Melina Couzis joined the LIU women’s soccer program as an assistant coach ahead of the 2023 season.

Couzis played for UConn as an undergraduate, then as a graduate transfer at St. John’s in 2022.

With the Huskies, Couzis made 61 career appearances (46 starts).

For the spring 2020 season, she was a United Soccer Coaches East Region second-team selection and All-Big East first-team honoree as well as a Big East All-Tournament and Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year honoree. Couzis started all 12 games that season and logged a team-high 1,124 minutes as UConn produced shutouts in half of its matches.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from UConn and then taking a year away from collegiate soccer while pursuing a master’s degree in translational medicine, Couzis returned to collegiate action with St. John’s in 2022.

She made 18 appearances (14 starts) with the Red Storm that season, tallying one goal and a team-high-matching five assists. Couzis earned Big East All-Tournament recognition after St. John’s overtime loss to Xavier in the semifinals.

Couzis holds a master’s of science in translational medicine from the City College of New York and a master’s in business administration from St. John’s.

She earned four varsity letters at Somers High School in Lincolndale, N.Y., during a prep career that included scoring 60 goals and 63 assists. Her team won the 2014 New York State Class A Championship. Couzis was a two-year captain and a 2016 NSCAA All-American and was selected to play in the 2016 All-American game.