Christiane Lessa begins her second season as the head coach of the Young Harris College women's soccer program.
Lessa made an immediate impact on the Mountain Lions last season, guiding Young Harris to a 9-4-3 overall record and to their highest-ever finish - fifth - in the Peach Belt with an 8-3-1 ledger. The Mountain Lions earned their first-ever trip to the PBC Tournament in 2016 and was ranked as high as No. 7 in the NCAA Division II regional rankings.
Lessa comes to the Enchanted Valley after being the head coach of the Iowa Central Community College women's soccer program for four seasons (2012-15). Lessa led the Tritons to a 19-1-0 record in 2015 as Iowa Central captured the program's first National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Women's Soccer National Championship as they defeated Eastern Florida State College 1-0 in the title match. Lessa was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer Coach of the Year in 2015.
Lessa led Iowa Central to a 54-14-3 ledger (.793 winning percentage) during her time in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The Tritons finished ranked in the top 20 in the NJCAA in each of the past three seasons. Iowa Central was ranked 15th during the 2013 campaign while the Tritons were ranked 20th in 2014 before finishing third this season. The Tritons advanced to the NJCAA Region 11 finals in both 2013 and 2014 before winning the national championship this year.
Student-athletes from Iowa Central have gone on to play at four-year institutions such as Florida Atlantic University (NCAA Division I), Barry University (NCAA Division II), the University of Louisville (NCAA Division I) and the University of Kentucky (NCAA Division I).
Lessa holds her USSF National "C" License, FIFA/CONCACAF beach, and a "B" FIFA/CBF international soccer license. While at Iowa Central she was involved with the Iowa Olympic Development Program, helping with the Iowa Girls under-13 State team. She also worked as a Student Development Assistant at Iowa Central, guiding students as an academic advisor in the admissions department.
Prior to Iowa Central, the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, native spent three seasons (2009-2011) at Florida Memorial University, a NAIA program in Miami Gardens, Florida, where she started the program from scratch. Lessa also started the women's soccer high school program at West Broward High School in Pembroke Pines, Florida. She saw success instantly as they went 16-3-2 in her first season.
Lessa got into coaching after a stellar playing career that took her all over the globe. Her college career began at Union (Ky.) College in 2002 where she helped the Bulldogs earn their first-ever trip to the NAIA National Tournament after winning the Region XII Championship. That team was inducted into the College's Hall of Fame in 2009 as a Team of Distinction. She finished her career with three seasons at St. Thomas (Fla.) University in Miami where she graduated with a degree in religious studies and a minor in sports business.
Lessa also enjoyed a soccer career that began in her native Brazil with Fluminense and Vasco da Gama, as well as Team Chicago Brazil, one of the top clubs in Brazil. After leaving Brazil she spent two years playing and coaching professionally in Iceland for Haukar and Fylkir Football Club in the summer of 2005 and 2006. She then played for the Miami Kickers of the Women's Premier Football League in Miami for four seasons.
