Ovid Cusu was named head women's soccer coach at York College ahead of the 2024 season.
Cusu notched four wins in the 2024 campign, defeating the Medgar Evers College Cougars 11-0 on September 23, 2024 for his first win as a Cardinal. Throughout the season, Cusu had Zaria Neptune and Britney Bielma earn CUNYAC Player of the Week Honorable Mention Laurels, and oversaw Kresanta Jones' selection to the 2024 CUNYAC Sportsmanship Team.
Cusu on being named head coach in 2024:
"I would like to thank York College for giving me the opportunity to coach at the collegiate level. I am aware there will be challenges competing in the CUNYAC, but challenges that will bring the best out of me, my coaching staff and most importantly, my players. I am looking forward to establishing a very respectful women's soccer team that will play on the brand new soccer field on our campus." - expressed Cusu
Coaching for 18 years, Cusu has a proven track record at Christ the King High School and the Blau Weiss Gottschee organization. He last patrolled the sidelines at the NCAA level in 2017, when he finished a two-year stint as the head men's soccer coach at St. Joseph's University (Brooklyn).
In his first year at St. Joseph's, Cusu manufactured a 7-11 record, claiming a record four Skyline Conference matches and stabilizing a program that went 1-12-1 in the previous season. The seven wins in 2016 leveled the program record of seven victories in the 2014 campaign. Cusu recruited locally and found international talent, with players arriving from Germany to Iraq. During his time with the Bears, Cusu developed a Skyline Conference Co-Rookie of the Year honoree and two All-Skyline Conference selections.
For the Blau Weiss Gottschee organization, he has won championships and qualified for the playoffs with several age groups. Cusu guided their under-17 squad to the championships of the Disney Cup International and the New York City Cup in 2012. Recently, he spearheaded the 2006 BWG MLS Next team to an undefeated Flex season in 2021 and the BWG 2006 group to the NEAL (Northeast Academy League) Playoffs in 2022 and 2023, making the final in 2023.
Taking over Christ the King High School's men's soccer program in 2007, Cusu won the Catholic High School Athletic Association B Division Championship in his first season, earning him CHSAA Times News Ledger Queens Head Coach of the Year. Promoting the team to the top "AA" division in 2010 to compete with powerhouses Archbishop Molloy, St. Francis Prep, and Fordham Prep, the Royals finished third in the Brooklyn/Queens Queens sector with seven victories in 2010, helping Cusu earn the NY Post Queens High School Coach of the Year. In the second season in the top division, the program made the 2011 city semifinals 2011, reaching that level in 2013 as well.
Adding on to his coaching success, Cusu owns a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) B Coaching License, an NSCAA Premier Diploma, and is also a certified USSF Referee.
The Yugoslavian native played his collegiate soccer at St. Francis Brooklyn from 1998-2000 and was part of the 1998 Northeast Conference Championship team. Before immigrating to the United States, Cusu played as a youth internationally in his home country for FK Vulturul, rising as high as the first team.
Cusu resides in Middle Village section of Queens, and is a middle school dean and mathematics teacher in the NYC Department of Education, where he has worked since 2002. He holds a Bachelor's degree from St. Francis College Brooklyn and a Master's degree in economics from Brooklyn College.
The Cusu File
| Year |
School |
W-L-T |
W/L Pct. |
| 2016 |
St. Joseph's Brooklyn (M) |
7-11 |
.389 |
| 2017 |
St. Joseph's Brooklyn (M) |
2-13-1 |
.156 |
| 2024 |
York (W) |
4-11 |
.267 |
| Totals |
|
13-35-1 |
.276 |
