NISOA Welcomes Karen Abt as Senior Director of Education

After an extensive nationwide search, NISOA is proud to announce the newest addition to NISOA’s Leadership team. NISOA is delighted to welcome Karen (Abt) Coulson as NISOA’s Director of Education, a longtime NISOA member and leader on and off the pitch.  While Karen brings a wealth of experience at the highest levels of the game, she is also a long-time college official-turned assignor. She’s the perfect fit to continue raising the bar for our educational offerings following the path laid out by our most recent educators, Robert Sibiga and Corey Rockwell.   

“We have an incredible amount of talent in our officiating ranks. Karen will lead our efforts to continue enhancing education and development for these college soccer officials nationwide. Karen’s passion for college soccer officiating aligns perfectly with NISOA's mission. She will be instrumental in supporting our members and strengthening our commitment to excellence in officiating,” shared NISOA President Jude Carr.  

As a FIFA Referee for six years, Karen officiated numerous CONCACAF, Olympic Qualifying, and World Cup Qualifying tournaments. She officiated at the PRO level, working in NWSL as a weekend regular. You may have seen her when NWSL was the first to return to sport after COVID, as she participated in the NWSL Challenge Cup bubble. Karen remains active as a current VMO for NWSL. This valuable experience in the modern game gives her first-hand understanding of the technology used at the highest level and the challenges and opportunities that technology brings to our officials in the college game, especially in the expanding area of video review.  

Not only did Karen reach the pinnacle in USSF, but she was also incredibly successful in college stadiums nationwide. She was selected for multiple Women’s College Cup National Championship events for Division I, II, and III. Her success on the field is only elevated by what she’s accomplished off it. In her current role as RMAC Coordinator of Officials for Men’s and Women’s Soccer, she has helped identify, mentor, and elevate officials in the western region.  

“I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to serve in this new role and to work alongside such an outstanding team under the leadership of NISOA. Officiating education is essential to raising the standard of collegiate soccer officiating, and I am confident this can be achieved through a holistic approach. By providing high-quality educational resources, we can expand our collective toolbox and better support officials at every level – from the Power Four Conferences to the JUCO level. 

Officials are athletes, and it is important that we continue to grow our understanding of training, nutrition, recovery, and psychology. Strengthening these areas enhances not only our fitness, but also our game management, decision-making, and knowledge of the rules—allowing us to perform at our highest level. 

I look forward to launching monthly webinars, organizing summer summits in locations across the country, and delivering valuable resources to help officials succeed”, said Karen. 

As an Elizabethtown graduate, Karen understands the value NISOA brings to the officiating community and the opportunity to continue to elevate and educate the next generation of officials is not lost on her. Karen attended Elizabethtown in 2004 on a women’s scholarshipprovided by NISOA, giving her the opportunity to attend a top national clinic that may not have otherwise been an option. Karen’s rich experience and history with NISOA highlights the importance of giving back to this community we all cherish.  

With that said, we are delighted to bring Karen onboard and continue to strengthen the NISOA Leadership team with another great talent. Stay tuned for more updates and world-class education coming to you very soon and join us in welcoming Karen to this new role.