Gabby Isola joined the Tribe as an assistant coach in May of 2023. She will take on full-time second assistant coach duties, including working with the Tribe goalkeepers as well as assisting with all aspects of the program.

“We are incredibly excited for Gabby to join our staff,” Shackford said. “She is a go-getter and has put herself into some great environments to grow and be mentored.  Besides working with a talented and experienced cadre of goalkeepers in Zoe Doughty, Morgan Wood, and Ava Lentz, Gabby, she will have a hand in all parts of our program. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Tribe!”

Isola was an assistant coach and worked with the goalkeepers at Atlantic-10 side Fordham in 2022.

Prior to her time at Fordham, Isola was a graduate assistant coach at Ohio University. Under the direction of head coach Aaron Rodgers, who won 2021 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year, she trained a group of goalkeepers that posted 10 shutouts over the course of the season. The team finished second in MAC regular-season play with a 7-1-3 record, falling in the MAC Tournament semifinals to Kent State. Starting goalkeeper Sam Wexell earned All-MAC First Team honors, along with three teammates, and posted a 0.86 GAA and 77% save %. 

She earned a Master of Science in Recreation and Sport Sciences from the Ohio University Coaching Education Program in August of 2022.

Isola holds a US Soccer Federation (USSF) National F License, USSF 9v9 License, USSF Grassroots 11v11 License, US SafeSport Certification, United Soccer Coaches (USC) Goalkeeping Level 1, USC LGBT Diversity & Inclusion, and USC 11v11 Pre-National Certification.

“William & Mary is not only getting a great coach, but an even better young woman,” said Todd Plourder, head coach at Iona. “Gabby has had the opportunity to work under great head coaches, including Aaron Rodgers at Ohio U and Magnus Nilerud at Fordham.  She has mentored by the best in the business and William & Mary is getting an awesome motivated coach.”

Isola played collegiately at Villanova as a goalkeeper. In 2019, the Wildcats posted a 10-7-3 overall record and a 5-3-1 mark in the Big East before falling the conference tournament semifinals. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communications in 2021.

“Gabby is an exceptional coach and will fit right into the positive team culture already established at W&M Women’s Soccer,” said Daniel Clitnovici, Ursinus College head coach and a former Villanova assistant coach. “Gabby has the personal and professional qualities to inspire those around her to continue to strive for excellence. Gabby was a consistent student of the game in her time at Villanova and I’m happy she has landed at such a fine institution lead by great role models both on and off the field of play in Julie and Marsha. W&M Women’s Soccer just got better!”

Isola was a four-year starter, MVP of the Group IV State Champion team as a sophomore, and team captain during her senior year at Montclair High School in Montclair, N.J. She was the recipient of the Matt Reissig Memorial Soccer Award, an annual award presented to a senior varsity player who has benefited most in his or her personal life from active participation in the soccer program at Montclair High School, and who has contributed significantly to the overall soccer effort.