HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University announced Adria Borras Budesca has been promoted to women's head soccer coach on Friday. HPU Executive Director of Athletics and Community Relations Sam Moku promoted Borras after conducting a nationwide search to fill the position.
 
Borras has served as an assistant coach for the Sharks for six seasons and was named the interim head coach in January after the resignation of Gina Brewer.
 
In addition to his work with HPU, Borras has been the Hawai'i State coach for the Olympic Development Program, founded and established the Ohana Goalkeeper Academy and helped establish and led FC Barcelona Soccer Camps in Hawai'i. He holds a USSF Class C Coaching License.
 
"Adria rose to the top of our search with his experience and loyalty to HPU," said Moku. "He knows our student-athletes and did an excellent job this winter and spring in moving the program forward in the interim position. He is the right person to lead this program."
 
"I am humbled and honored to be named the head coach for the Sharks women," said Borras. "I want to thank President John Gotanda, Athletic Director Sam Moku and the athletic administration for the trust they have in me to lead and advance our team. I can't wait to get the season started!"
 
Borras came to HPU as a graduate assistant coach in August 2014 working with the women's program under Brewer. He became an assistant following his graduation in 2016 and started working with both the men's and women's programs in 2017.
 
Originally from Tarragona, a city near Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain, Adria started his coaching career with TetraBrazil in 2009 as a as a Club Trainer. TetraBrazil is a company that manages summer soccer camps, and while working there, Borras gained a wide range of experience coaching from boys and girls (U5 to U17) in 30 different states. Before coming to HPU, he served as regional coordinator of the Chicago Region.
 
Borras earned a master's degree with honors in marketing and international business in 2016. He holds two bachelors' degrees including a bachelor of science with honors in business management administration from Missouri Valley College in 2011. He also earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Universitat Rovira I Virgili in Tarragona in 2007, and added postgraduate work from there in 2008 and 2009.
 
He stepped away from his job as an engineer in 2009 to study in the United States. He earned an athletic scholarship to Missouri Valley. In his two seasons as a goalkeeper, he led the Vikings to the NAIA national tournament, earning All-America, Academic Scholar-Athlete, All-Region and All-Heart of America Athletic Conference first team.
 
Borras started his soccer career at Gimnastic Tarragona, the main soccer club in his hometown near Barcelona. He started playing in the youth divisions until he progressed enough to become a professional player for the first team at age 18. For five years, he played within the second and third divisions within Spain for Gimnastic Tarragona. During that time, Borras had the opportunity to play with and against many of today's elite international players.
 
Borras is married to wife Amy and lives in the Makiki neighborhood in Honolulu.