Mike Zolnierczyk’s leadership skills on and off the field were on display throughout his high school career at Springdale, where he was a three-time All-WPIAL performer and the Class A Player of the Year as a senior in 2018.

Upon his arrival the next year at Division I Robert Morris University, the 6-foot-4 goalkeeper worked to again build a trust among his teammates.

That trust bore itself out recently as the Colonials senior was voted one of three captains for the 2022 season.

“It’s a huge honor and something that makes me feel blessed that the rest of the guys on the team look at me that way,” Zolnierczyk said.

“They have that respect for me, and I have mutual respect for them. We’re definitely on the right track now. We have a great group of guys going into this year. I couldn’t be happier with the situation we’re in.”

RMU finished the 2021 season 5-10-1 overall and 4-5-1 in the Horizon League. Zolnierczyk started four games, including three in conference play, before a hand injury ended his season prematurely.

Surgery was not needed, and, after more than five months of rehab, he was back in action.

“It healed naturally, but it definitely was a process,” he said.

“It’s incredible to get back on the field with the guys and play the game I love. It’s my second family. It means everything to come back and contribute again.”

Zolnierczyk worked to stay sharp over the summer with games and training in Hershey as part of the National Premier Soccer League.

“I had a pretty good experience and got some of the stuff I needed coming back to get ready for the season,” he said.

In addition to his on-field goals, Zolnierczyk this summer was named the Horizon League Student-Athlete Advisory President.

Also the RMU SAAC President, Zolnierczyk works toward helping the NCAA Division I National SAAC in its mission to enhance total student-athlete experiences. As a liaison between RMU, the Horizon League and the NCAA, he is able to comment on and react to legislative proposals, issues of interest and actions.

Zolnierczyk is designated a senior this fall, but, because of the extra year of eligibility granted because of the covid year, he plans to return for another year next fall.

“It’s gone really fast,” said Zolnierczyk, who owns a 4.0 grade-point average and is set to graduate in the spring with his undergraduate degree in finance and his master’s degree in business analytics. He then will do a certificate program next fall.

“I am trying to enjoy every minute of it. I’ve loved the journey so far with a lot of great opportunities. I’m blessed to be in the position I am in.”

Colonials head coach Jason O’Keefe and his staff came on board in late 2020, and he said Zolnierczyk was right there in helping make the transition as smooth as possible in the midst of the pandemic and all of the changes from the postponed 2020 fall season.

“They were all looking for a higher standard to achieve, and Mike and a handful of other guys really embraced that,” O’Keefe said.

“They’ve grown immensely from it and helped flip the culture and put the program back in the right direction to hopefully get it back to its winning ways.

“Mike has really good command of his goalie box. He has really good range and uses his height and long frame to his advantage. He has a strong passion for the game, mixed with his intelligence. He’s very bright on the field when it comes to making good decisions.”

Zolnierczyk made four starts in the truncated 2021 spring season and posted a 1-2-1 record. He produced back-to-back shutouts against Green Bay and Purdue Fort Wayne.

He finished with a 1.42 goals-against average and a .786 save percentage.

“We all went through a lot of adversity with the covid year and the postponement of the season, but, with the new coaches, it was a pretty smooth transition,” Zolnierczyk said.

“There were some ups and downs, but we had a pretty good core group that got it all sorted out.”

Zolnierczyk made his Robert Morris debut in the fall of 2019 as a freshman and made nine starts in goal. He compiled a 2-5-2 record and produced his first career win and shutout against Mount St. Mary’s.

He finished the season with a pair of clean sheets.

“That was a big adjustment,” Zolnierczyk said. “The speed of play is a lot faster than in high school. The atmosphere is a lot different. But I gained a lot of experience that season that really helped me grow and be better off where I am now.”

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)