Former Quinnipiac standout Eric Da Costa will enter his 19th season at the helm of the men’s soccer program in the fall of 2023. He is the longest tenured men’s soccer coach in Quinnipiac’s NCAA history.

A product of Quinnipiac’s strong soccer tradition, Da Costa’s formula for success and his reputation for assembling winning teams are evident after 18 seasons at his alma mater. Da Costa has a 145-124-55 record during his time at Quinnipiac, and has led the Bobcats to a postseason conference tournament appearance in 10 of the last 11 seasons (2012 in the NEC, 2013-current in the MAAC).

Since joining the MAAC prior to the 2013 season, Quinnipiac has appeared in five MAAC Tournament title contests (2013, 2016, 2018, spring 2021, 2023). Under Da Costa’s tutelage, the Bobcats have posted an impressive 59-24-13 mark in regular season MAAC games.

Da Costa and the Bobcats are on the heels of the team’s second-ever MAAC title, as Quinnipiac defeated Iona in the 2022 MAAC title contest in Hamden on Nov. 13, 2022. The Bobcats finished 2022 with a 13-5-3 record, going 6-2-2 in conference play to win their fifth regular season MAAC championship. QU went 8-2-2 after Oct. 1 to close the season. The Bobcats dropped a tight match, 3-2, at No. 8 Vermont in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

Under the guidance of Da Costa, captain David Bercedo captured the MAAC Golden Boot Award and Alexander Stjernegaard won the MAAC Rookie of the Year.

Da Costa was named 2022 MAAC Coach od the Year for his outstanding leadership. The honor is his third since joining the MAAC in 2013. The Bobcats have won five regular-season trophies since 2013 – which leads all MAAC schools in that span. QU won a regular season title in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020-21 and now 2022.

The Bobcats won nine games in the fall 2021 campaign, going 6-3 at the QU Soccer Stadium in Hamden. QU won five consecutive games to begin the season, defeating Boston College (first time since 2007), UMass Lowell, Sacred Heart, CCSU and Harvard.

The Bobcats received votes twice in the fall of 2021 for the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll – which recognizes the top Division I programs in the nation. Da Costa and the Bobcats claimed three All-MAAC awards at the end of the regular season: Brage Aasen: All-MAAC First Team, Paulo Soares: All-MAAC Second Team, Sam McCann: MAAC All-Rookie Team.

The spring 2021 season was another benchmark year for the Bobcats. Under Da Costa’s tutelage, Quinnipiac went 5-1 in regular season MAAC play to earn the No. 1 seed in the postseason conference tournament. The Bobcats defeated Siena in the MAAC Quarterfinals, and Fairfield in the Semifinals to earn their fourth championship appearance since joining the league in 2013.

Following a pair of MAAC Tournament wins to advance to another MAAC title contest, the Bobcats received national recognition for their spring success. QU received National Top 25 votes in the United Soccer Coaches’ Poll on April 13 – a poll that recognizes the most elite programs in the country.

Quinnipiac outscored opponents 18-9 over nine games during the spring 2021 season. Da Costa helped keeper Jarred Mazzola earn MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year honors, as Mazzola allowed just four goals over six games. Braage Aasen led the team in scoring (five goals, four assists, 14 points) during the abbreviated season, earning United Soccer Coaches All-East Region honors. Mazzola, Aasen, Henry Weigand, Luke Allen and Paulo Soares were all selected to the All-MAAC Squad under Da Costa, and the Bobcats led all schools with 19 total All-Academic honorees.

Quinnipiac continued its success as a program in 2019, as the Bobcats went 7-2-1 in league play to earn the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Tournament. The program went 9-6-3 overall, winning six of its last eight games to conclude the regular season schedule.

Tomas Svecula recorded 16 points during his first campaign with the Bobcats, earning MAAC Rookie of the Year honors. Svecula became the second player in program history to win the league's Rookie of the Year award, as Eamon Whelan earned the honor after scoring 11 goals as a first-year student in 2016.

Svecula, Brage Aasen and Henry Weigand earned All-Rookie status for the Bobcats, as well, marking the first time Quinnipiac has placed three or more student-athletes on the All-Rookie team since 2016 (Chrysostomos Iakovidis, Jeppe Haehre, Conor McCoy, Eamon Whelan). The Bobcats earned eight total honors in the conference's All-MAAC Awards. Eamon Whelan was named to the All-MAAC First Team, while Romain Daniellou, Conor McCoy and Jared Mazzola were selected to the All-MAAC Second Team.

Whelan (19 points in 2019) was also named to the 2019 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Men's All-East Region Second Team for his efforts. He finished his Quinnipiac career under Da Costa with 35 goals – which ranks third in program history. Whelan scored seven goals over 10 league games during his senior season.

Christian Casagranda also earned some hardware for the Bobcats in 2019, as Christian Casagranda was named to the 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-America® Division I men's soccer team. The honor recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

2018 was another successful season for Da Costa and the Bobcats, who went 8-1-1 in MAAC action to earn the No. 2 seed in the postseason conference tournament. Quinnipiac downed Marist in the MAAC semifinals after 10 rounds of penalty kicks on Nov. 8, then fell in the title contest vs. Rider.

Under Da Costa’s guidance, junior Eamon Whelan finished the season tied for No. 10 nationally in goals scored (18) – winning the 2018 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year award. The Bobcats earned five All-MAAC awards in total in 2018, three All-MAAC First Team honorees (Eamon Whelan, Rashawn Dally, Jeppe Haehre) and two All-Rookie Team selections (Dejan Duric, Jordon Bennett).

Whelan was also recognized regionally and nationally for his performance on the field, as he was named New England Soccer Journal’s Breakout Player of the Year, was selected to the Google Cloud Academic All-District® First Team, and was chosen to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America First Team.

2017 saw Da Costa and Quinnipiac advance to the program’s seventh conference semifinal contest in 10 seasons. The Bobcats went 8-9-2 (6-4-0 MAAC), falling to No. 1 Fairfield in penalty kicks during the MAAC Tourrnament semifinal round. Conor McCoy, James Doig and Rashawn Dally were all chosen to the All-MAAC Second Team in 2017, and Paulo Soares was tabbed to the All-Rookie squad.

In 2016, the Bobcats won the MAAC regular season title with an 8-2 record, their fourth regular-season conference crown in a five-year span under Da Costa. He was named the MAAC Coach of the Year for his efforts in guiding the Bobcats back to the top of the standings after an off year in 2015, thanks in large part to recruiting four freshmen who earned spots on the MAAC All-Rookie Team, including Rookie of the Year Eamon Whelan, center backs Conor McCoy and Jeppe Haehre and goalkeeper Chrysostomos Iakovidis.

The program reached new heights from 2012-14, compiling a 22-2-6 record in conference games in that span and winning or sharing three straight regular season titles. 

In 2014, the Bobcats went undefeated in the MAAC during the regular season (7-0-3) for their third straight regular season conference title before falling in the conference semifinals on penalty kicks.

In 2013, the team’s first year as a member of the MAAC, Da Costa led the Bobcats to the conference title and an NCAA tournament berth – marking firsts for both in program history. Quinnipiac went 7-1-2 in conference play and ended their campaign tied atop the regular season standings. The Bobcats went on to play nationally ranked (at the time) No. 10 UConn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, suffering a mere 2-1 loss to conclude the season. Under Da Costa’s tutelage, Quinnipiac had six players named All-Conference in 2013 – headlined by MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year Borja Angoitia. Simon Hinde and Tobias Esche joined Angoitia on the All-MAAC First Team, while Machel Baker and Sam Nicol earned a spot on the MAAC’s Second Team. James Doig stood alongside Esche on the All-Rookie Team as well.

Quinnipiac went 10-5-2 in 2012 to clinch the Bobcats’ first-ever NEC regular season title – earning the right to host the postseason conference tournament.

Da Costa was tabbed the Rising Star by Business New Haven in August of 2014 and named the Northeast Conference Coach of the Year for his efforts in 2012. Quinnipiac went 10-5-2 overall that year which was the marked the second highest win total all-time and tied the most wins in a single-season through the Division I era.

Along with the team’s success, Quinnipiac received several individual laurels as well. Philip Suprise was rewarded with All-Conference laurels for a fourth straight year, while two others – Robbie McLarney and William Daniels – were tabbed to the NEC’s Second Team. Over the last three years alone, seven Bobcats have earned accolades at season’s end.

Under Da Costa’s leadership in 2009, the Bobcats returned to the NEC Tournament for the second consecutive season, earning the program’s first bid to the tournament championship game. Quinnipiac finished the regular season with a 9-4-7 overall record and a 6-2-2 conference mark.

Senior goalkeeper Freddy Hall was named to the All-NEC First Team, and was recognized as part of the 2009 Adidas National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-North Atlantic Regional Second Team. Hall recorded the most saves in NCAA play, turning away 121 shots, and posted the third best save percentage in the nation (.883). The St. George, Bermuda native signed a Major League Soccer (MLS) contract with Toronto F.C. in July, 2012 – becoming the first Bobcat to sign an MLS contract.

In 2008, Da Costa guided the Bobcats to the NEC Tournament for the first time since the 2004 season as the team posted a 10-5-4 record. Quinnipiac finished in a two-way tie for third place in the league standings, after compiling a 5-2-2 record in conference action. Graciano Brito was named to the conference’s first team, while second team honors went to Shane Recklet, Fabricio Silva and Freddy Hall.

For a second straight season, Brito led the NEC in scoring and goals, while also ranking nationally in both categories. For his play during his senior season, Brito was named the NEC Player of the Year, becoming just the fifth player in league history to be honored in consecutive seasons as the NEC’s top player. His play also earned him a spot on the NSCAA/Adidas All-America Team for the second year in a row. Brito also was honored as Quinnipiac’s Male Athlete of the Year, an honor he also claimed as a junior.

The 2007 season saw Da Costa’s Bobcats jump out to the best start in program and NEC history as they began the season 9-0-1 in their first 10 games. The highlight of the season was on Sept. 3 when the Bobcats travelled to Chestnut Hill and defeated the Boston College Eagles, 2-1. Da Costa produced two of the conference’s top players in Brito and Hall.

Under the guidance of Da Costa, Brito was named to the NSCAA/Adidas All-America Second Team, in addition to his NEC Player of the Year and Quinnipiac’s Male Athlete of the Year awards. Hall led the nation in save percentage and saves per game with the help of Da Costa’s coaching during the 2007 season. Danilo Schiavon and Ross McGibney were also honored in 2007 as members of the All-NEC and All-region Teams.

Accolades were not reserved just for his players in 2007, however. Da Costa was selected as the NSCAA/Adidas North Atlantic Division I Coach of the Year in just his third season as the Bobcats’ coach as well as being named a finalist for the NSCAA/Adidas Division I National Coach of the Year.

In his first season at the helm, the Bobcats finished with an overall record of 6-11-1. He won his first NEC game over CCSU on Oct. 9 by a score of 2-1. From there, he kept his team in the running for the four-team NEC Tournament throughout the season. Other big wins came over traditional New England power Hartford and Columbia University of the Ivy League.

Da Costa also produced an All-NEC player in his inaugural season as the Bobcats’ head coach. Francis Mavula, who served as a co-captain in 2006, was named to the All-NEC Second Team after finishing with seven goals, 17 points, and four game-winning goals, all career highs.

In addition to his success on the pitch this past year, Da Costa also helped create “Soccer Night in Newtown”, a fundraiser and relief effort for children in the Newtown community. Following the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook, Da Costa and Chris Canetti, President of the Houston Dynamo and former QU baseball player, hosted a night of fun and games at the Newtown Youth Academy Sports & Fitness Center in Newtown. Members of the men’s and women’s soccer programs and several former and current soccer stars, which included the likes of Landon Donovan, Mia Hamm, Christine Lilly, Cobi Jones, Alexi Lalas and Brian Ching, participated in the event that attracted nearly 1,500 people.

A native of New Bedford, Mass., Da Costa was a four-year starter for Quinnipiac and served as team captain in his junior and senior seasons. In his defensive role, he helped Quinnipiac to several impressive seasons, including an excellent 2000 campaign in which the Bobcats beat the nationally ranked No. 12 UMBC and reached the Northeast Conference tournament for the first time in program history.

Da Costa graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business Management (2001) and a Master’s Degree in Management (2003). Da Costa played soccer professionally for two seasons beginning his career with the Connecticut Wolves in 2002. He then enjoyed a brief training stint with the 2002 Major League Soccer Semifinalist New England Revolution as well as a year with the Western Massachusetts Pioneers. He also enjoyed two seasons in the Professional Indoor Soccer Leagues with both the Massachusetts Twisters (2002) and the Connecticut Academica F.C. (2003).