Jason Zitzke

Jason Zitzke was named the Parkside head men's soccer coach in June of 2011. He is now in his 10th season as head coach in 2020-21 and 21st season overall as a member of the coaching staff for the Rangers...

The 2010 Parkside Hall of Fame inductee served as an assistant coach from 1999-2002 before being promoted to associate head coach in 2003.

In the 2019 season, Zitzke took his squad to the NCAA tournament after sweeping the regular-season GLIAC title and GLIAC tournament, where they beat Saginaw Valley 2-1 in the final. It was the first GLIAC championship in Parkside history, and the first NCAA tournament berth for the program since 2006. The team finished with a 13-5-3 overall record, going 10-2-2 in GLIAC play. The Rangers NCAA tournament was cut short after a heartbreaking loss to Cedarville in a penalty shootout.

The 2019 season was an award-filled one for him and the team, as nine Rangers received All-GLIAC honors. The biggest award out of the nine was given to Zitzke, as he was named the 2019 GLIAC Coach of the Year.

Parkside reached the NCAA Tournament four times during Zitzke’s tenure (2000, 2004, 2006, 2019) while also securing a GLVC Championship in 2000 and a GLIAC championship in 2019. The 2013 squad finished with a 7-8-2 overall mark, earning a 2-2 draw at Wood Road Field against defending national runner-up Saginaw Valley State University. Zitzke's club notched a 9-7-2 record during the 2014 campaign with the stout defensive unit posting six shutouts on the season.

As an assistant, Zitzke coordinated the offensive attack that finished in the top three in scoring in the GLVC eight times during his 12-year stint in that capacity. The 2006 squad had the eighth-best offense in the country scoring 2.85 goals per game.

Zitzke enjoyed a prolific career at UW-Parkside (1995-1998), finishing his playing days with a 57-22-3 record. The four-year starter scored 83 total points in his career with 28 goals and 27 assists. He was a three-time All-Region selection and was named a second team All-American as a junior.

The Wauwatosa, Wis., native was inducted into the Parkside Athletic Hall of Fame in October of 2010. He is the only player in the program’s history to be drafted into two professional leagues (Milwaukee Wave, indoor, and Milwaukee Rampage, outdoor). He played two seasons with the Wave earning a championship ring during the 1999-2000 National Professional Soccer League season.

Zitzke came to Parkside after a decorated career at Marquette University High School, culminating in the fall of 1994 with a WISAA State Championship.

Zitzke lives in Bay View, Wisconsin, with his wife Dr. Michelle Zitzke and two daughters, Thia and Stella.