Daniel Clitnovici

Daniel Clitnovici (born 8 July 1982) is an Australian soccer coach and former professional soccer player. Clitnovici currently is the head coach of division one Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders Women's Soccer program.^[2] He was the former head coach of Atlantic City FC, the Colorado Rapids Women, Colorado Pride Women and the assistant coach of the Western New York Flash of the National Women's Soccer League; the 2010 W-League champions, 2011 Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) Champions, the 2012 Women's Premier Soccer League Elite Champions, and the 2013 and 2016 National Women's Soccer League season champions.^[3]

Daniel Clitnovici

Personal information
Date of birth	(1982-07-08) 8 July 1982 (age 42)[1]
Place of birth	Surfers Paradise, Australia[1]
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2001	Gold Coast Knights[citation needed]
2002–2003	Universitatea Craiova
2003–2004	Barnsley[citation needed]
2004	Gold Coast Knights
2005–2006	Universitatea Craiova
2007–2008	Apollon Smyrnis
2008	Elche Ilicitano
Managerial career
2008–2011	Colorado Force (assistant)
2011–2014	Colorado Rapids (USL Super 20)
2011–2014	Colorado Rapids Women
2014–2015	Colorado Pride
2015–2016	Western New York Flash) (assistant)
2016–2017	Ohio State University (assistant)
2017–2022	Villanova University (associate)
2022	Atlantic City FC
2022-24	Ursinus College
2024-	Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

As a player Clitnovici played with Romanian Liga I champion Universitatea Craiova,^[4] Apollon Smyrnis in Greece, Gold Coast United FC in Australia, as well as several other clubs in England, Spain and Australia.^[5][6][7]

Coaching career

Clitnovici was the previous head coach of Colorado Rapids Women^[8] and Colorado Pride^[9] both of which played in the USL W-League. He was named USL W-League Coach of the year in 2014^[10] after leading w-league expansion side Colorado Pride to a Western Conference Championship final. While at Colorado Pride Clitnovici established a defense that did not concede a single goal on its home field and produced a fast-flowing attacking style of play that entertained W-League fans league wide. Clitnovici's direction and guidance to players at the Pride were very influential, as several of his players from his 2014 squad have gone on to play professionally in the US and abroad.^[11][12][13]

In 2012 in addition to coaching the Colorado Rapids Women, Daniel Clitnovici was the head coach of the Colorado Rapids U20 Ladies team which went on to win a United Soccer League Under 20 National Championship hosted at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The Colorado Rapids defeated DC United 1–0.^[14]

Clitnovici previously managed and directed the Western New York Flash Youth Academy in the role of academy executive director of coaching. Clitnovici was hired by the Ohio State Women's Soccer program in 2016 as an assistant head coach^[15] In February 2017 it was announced by Villanova University Wildcats that Clitnovici would be joining their women's soccer program.^[16] His coaching education includes: US Soccer Federation "A" License, UEFA "A" License, NSCAA Advanced National License, NSCAA Advanced National GK License, NSCAA Director of Coaching License^[17]