The defending PACWEST champions are starting their offseason strong.
For the first time in fourteen years, there's a new sheriff in town, and it's a face Mariners fans should remember quite fondly.
Eric D'Andrea (pronounced dan-DRAY-uh) spent five years in the collegiate ranks, first with the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack in Kamloops. After one season, he transferred to VIU, where he would play for the rest of his college career.
His first season in Nanaimo started with a bang: After sneaking into nationals as the PACWEST runner-up, the Mariners won the national title over the ACAA's Holland Hurricanes.
Throughout much of his career as a two-way forward, the Mariners remained in consistent title contention, winning three consecutive PACWEST titles and advancing to the national championship twice in 2013 and 2015.
Since his playing career ended, D'Andrea has coached at Split Second Academy in the Lower Mainland. Many players at the academy have gone on to play at the collegiate level, including Langara Falcons forward Aaron Ungprasert and recent Capilano commit Jessica Williams. Even after accepting the position at VIU, he will remain with Split Second as an advisor.
In assembling his coaching staff, D'Andrea enlisted the help of his teammates in 2013, namely Jon Bethell and Connor Billett. Their championship pedigree will be a great fit for VIU's battle-tested lineup.
The Mariners will host an ID camp on May 2nd and begin the 2026-27 season later this October.
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