Mercy University Athletics

Leon Jr. enters his fifth season as Head Coach in 2023 after serving as an assistant coach each of the last four years.

The 2022 season saw the Mavericks go 14-3-2, winning their third ECC Championship. Leon Jr. was named ECC Coach of the Year after Mercy went 7-0-1 in ECC play and the Mavericks ended the season receiving votes nationally jn the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Mercy qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season and advanced to the Second Round for the third straight season. Leon Jr. oversaw the development of ECC Offensive Player of the Year Nikki Bermudez, ECC Defensive Player of the Year Sydney Cooper, ECC Rookie of the Year Ancksu Dixon and ECC Goalkeeper of the Year Kamy Anaya. Bermudez was named D2CCA Third Team All-American and Cooper, Bermudez, Anaya, Dixon and Kayla Camacho were tabbed United Soccer Coaches All-Region. 

After not having a season due to COVID in 2020, Leon Jr. and the Mavericks did not miss a beat in 2021, going 12-5-4 overall and 8-1 in ECC play. Mercy qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight time and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third time in program history. The Mavericks received votes nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Poll at the end of the season and Leon Jr. was named ECC Coach of the Year for the first time. Under Leon Jr.'s guidance, Mercy had four All-ECC selections and Sydney Cooper and Nikki Bermudez were received All-Region recognition. 

In his first season as head coach in 2019, Leon Jr. led the Mavericks to a 13-3-4 record and third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Mercy earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and hosted the first two rounds at Mercy Field. The Mavericks advanced to the Second Round before falling on penalty kicks to Molloy on November 24th. Mercy was nationally ranked during the season and made their seventh straight appearance in the ECC Tournament. Six Mavericks were named All-ECC headlined by junior Melissa Torres who was named ECC Goalkeeper of the Year. Sophomores Fernanda Castro and Sydney Cooper, Torres and seniors Trista Seara and Natalia Elizarraras were named First Team All-ECC and junior Kaitlyn Denning was named to the Second Team.

"It is a real honor to be the Head Coach at the school that I played for and for which I started my collegiate coaching career. I would like to thank both Bill Sullivan and Matt Kilcullen for the support and opportunity they have given me throughout my tenure as a Maverick," stated Leon Jr.

"We are extremely excited about Danny being our next head coach," said Kilcullen. "As the interim head coach, he did a great job with the team this spring and is well deserving of this opportunity."

Leon Jr. has served as an assistant coach for the Mavericks each of the last four seasons and has been on staff for two NCAA appearances, including Mercy's run to the Final Four in 2017. Leon Jr. is a Mercy alum having been a four-year member of the Mercy College men's soccer team. He appeared in 68 games, ranking second in program history in games played. He was captain during the 2014 season and ended his career with 14 goals and ten assists.

Leon Jr. also serves as a club coach for the Albertson/Fury Boys U10-U17 teams. He graduated from Mercy College with his Bachelor's Degree in Sociology in 2014 and graduated with his Master's Degree from Mercy in Organizational Leadership in 2019.