Steve Vagnini named 2026 CCAA Coaching Excellence Award recipient
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The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is proud to announce that Steve Vagnini of St. Clair College has been named the recipient of the 2026 CCAA Coaching Excellence Award. Presented annually, the award recognizes a coach who exemplifies excellence in coaching, leadership, student-athlete development, and contribution to collegiate sport in Canada. Vagnini earned the national honour following a remarkable 2025-26 season with the St. Clair Saints women's soccer program. Under his leadership, the Saints captured the OCAA Women's Soccer Championship and advanced to the CCAA Women's Soccer National Championship, marking a significant milestone in the program's continued growth and success.
A key component of Vagnini's coaching philosophy is the holistic development of student-athletes. His commitment extends beyond competition, with regular meetings focused on academic progress, personal growth, and overall well-being. His goal is for every student-athlete to leave the program not only as a graduate, but as a more complete and confident individual. That commitment was reflected in the classroom as well. During the 2025-26 academic year, nine members of the women's soccer team earned OCAA All-Academic honours while the squad achieved a team grade-point average of 3.266. Vagnini's influence reaches well beyond his own program. He has actively supported the development of future coaches, including mentoring female assistant coaches through provincial coaching development initiatives. He also regularly opens the St. Clair facilities to club, elementary school, and high school teams, creating opportunities for young athletes to learn from current Saints student-athletes and experience collegiate sport firsthand. His dedication to community engagement was further demonstrated through his volunteer work with the Essex County Soccer Association, where he served as head coach of the Under-16 Girls All-Star team. In 2025, he led the team on a developmental tour of Italy, providing athletes with the opportunity to train and compete while experiencing international soccer environments, including visits with professional organizations such as Juventus and Hellas Verona. Throughout his coaching career, Vagnini has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence, accountability, and athlete development. His ability to foster success on the field while emphasizing academic achievement, personal growth, and community involvement has made a lasting impact on the student-athletes he coaches and the broader soccer community. For his outstanding leadership and dedication to collegiate athletics, Steve Vagnini is the deserving recipient of the 2026 CCAA Coaching Excellence Award. |
After finishing second in the OCAA West Division in 2024-25, St. Clair took another step forward this season, posting an undefeated regular-season record of seven wins and three ties to claim first place in the division. The Saints followed that success with an impressive playoff run, culminating in an OCAA gold medal. Defensively, the team showed notable improvement, reducing its goals against total from 10 to just five while maintaining one of the conference's strongest attacking performances.
