HILO, Hawai'i – University of Hawai'i at Hilo Athletics welcomes Diego Marroquin as Acting Head Coach of the Vulcans Men's Soccer program.
Marroquin arrives to the Big Island with over a decade of coaching experience and most recently spent the last two years as men's soccer head coach at Holy Names University before the school's closure this past spring.
"First and foremost, I want to thank Director of Athletics Patrick Guillen for entrusting me to lead the UH Hilo Men's Soccer program this fall," Marroquin said. "UH Hilo is truly a special place — family environment, incredible soccer facility, amazing conference and located in paradise. I'm looking forward to the opportunity and aim to build a program the student-athletes, alumni and the Hilo community can be proud of."
The Petaluma, California product started his collegiate playing career at Santa Rosa Junior College where he was Big 8 Conference Player of the Year and an NSCAA First-Team All-American while helping to claim back-to-back conference championships. Marroquin continued on at Division-I Sacramento State where he again helped capture back-to-back titles and was a two-time MPSF All-Conference Team selection.
"We are very pleased to have Diego serve as our acting head coach while our current head coach is on leave," Guillen said. "Diego's seven years of coaching experience in the PacWest Conference will serve the program greatly as he leads our young men on and off the field. We are very fortunate to have someone of his caliber as a coach, and more importantly, as a person on our team."
Prior to his time at HNU, Marroquin was an assistant coach for five seasons at Dominican University of California in addition to stops at both of his alma maters. He's also coached with several soccer clubs in the northern California area, most recently with The Marin Football Club.
"I also want to thank coach Garrett Estrin and coach Terry Yamane for their support during my transition," Marroquin said. "Coach Estrin has done a stellar job of setting the foundation for a successful program while creating a culture that produces quality young men of character. Coach Yamane has been indispensable and a tremendous resource to myself and our student-athletes. He is no doubt one of the top assistants on the West Coast and I am excited to collaborate with him."
