Ed Silva, a Lowell, Mass. native with degrees from Eastern Connecticut State University and the University of Connecticut, has been the head men's basketball coach at the University of New England for the past eight seasons and a collegiate coach for 19 years. He was an all-conference player at ECSU.

What factor(s) made you most want to work at UNE?
When I went through the search process, I actually visited the campus and area 6 times. Each time I left impressed with the beauty of the area and campus, tremendous growth and vision for the university, and the good nature of the people. Ultimately, my wife and I made the decision to become Nor'easters because it was a great fit for our family. What do you enjoy most about UNE? I most enjoy the types of student-athletes I have the great fortune of mentoring and being around.
 
What memorable moment(s) at UNE do you recall most often?
One of the most memorable moments of my entire career is our upset of #1 seed Nichols College in the 2015 Commonwealth Coast Conference Quarterfinals. Down 2 with 2 seconds left, we executed a full-court play and hit a 3 pointer at the buzzer! I'll never forget the excitement and looks of pride on my guys' faces. In an earlier regular-season game, Nichols had beaten us by 54.
 
What do you hope the UNE student-athletes learn from their interactions with you?
I ultimately hope they see that daily I live our program PACT, which stands for Passion Accountability Commitment Trust. My ultimate mission is they understand that Passion is what makes life worth living, Accountability and Commitment are bridges between where they are and where they want to go, and Trust is the key to successful relationships in every aspect of life.
 
What is your favorite physical location on UNE's Biddeford campus? And in the local area?
My favorite spot on campus is Harold Alfond Forum. It's my home away from home! Off campus, I absolutely love going for runs or hanging with my family at Fortunes Rock Beach and Biddeford Pool.
 
Why did you get into the profession and what has kept you in it?
Coaching is a more than a profession or career for me, it's a vocation or calling. My educational background is as a Sociologist and Social Worker. Thus, I'm strongly drawn to helping people. The game of basketball has been an amazing force in my life. It's allowed me to meet people, go places, and learn lessons that shape every aspect of my life. Being a coach allows me to use the sport to help people.
 
Who has been a mentor(s) related to the profession?
My college coach, my former AD at Elms College, and my former Dean of Academics at Elms College have been my greatest professional mentors. All three taught me that success professionally and personally is not achieved without building and maintaining strong relationships. Furthermore, they all taught me the value of focusing on the process is more important than focusing on goals. That the daily relationships and work are the key to success.
 
What is the best professional advice you have received; something that you try to apply to each and every day?
There are two! The first is "how you do anything is how you do everything." To me, this means that there is no task that is too small or insignificant to not apply a high level of effort and detail towards. It's amazing how making this a habit can lead to many successes. The second is that "a teacher is a lifelong student." Every day, I set time aside to learn something new. I'll often reflect at the end of a week and be shocked at how much I learned by merely setting aside as little as 30-60 minutes to read, watch videos, chat with other coaches/leaders, etc.
 
What activity(s) do you like to do away from campus that helps balance your life?
First and foremost, I love being with my family. Outside of that, I love doing anything connected to basketball, especially working with youth. I'm very involved with the Maine grassroots basketball scene and love running camps, clinics, and workouts. Beyond that, I have been known to binge watch shows on HULU, Netflix, etc. My twin daughters got me hooked on Dance Moms a few years ago!