Coaches & Directors

Maviael Sampaio

Team Manager / Coach

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In the Spring of 2009, Maviael Sampaio completed his eighth year as the head coach of the Fighting Sioux at the University of North Dakota (UND) and accepted a job as the Head Coach of the Elizabethtown Dolphins. “This is a new challenge for me that I want to try,” said Sampaio. “I want to try developing kids in the United States , doing the same job I was doing back home (in Brazil ), coordinating their development and preparing them for college. With the experience and knowledge I gained in the US , I’m excited to see how far I can develop a swimmer now. And the E-Town Dolphins will give me this opportunity.”
 

In 2010, with the growth of the team, Coach Mavi moved to be the Dolphins Team Manager, overviewing all age group practices, assisting/supporting the coaches, and supervising all the Aquatic activities at E-town Swim & Fitness Center, including Swim Lessons program, Aqua-Aerobics, etc.
 
 

In eight years as head coach at UND, Sampaio guided the Fighting Sioux to seven men’s and five women’s North Central Conference championships. He has led UND’s men’s team to top-five NCAA Division II finishes in each of his eight seasons, including runner-up finishes in 2006-07 and 2001-02. His women’s teams have placed in the top five nationally in six of his eight seasons.

Since taking over UND’s men’s and women’s swimming programs prior to the 2001-02 season, Sampaio’s swimmers captured 32 individual and relay NCAA Division II national titles and set six national records. In 2006-07, Rodrigo Ferreira was named the NCAA Division II Swimmer of the Year. UND swimmers earned 341 All-America honors for top eight national finishes, including 213 by the men’s team and 128 by the women’s team.

Sampaio first learned of the swimming program at UND while serving as a coach for the Brazilian National Team in the Pan-American games in 1999. After spending two weeks at UND and having aspired to obtain a master’s degree in the United States, Sampaio contacted UND and began work as an assistant coach in the 2000-01 season.

Prior to coaching at UND, Sampaio spent three years as head coach of the Flamengo Swim Team in Rio de Janeiro , the winningest team in Brazil . During his tenure there, he coached some of the best Brazilian swimmers and led his squad to back-to-back national championships and eight South American records.


 
 
 

Sampaio also coached the Brazilian National Team and served as coach of the national team at the World Cup (1998, 1999, 2000), World Championships (1999, 2000), Pan-American Games (1999) and South American Championships (1998, 2000).

Sampaio’s career as a swimmer spanned 19 years and was highlighted by first-place finishes at the 1982 and 1984 South American Championships, a fifth-place finish at the 1983 Pan American games and 10th-place finish at the 1983 World University Games. All were in breaststroke events.

Sampaio, a native of Rio de Janeiro , received his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1986 from Tupa Physical Education University in Sao Paulo , Brazil . Sampaio also received his Master’s degree in Kinesiology from UND in July 2007.
 
 
 
 

Sampaio and his wife, Ana, have two daughters, Manuela and Mariana.