ADAM DAUDA JOINS SWAMP RABBITS AS ASSISTANT COACH

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced today that Adam Dauda has joined the Swamp Rabbits as Assistant Coach for the 2024-25 ECHL Season.

Dauda comes to the Upstate from the University of North Carolina, where he was the Head Coach of the school’s ACHA hockey team. Under his guidance, the Tar Heels went 18-7-1 in 26 regular season games, including a 10-game winning streak. The Tar Heels also finished second in the ACCHL standings and ended the season tied for the lowest goals allowed in the league. Additionally, Dauda guided UNC to a #7 finish in the ACHA Southeast rankings, earning as high as #6, and ranked #14 out of 185 teams in ACHA, all program records.

“First off, I want to thank the University of North Carolina for a great season last year. I learned so much leading the Tar Heels and am excited to translate that experience to building on the success of the Swamp Rabbits in the ECHL. I’d like to thank Todd Mackin, Tim Vieira, and Kyle Mountain for the opportunity to join this first-class organization,” Dauda said of his appointment as the team’s Assistant Coach. “This organization has a standard for consistent success, so I’m excited to contribute to elevating our culture and already high levels of compete and dedication. Having known and coached against Coach Mountain before, I’m more than excited to work alongside someone I consider to be a consummate professional and dedicated coach and believe we can build a team that can represent this community by winning on the ice and contributing off it.  I feel like Greenville is a great place to grow as a coach and utilize my skillset to the fullest.

“As an assistant coach, I feel like I see the game well, and ultimately want to be there for the players and as a key support for Coach Mountain. My main takeaways from my time at UNC were finding my voice as a coach, developing leadership skill, and, most importantly, honing my ability to be an effective communicator. I’d say all that, as well as staying even keel and instilling confidence in our dressing room, are the main strengths I bring to the Swamp Rabbits,” he continued. “The goal is the Kelly Cup, and I’m eager to be a part of that journey. I also believe development is an integral part of this goal, so I’m excited to be closely involved in making players better each day. I want to be process oriented in every area in my role and help us as an organization control what we can control. I look forward to being a part of the Greenville community and can’t wait for October so we can start the season!”

Before he lead UNC, Dauda was an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for two seasons (2021-23) with Manhattanville College in NCAA III. In both seasons on staff, he helped the Valiants reach the UCHC Tournament Semifinals. As Recruiting Coordinator, Dauda was responsible for bringing in 23 players over his two seasons, including a UCHC Rookie of the Year finalist, and several UCHC All-Rookie Team selections.

“My familiarity with Adam from my time in NCAA-III instilled confidence in what was ultimately a very difficult decision, given the strong pool of candidates we had. Adam and I crossed paths on the road recruiting many times, and having competed against him for a couple years, I was able to see first-hand the value he adds to a team,” Kyle Mountain, Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations explained of Dauda’s hiring. “Adam is a strong recruiter and has also worn many hats in his prior roles, so his ability to step in and take on responsibility immediately will help us in a lot of ways. In addition to an already strong playing and coaching resume, his passion for the game is evident through the work he does, so all those factors made him a very strong candidate through this hiring process. He was a Division-I player at Colgate and played in the ECHL, amongst other pro leagues, so his experience playing at high levels and general knowledge of the landscape will allow him to step in and make an impact for us instantly. 

“From a hockey standpoint, Adam will be responsible for a position group, assist with special teams, and take on the bulk of skill development responsibilities with the players. He, along with Video Coach River Pease, will also have a big hand in our pre-scout and post-game video breakdowns,” he concluded. “Above all else, Adam is a tremendous person. His approach and professionalism already make him a great fit within our staff. While his work ethic and attention to detail stand out among his many qualities, he cares: he's emotionally intelligent and a strong communicator, all non-negotiables within our organization. I look forward to seeing firsthand his contributions and surpassing our high expectations heading into this season.”

A native of Bratislava, Slovakia, Dauda, 29, played parts of three seasons in various professional leagues, including the ECHL, where he earned 30 points in 62 games with the Jacksonville Icemen and Kalamazoo Wings. He also skated one summer in the Australian Ice Hockey League with the Syndey Bears, racking up over a goal-per-game and two points-per-game scoring clips, helping the squad capture the 2019 AIHL Championship. Before turning pro, Dauda played 116 games over four seasons with Colgate University, collecting 22 goals, 29 assists, and 51 points. 

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About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team have been providing family friendly, live entertainment at Bon Secours Wellness Arena since 2010. Formerly the Greenville Road Warriors, the Swamp Rabbits are the highest-level professional minor league franchise in South Carolina. The Swamp Rabbits are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's LA Kings and the AHL's Ontario Reign. Greenville is a member of the ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League.