A former thrower for the Vulcans, Jerry Koza enters his sixth season as an assistant coach with California (PA) track & field teams in 2026.
Two years ago, Koza aided in the record-setting development of Jing McCann. She became the first women’s thrower to earn All-PSAC honors in over 15 years by placing third in the hammer throw at the outdoor championships. McCann, who holds the school record in the weight throw, broke her own school record in the hammer throw in 2024 in three-straight weeks.
Koza helped four individuals qualify for the 2022 PSAC Championships in the outdoor campaign. Matt Collins ranked among the top 10 on the league’s pewrformance list in both the discus throw and hammer throw, as he ranked fifth on the conference’s performance list in the discus throw during the spring. Additionally, Shantel Springer became the first women’s thrower to compete at the league meet since the 2019 outdoor championships.
A native of Westmoreland County, Koza was a member of the Cal men's track & field team from 2015-18 and competed in four throwing events during his career. He improved his personal best in both the weight throw and discus throw each season with the Vulcans. In 2018, Koza set a mark of 13.30 meters (43-7.75 feet) in the weight throw at the Grand Valley State Big Meet and posted a personal record in the discus throw at the Paul Kaiser Classic.
Koza, who was a four-time member of the Cal U AD Honor Roll, was a three-sport athlete at the scholastic level while attending Yough. In the private sector, Koza served as an environmental inspector in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
Koza earned his bachelor's degree from Cal in environmental studies with a concentration in fisheries and wildlife biology in 2018.
He resides in Ruffs Dale, Pennsylvania.
