays, Kalwa spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Division I University of Rhode Island (URI) under head coach Megan Jessee. At URI, she assisted in all facets of the program, including student-athlete development, recruiting, academics, admissions, administration, and operations. Kalwa was primarily responsible for player development and recruiting for the midfield unit, attacking set pieces, training session planning and execution, match preparation, and assisting with goalkeeper training.

During Kalwa's tenure, the Rams improved their NCAA RPI by 68 spots, increased their win percentage by 45 percent, and reduced goals allowed by 72 percent. She also served as the primary liaison for academic and admissions matters, helping 25 of 26 student-athletes earn Dean's List recognition during the Spring 2020 semester. In addition to her responsibilities at URI, Kalwa served as head coach of the Rams FC U15 and U16 teams in Kingston, Rhode Island. There, she prepared youth players for competitive play through technical and tactical instruction while implementing structured training and conditioning programs.

Before her time at URI, Kalwa served as Director of Operations for NC State women's soccer during the 2016 and 2017 seasons under head coach Tim Santoro. In that role, she coordinated team travel, managed nutritional planning, assisted with recruiting operations, organized summer camps, oversaw budgeting responsibilities, and helped facilitate alumni engagement events.

During Kalwa's time with the Wolfpack, NC State qualified for both the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Tournament and the NCAA Tournament in each season, advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2016.

Alongside her duties at NC State, Kalwa served as head coach of the North Carolina Football Club's U17 Classic team. She was responsible for teaching the technical, tactical, mental, and physical aspects of the game while conducting player evaluations and fostering player development. Kalwa also spent time as both a referee and coach with XL Sports World, working with youth and adult players.

As a student-athlete, Kalwa spent two seasons at Penn State University (2012-13) before transferring to NC State for her final two collegiate seasons (2014-15). During her freshman season, the Nittany Lions posted a 21-3-2 record, captured the Big Ten Championship, and advanced to the NCAA Championship match. At NC State, Kalwa appeared in all 38 matches during her two seasons with the Wolfpack, making 36 starts in the midfield. She was named the team's Most Valuable Player in 2014 and served as a team captain during her senior season in 2015.

A native of Pennington, New Jersey, Kalwa earned her bachelor's degree in social work from NC State in 2016.

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