Damir Pesa joined the Nichols College athletic department in 2015 and currently serves as an Associate Director of Athletics for Business and Equipment.
Pesa served as the head women’s soccer coach from 2010-15 and guided the Bison to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) playoffs in three of his six years at the helm of the program. Nichols posted a 12-6-1 mark in Pesa’s first season at the helm of the program in 2010. In 2013, the Bison doubled their win total from the previous campaign and, one year later, won seven matches and advanced to the CCC Quarterfinal round behind CCC Rookie of the Year Meghan Dunn. Pesa was an assistant coach for the men’s soccer team in 2019, when they advanced to the CCC Semifinals.
Pesa – who will begin serving as an assistant men’s soccer coach in 2019 – served as the head women’s soccer coach from 2010-15 and guided the Bison to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) playoffs in three of his six years at the helm of the program. Nichols posted a 12-6-1 mark in Pesa’s first season at the helm of the program in 2010. In 2013, the Bison doubled their win total from the previous campaign and, one year later, won seven matches and advanced to the CCC Quarterfinal round behind CCC Rookie of the Year Meghan Dunn.
Pesa served as the women’s lacrosse head coach from 2010-14 and won a program-record seven games in both 2012 and 2014.
Prior to coming to Nichols, Pesa served as an assistant women's soccer coach at Holyoke Community College from 2005-2007, guiding the Cougars to the 2007 NJCAA Region 21 Championship. Pesa was also a head coach with the John Boyle O'Reilly Club, coaching both the U-18 and U-16 boys' teams for four years, twice bringing the teams to the state tournament after winning the state title as a player in 2002. He coached the Bay State West Team to the Gold Medal in the summer of 2006. Pesa has also served as the head coach for the Western Massachusetts Junior Pioneers U-16 girls' team and currently coaches the FC Napoli U-10 girls’ team.
Pesa played soccer for Holyoke Community College from 2002-04, helping lead the school to a state championship and two regional finals. A native of Bosnia, he was previously a center midfielder for FK Jetinstvo in his home country. Pesa is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and holds both an Advanced Regional License and State Level License.
In 2013, Pesa was selected as a lead instructor at the EXACT Soccer Boston Elite Prospect Camp. He married the former Kate Mallet in the spring of 2016.
