Holmes Community College

Holmes Community College Athletics
412 W. Ridgeland Ave. Ridgeland, MS 39157

NJCAA Mississippi Southeast

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Matt Convertino

Matt Convertino begins his 23rd year at Holmes Community College.

Convertino came to Holmes Community College as head men’s soccer coach but has served as head coach of both the men’s and women’s teams in 2010 and 2011 as well as for the last the last two seasons.

Since taking over in 2002, Convertino has guided the team to its finest seasons in school history on the men’s side. The team went from last place in 2002 to a MACJC finalist in both 2012 (13-4-2, 2nd out of 12 teams) and 2006 (13-4-1, 2nd out of 12 teams). In doing so, Convertino’s teams have rewritten the Holmes’ record books posting the program’s most shutouts, highest goals-for and lowest goals-against average, as well as the most goals scored and least goals ever allowed in a season. The 2011 season was a milestone for Convertino as he earned his 100th NJCAA win as well as recording the Bulldogs best regular season record in school history (11-2-1, 3rd out of 12 teams).

Under Convertino, the Bulldogs were back-to-back MACJC North Division Champions in 2011 and 2012 in addition to MACJC North Division Runners-up in 2006 and 2010. Since starting the women’s program on the Ridgeland Campus in 2010, Holmes has also positioned itself as one of the best program’s in the state of Mississippi and has been recognized nationally for its accomplishments. The 2017 team finished as state/region runners-up, finished with a record of 13-1 and captured the North Division championship. The team held a No. 11 ranking in the nation during the 2017 season. In 2016, the team also finished as state/region runners-up and finished with a record of 14-2, captured the school’s first-ever North Division championship and was ranked for the first time in the NJCAA national poll. The 2016 and 2017 teams rewrote the record books in most goals scored, most shutouts and least amount of goals against. Convertino coached the all-time leading goal scorer and all-time leading assist record holder during the two-year span. Over the last several seasons Convertino’s male and female athletes have been honored with both Athletic and Academic recognition for their achievements. Since 2002, the Holmes soccer program has been awarded 44 MACJC All-State awards, 23 NJCAA Region 23 selections as well as 44 NJCAA Academic All-American and 7 Distinguished Academic All-American Awards.

A native of Utica, New York, Convertino played two years at Herkimer County Community College in Herkimer, New York, where he helped the Generals win the 1994 NJCAA National Championship as well as two Mountain Valley Conference Championships and two NJCAA Region III Championships. After attending Herkimer, Convertino went on to the University of Mobile where the Rams won the University of Mobile’s first Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championship and NAIA Southwest Regional Championship. The Rams also made two NAIA National Championship tournament appearances, finishing with top-10 national rankings both years.

In October 2017, Convertino was named to the Herkimer Community College Sports Hall of Fame.

Convertino is married to the former Courtney Rey of Ocean Springs. They have one daughter Reyleigh, 4.

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Rafa Costa

2024 marks Rafael Costa's first year at Holmes Community College to serve as an assistant coach with Holmes men's soccer team.

Prior to coming to Holmes, Costa was the Girls Head Coach at Starkville High School and Director of Coaching for TFC-Starkville, both since 2021. Prior to moving to Starkville, Costa coached with MS Rush Soccer and volunteered twice with Mississippi College’s Men’s program (Fall 2019 and Spring 2021).

He finished his collegiate career at Mississippi College in 2019where he served as a captain and was selected as a First Team All-GSC selection in 2018, also taking home D2CCA All-South Region honors in his senior season. Costa was also selected forMississippi College 2010's Men's Soccer All-Decade Team.

Costa graduated with an MSC in Professional Communication in Sports from Mississippi College in May 2019. He also holds a Bachelor’s in Football (Soccer) Studies from Solent University (Southampton, UK).

Costa holds an FA Level 1 Coaching license and is alsocurrently coaching with MS Rush United’s ECNL Boys teams.

Rafa and his wife, Rebecca, enjoy traveling and live in Madison with their daughter, Adalyn.