Danny Da Costa new head coach for X-Women Volleyball

ANTIGONISH, NS – StFX Director of Athletics and Recreation Leo MacPherson is pleased to introduce and welcome Danny Da Costa as the new head coach of the StFX women’s volleyball team. Da Costa takes over the X-Women program from Michelle Aucoin, who left the coaching profession last month to pursue other career opportunities.

Da Costa has been coaching volleyball in the province of Québec for the past 15 years, and has 10 years of coaching experience with both men’s and women’s provincial team programs. He has been the head coach of the men’s U21 elite provincial team for the past two years, and has also been an assistant coach with the Université de Montréal Carabins women’s team, a CIS Top 10 team and national championship silver medalists in 2008.

“We very much look forward to having Danny as a member of our great group of coaches,” comments MacPherson. “He is very much a student of the game and his passion for coaching volleyball should serve him well at StFX.”

In addition to his current U21 head coaching position and his assistant coaching position with the Carabins, Da Costa has extensive coaching experience at the club and provincial levels, from U17 through to the college level, working with a variety of young athletes while being actively involved with Québec provincial elite programs. Danny was a member of the coaching staff for the Québec men’s Canada Games team that placed fifth in 2009, he was an observer at the 2010 men’s world volleyball championship in Italy, and was a guest coach at the recent Team Canada women’s FISU identification camp.

Da Costa is a part-time coaching consultant and is currently working on the completion of his level four NCCP coaching certification. He is a former Carabins player himself and is a Business Management graduate from HEC Montréal. Danny has had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most recognized volleyball coaches across Québec and is looking forward to bringing his coaching talents to the Atlantic University Sport conference and to StFX University.

“I am very excited about this opportunity,” says Da Costa. “Obviously, leaving Montréal is a big move for me, however, I am looking forward to leading the X-Women volleyball program and being a part of the StFX athletics team.”

Da Costa will officially begin his head coaching duties of the StFX X-Women on August 1st. The X-Women enjoyed a 9-9 season last year, finishing in fourth place in the AUS regular season standings and reaching the AUS semi-finals. They return a solid nucleus of players including 2011 AUS all-stars Katherine Ryan and Catherine Thornton, and reigning AUS Rookie of the Year Jessica Roberts.