HAMBURG, N.Y. - Hilbert Athletic Director Tim Seil introduced Dan Opera as the new Head Coach for the Hawks' Softball program today. Opera joined the coaching staff in July 2023 but was promoted in November.

Tim Seil said "We are excited to find someone of Dan's caliber to lead our softball program. Dan built a solid program at Medaille, and I look forward to working with him as he does the same here at Hilbert."

Over the course of the last seven spring seasons, Opera served as Medaille University's head softball coach after joining the staff as an assistant in 2015.  He guided the softball team to a 50-36 AMCC record once he became the head coach in 2017 and took the Mavs to the AMCC post-season tournament four of the five possible seasons after they failed to qualify from 2011-2016.  Opera boasts a 113-99 overall record including Medaille's solo year in the Empire 8 conference in 2022-23.

"I am very grateful that Hilbert College and Tim Seil have given me this opportunity to serve as a coach again," shared coach Opera. "I feel very fortunate to be here, and it has been a great experience so far. I'm looking forward to making the softball program very competitive."

Opera has been coaching on and off since he graduated from high school, coaching basketball, baseball, and softball. "I do it because I love coaching. There is no better feeling than seeing one of my players work hard, improve and understand that they did something special; the smile on their face when it clicks is very rewarding to me," said Opera.

Opera coached over ten years in the N.Y. Diamond Girls organization where he put together an impressive 347-111 record in showcase tournaments across the eastern United States.  Eighteen of the girls he coached during that time went on to play collegiate softball across all three NCAA divisions.

Opera continued, "I love developing young student-athletes and preparing them for life after college, always teaching them how to take their experiences as an athlete and utilize it in life after softball. Hopefully they will remember their time at Hilbert and have great memories of being a collegiate student-athlete."