DePaul University Athletics
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- mzidek@depaul.edu
- Phone:
- (773) 325-7250
Marie Zidek was named the sixth head coach in DePaul volleyball history on Dec. 22, 2017 and will enter her eighth season as the leader of the program in fall of 2025.
In 2024, she led the squad to their third BIG EAST Tournament qualification in four years, earning the program's first three-set victory in the league tournament against St. John's to advance to the BIG EAST semifinals. During the tournament, it was announced that a program-best four Blue Demons had earned All-BIG EAST honors - Aly Kindelberger, Audrey Klemp, Rachel Krasowski and Jill Pressly. Pressly was recognized unanimously for the third consecutive season while Krasowski became the first Blue Demon to earn the BIG EAST Libero of the Year award. The recognition for Krasowski was the first major conference award for any DePaul player since 2001.
The 2024 season continued as DePaul was selected to host the National Invitational Volleyball Competition (NIVC), the first postseason volleyball to be hosted inside McGrath-Phillips Arena and second NIVC qualification in two years . While playing in the tournament, DePaul eclipsed 20 wins in a season for the first time since 2001, earning an impressive 21-14 record that included 10 home wins. The Blue Demons emerged victorious in two matches against Toledo and Omaha to reach the NIVC Great 8.
Zidek had two players land on the All-BIG EAST Team in 2023. Jill Pressly earned unanimous honors for the second consecutive season, totaling 516 kills on the season and leading the BIG EAST in terminations. Rachel Krasowski earned her first All-BIG EAST honor of her career and was named an AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention for her 2023 season where she led the conference in digs with 533 and digs per set with 4.98. Krasowski’s 4.98 digs per set ranked 22nd nationally at the end of the season.
She led the Blue Demons to an impressive season during the fall of 2023. The team went 18-15 (9-9 BIG EAST) overall and made their way back to the BIG EAST Tournament for the second time in three years. Zidek and Co. picked up the program’s first ever win in the BIG EAST Tournament, taking down Xavier, 3-1, on November 22, 2023 and moving on to the BIG EAST Semifinals.Â
The 2023 season didn’t end there, as the squad was selected to participate in the NIVC, marking the first time DePaul played postseason volleyball since 2001. The team took to Des Moines, Iowa to play Southern Illinois in the opening round  on November 29, 2023. The Blue Demons defeated the Salukis, 3-1, to win the first-ever postseason match in program history.Â
In 2022, Zidek saw Pressly earn unanimous All-BIG EAST honors for the first time and put Taylor Underwood on the All-Freshman Team. Pressly was also named an AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention after the 2022 season where she totaled 476 kills, the most by a Blue Demon since 1999.
Zidek and the Blue Demons reached unprecedented success in the fall of 2021, reaching the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time in program history. DePaul put together a 19-12 overall record, the most wins for the program since the 2001 squad who advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Demons swept the competition at the Chicago Cup, including a win over Northwestern for the first time in over 40 years. DePaul's 12 wins in league play marked the most since joining the conference in 2005 while Donna Brown, Emma Price and Jill Pressly landed on the All-BIG EAST Team. After a record-breaking year, Zidek and her staff earned BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.Â
The abbreviated 2020 season, played in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19, saw the Blue Demons play 11 matches and turn in a 6-5 mark over that span for the first winning season since 2015. DePaul saw non-conference victories over perennial NCAA contender Northern Iowa as well as two wins over Iowa State. In divisional BIG EAST play, the Blue Demons picked up back-to-back wins over Butler for the first time since the Bulldogs joined the conference in 2013.Â
Zidek saw freshman Jill Pressly earn a spot on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team after leading the squad in kills and finishing second in digs and aces. The accolade for Pressly marked the first postseason honor for a DePaul freshman since joining the BIG EAST in 2005.Â
In the classroom, the Blue Demons collected a 3.713 GPA on the school year and earned USMC/AVCA Honor Roll distinction for maintaining a team GPA in the top 20% of all Division I programs. DePaul has earned the honor for 14 consecutive seasons and the 15 times in the last 16 years.
The 2019 season was a trailblazing one for Zidek and the Blue Demons. DePaul recorded its second-highest winning percentage since joining the BIG EAST with a 14-16 overall record. The Blue Demons got off to a roaring start in the non-conference schedule winning eight of the first nine contests before posting a 6-12 conference mark, the second-best record since joining the Conference in 2005.Â
Zidek’s team boasted an outright seventh place conference finish, marking the highest finish for DePaul since BIG EAST reconfiguration in 2013-14. The Blue Demons saw significant improvement in the final RPI year-over-year, finishing over 100 points higher than 2018. The 2019 squad notched its highest RPI win since joining the BIG EAST with a 3-1 victory over then-ranked No. 48 Villanova.Â
DePaul saw two student-athletes named to the 2019 All-BIG EAST team in senior outside hitter Brittany Maxwell and sophomore middle blocker Donna Brown. Brown turned in a breakout sophomore season, finishing atop the BIG EAST in hitting percentage at 0.399, while also setting a single season program record. Maxwell finished third in the conference in points per set at 4.19. The senior outside hitter went on to begin her professional career after graduation with Pölkky Kuusamo Volei in Finland. Junior libero Isabelle Banez proved to be a stalwart defender on the back line in 2019, finishing second in the BIG EAST in digs per set (4.72) while also setting a program single season record with 566 digs. Banez earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors on three occasions in 2019.Â
Academically, Zidek’s Blue Demons have seen tremendous success in the classroom. The Blue Demons have earned the BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Award twice during Zidek’s career. In 2024, the team posted a GPA of 3.783. In 2019, the Blue Demons posted a league-best 3.715 GPA. Over the last two seasons, DePaul has seen 30 student-athletes named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team. Additionally, the Blue Demons have earned the AVCA Team Academic Award in each season under Zidek’s leadership. The USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award honors teams that maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher. The Blue Demons have earned the award for 17 consecutive academic years. Â
In 2018, Zidek served as an assistant coach with the U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team for the 14th annual European Global Challenge hosted in Pula, Croatia. The USA squad brought home a gold medal.Â
Zidek’s return to Lincoln Park marks her second stint at DePaul after serving as an assistant coach from 2010-12. Following her time in Chicago, Zidek was on the staff at Buffalo for one season before moving to San Diego in 2014. The Toreros qualified for the NCAA Tournament from 2014-2017 and were ranked as high as fifth in the nation during the 2016 campaign. As an assistant coach, Zidek tutored two West Coast Conference Players of the Year, six All-WCC team members and two All-WCC freshmen team honorees. San Diego won the West Coast Conference title in 2017 and senior setter Kristen Gengenbacher was named a third team All-American by the AVCA.
Zidek was named a 30 Under 30 Award winner by the AVCA and has served as a conference representative and publications director for assistant coaches in each of her previous stops in the BIG EAST, Mid-American Conference and West Coast Conference.Â
Zidek has been involved with USA Volleyball Development Program since 2011, most recently serving as the Head Coach for the USA Volleyball Under-23 Women's National Team at the 2025 NORCECA Pan-American Cup in Mexico.
She graduated from Northern Illinois in 2006 with a Kinesiology degree and completed a master’s degree in Exercise and Sports Science at Oregon State in 2010. Zidek is also a certified strength and conditioning coach by the NSCA.
Marie and her wife Stephanie reside in Chicago with their son Primoz.
