Daniel Clitnovici


Daniel Clitnovici is an Australian soccer coach and former professional soccer player. Clitnovici currently is the associate head coach of the Villanova Wildcats Women's Soccer Program at Villanova University. He was the former head coach of the Colorado Rapids Women and 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 Champions, the 2012 Women's Premier Soccer League Elite Champions, and the 2013 and 2016 National Women's Soccer League season champions.

Coaching career

Clitnovici was the previous head coach of Colorado Rapids Women and Colorado Pride both of which played in the USL W-League. He was named USL W-League Coach of the year in 2014 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.
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.
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 In February 2017 it was announced by Villanova University Wildcats that Clitnovici would be joining their Women's Soccer program. His coaching education includes: US Soccer Federation “A” License, NSCAA Advanced National License, NSCAA Advanced National GK License, NSCAA Director of Coaching License

Playing career

As a player Daniel Clitnovici played with Romanian Liga I Champions CS Universitatea Craiova, Apollon Smyrni F.C. in Greece, Gold Coast United FC in Australia, as well as several other clubs in both England, Spain and Australia