Coaching Staff

 Head Coach
 Michelle Aucoin
Head Coach Michelle Aucoin enters her 4th year at the helm of the X-Women, leading them to a playoff berth last year for the first time in a number of years. Prior to arriving at StFX, she won numerous AUS banners with the Dalhousie Tigers, as both an assistant coach (2 years) and as a student-athlete. Michelle was consistently recognized as an AUS All-Star and an Academic All-Canadian during her time as a student athlete at Dalhousie (4 years).

Michelle spent this past summer coordinating the youth provincial team program for Volleyball Nova Scotia during which she coached at U16 Squad. She has been an assistant coach with Team Canada’s Junior Volleyball Squad who competed at the 2008 NORCECA Championships and a guest coach with Team Canada on multiple occasions. Michelle holds a Level III NCCP coaching certification, a Level I NCCP Course Instructor Certification, and has recently been awarded a Women in Coaching Scholarship from the Coaches Association of Canada and has started a Level IV certification through the National Coaching Institute.

Michelle graduated with a BSc and an MBA from Dalhousie University. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Coach Aucoin also teaches a Sport Management course in the Department of Human Kinetics at StFX. 


 Sasho MacKenzie
 Assistant Coach & Off-Court Conditioning Coach
Dr. Sasho MacKenzie grew up in French Creek, PEI where he participated in numerous sports including volleyball and track & field. He was captain of the Canada Games Men’s Volleyball team in 1997 and was a setter for the Dalhousie Men’s team which won four AUS Championships from 1997-2000. Sasho then pursued a PhD in Biomechanics at the University of Saskatchewan. During his time in Saskatoon, he was an assistant coach with the women’s volleyball team and also finished his CIS eligibility by competing with the men’s track & field team in the pentathlon. In 2002, he earned a CIS gold medal while competing with the Huskies. In 2005, he was a Jumps Coach when both the men’s and women’s track teams won gold at the CIS national championships.

As a sport biomechanics consultant, Dr. MacKenzie has worked with Olympians and Canadian champions in sports such as bob sleigh, track & field, figure skating, and volleyball. He is currently a professor in the Department of Human Kinetics at StFX University and his research interests lie in the optimization of human movement with a strong emphasis on sport performance. His research and expertise encompass both optimal sport movement patterns, as well as, the most advantageous training techniques.


 Laura Machowski
 Assistant Coach
The X-Women are delighted to have Laura Machowski join the coaching staff. Laura has made the transition from player to coach after completing a stellar 5 year playing career with the X-Women. During her time at X, Laura was an Academic All-Canadian, a team captain and a two-time team MVP. Laura will easily make the transition from player to coach as she has already had coaching experience with the Antigonish Stoirm Volleyball Club and the Dr.JH Gillis High School Team. Laura is a graduate of StFX with a Human Kinetics Degree and is currently enrolled in her second year of a Bachelor of Education Degree.


Allie MacDonald
Manager/Associate Coach
Allister (Allie) MacDonald, an Antigonish native, enters his first year with the X-Women. Allie is a first year Bachelor of Arts Student who recently completed a great summer as a member of Nova Scotia’s Beach Volleyball team where he competed at the National Beach Championships in Toronto. Allie has represented Nova Scotia on numerous occasions with its indoor team and has had much success during his playing career with the Antigonish Stoirm Volleyball Club and the Dr.JH Gillis Royals. The X-Women are thrilled to have Allie join their staff.


Kate Reilly
Student Therapist