MSU Denver Athletics

7 NCAA tournament appearances 2 RMAC regular season championships 1 RMAC tournament championship

Adrianne (Almaraz) Pietz enters her ninth season as the head coach for the Roadrunners in 2016 and has a 116-34-26 (.860) record in eight seasons. As head coach, MSU Denver has won two RMAC regular season titles, made seven NCAA appearances and a conference tournament championship in 2008. Pietz's 41-3-5 record through two seasons was the best two-year start for any coach in MSU Denver history.

Pietz, who was a captain on Metro State's 2004 national championship team and an assistant coach for the 2006 national title squad, was named head coach in March 2008.

In 2015, the team finished 8-7-5 overall, 4-2-5 in the RMAC and had a school record 10 student-athletes named to the RMAC all-academic teams. She ranked seventh among active NCAA Division II coaches in winning percentage. She coached RMAC Freshman of the Year forward Reigna Banks (Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield H.S.) and freshman Korena Perales (Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest H.S.) who was named to the RMAC all-tournament team.

In 2014, her team emerged as one of the best in the country, reaching a national ranking of No. 8 late in the year. Her Roadrunners boasted a 14-2-5 overall mark and went unbeaten in RMAC play with a 10-0-4 conference record. They reached the RMAC Tournament championship game, falling on penalties after a scoreless tie through 110 minutes. Senior Karisa Price was named RMAC player of the year. In the classroom, Pietz's team had a 3.30 GPA during the school year and had seven academic all-RMAC players, including first team Academic All-District sophomore Alexie Marr.

Pietz led the 2013 team to the South Central Region championship game and a 14-4-4 mark, including 10-3-1 in the RMAC for a second-place finish. As has become a constant during her tenure, the Roadrunners finished strong in the postseason, earning a 2-1 win in overtime over Midwestern State (Texas) before upsetting No. 2-ranked Colorado Mines 3-1 on its home field to reach the regional final. She coached All-America midfielder Abby Rolph, helping the team lead the RMAC in goals per game and finish third in goals against average.

Her team was also strong in the classroom, boasting seven academic all-RMAC players, including two Capital One Academic All-District players in Rolph and Brandi Farley. As a team, Pietz's Roadrunners had a 3.23 GPA during the fall semester and 3.18 GPA during the 2014 spring.

In 2012, she led the Roadrunners to a 15-6-2 record, their best since 2009, and a 9-3-2 mark in RMAC play. MSU Denver earned two road victories at the NCAA tournament, reaching the regional championship game. She also coached sophomore Karisa Price, who earned NSCAA third team All-America honors. Price led five all-RMAC players. Additionally, Pietz's team was excellent in the classroom as nine players earned academic all-RMAC.

In 2011, her young squad went 12-7-1 and finished 8-5-1 in the RMAC. The Roadrunners had just one senior in the starting lineup and were led in scoring by a pair of freshmen. True freshman Abby Rolph led the team with 10 goals and redshirt freshman Price was second with eight. Both players earned all-conference honors. The lone starting senior, Taylor Nicholls, battled a leg injury for much of the season. Once again Pietz's squad advanced to its 10th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.

Her team also excelled in the classroom in 2011-12, putting together a 3.28 grade point average. Her team had the most athletes named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (3.5 GPA or higher) of any other team at Metro, with nine during the fall semester and 11 during the spring semester.

Despite the 12-5-4 record in 2010, Pietz put together perhaps her best coaching. The team was left with eight players who missed at least two games with injuries, but she still took the team to its ninth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. Seven players were out of the lineup with injuries in the team's final game of the season in the Central Region championship, a scoreless tie at No. 3 Fort Lewis that the Skyhawks advanced on penalty kicks. Three players were named all-RMAC and four earned academic all-conference.

Pietz guided the 2009 squad to a perfect 16-0-0 conference record after her second straight conference championship.  Her team continued to roll through the postseason, reaching the regional championship where the Roadrunners were eliminated in a shootout after a scoreless tie with Colorado Mines. Pietz coached two more first team All-Americans in 2009: sophomore defender Courtney Ryan and senior forward Becca Mays.

The 2008 Roadrunners featured two All-Americans as Nicole Cito earned first team honors from the NSCAA and Daktronics and Becca Mays was named Daktronics third team.  Metro State finished the season with an overall record of 20-2-3, including 11-0-2 in the RMAC.  The team won its fifth regional championship in school history and reached the national semifinals for the fourth time.

Pietz spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons as an assistant under former head coach Danny Sanchez. She was responsible for assisting with all aspects of the program, specifically focusing on recruiting, on-field coaching and camps. During her two seasons, the Roadrunners advanced to two NCAA tournaments, including the national title run in 2006, and won two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championships. In addition to her coaching duties, Pietz has done marketing for the athletic department, including assisting with the Roadrunner Club and the annual scholarship dinner and auction.

Prior to her return to Metro State, Pietz spent the 2005 season as an assistant coach at Cal State Stanislaus. The Warriors posted a 15-4-2 overall record, including an 11-2-1 mark in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, and a first-place North Division finish. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Pietz also assisted the athletic director with marketing and served as the study hall coordinator.

Pietz has worked with the Colorado Edge and the Mile High Edge Reserve team and is currently the head coach of the U-23 Westminster AFC. She has previously served on the NSCAA regional rankings committee and was on the NCAA regional rankings committee in 2013.

In addition, she has worked with the Colorado Storm and at numerous camps, including at the University of Colorado, University of Wyoming and Cal State Bakersfield. She previously served as an assistant girls coach at the Academy of Charter High School in Thornton, Colo. Pietz also played for the W League's Mile High Edge in 2005 and 2006, helping the team to its first playoff berth during her second season.

Pietz played her 2003 junior and 2004 senior seasons at Metro State after playing her 2001 freshman and 2002 sophomore seasons at Cal State Bakersfield. As a 2004 senior and team captain, Pietz helped lead the Roadrunners to a 25-1-0 overall record and 23 straight victories to end the season, culminating in the national championship. She was a first team all-RMAC and a second team all-Midwest Region selection after starting all 26 games and totaling 12 points, including four goals. As a 2003 junior, Pietz  earned first team all-region and second team all-RMAC accolades.

A 2005 graduate of Metro State, Pietz earned a bachelor's degree in business management. She holds a USSF "B" national license and a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma. The Bakersfield, Calif., native also received her master's degree in business administration from Regis University in May, 2010. Formerly Adrianne Almaraz, she married Mike Pietz on Aug. 3, 2013. The two reside in Littleton, Colorado, and is expecting a child during the 2015 season.
 

Pietz's Collegiate Head Coaching Record

Year	School	Overall	RMAC	Postseason/Championships
2008	Metro State	20-2-3	11-0-2	RMAC regular season champions, RMAC tournament champions,  NCAA Final Four
2009	Metro State	21-1-2	16-0-0	RMAC regular season champions, NCAA tournament
2010	Metro State	12-5-4	8-4-2	NCAA tournament
2011	Metro State	12-7-1	8-5-1	NCAA tournament
2012	Metro State	15-6-2	9-3-2	NCAA tournament
2013	Metro State	14-4-4	10-3-1	NCAA tournament
2014	Metro state	14-2-5	10-0-4	NCAA tournament
7 Years	Overall	108-27-21	72-15-12