Vincenzo Sljuka to lead Gee-Gees Swimming as interim Head Coach
For the first time in program history, an alumnus of the Gee-Gees swimming team will take the reins as head coach. Vincenzo Sljuka has been hired as the team's interim Head Coach, succeeding Dave Heinbuch whose retirement began May 31.
Sljuka, who has worked with the team as Associate Head Coach since 2023 and as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator since 2021, was a student-athlete on the team for five seasons.
"The program has grown so much since I first came to Ottawa in 2016," says Sljuka, who came to uOttawa from Lethbridge, Alta. "Dave [Heinbuch] had a vision for the program to be highly successful at the U SPORTS level and he's built the foundation for our team to continue that success for years to come."
"I'm beyond grateful to have been able to learn from Dave for nine years and to see him take this program to new heights," Sljuka continues. "The program wouldn't be where we are without him or the support of everyone here at the University Ottawa."
Sljuka was an Academic All-Canadian and completed a Master's of Human Kinetics with a Concentration in Intervention and Consultation following his Honours Bachelor of Human Kinetics. Working as a research assistant, Sljuka pursued research on the topics of transforming sport culture, gender equity in disability sport, and coach development opportunities.
From 2021 to 2023, Sljuka was also a Senior Coach for Gee-Gee Performance, working on strength training sessions and plans.
"The Gee-Gees swim team has come a long way under the leadership of Dave Heinbuch," notes the Associate Director, Varsity Sports at uOttawa Recreation and Varsity Sports (RVS), Danika Smith. "Vince has ambitious goals which match what RVS envisions for our swimming program. I am excited to work with him and see where we can bring this team in this new era."
The Gee-Gees swimming team captured silver medals in both the men's and women's team standings at the 2025 RSEQ Conference Championships and had 21 student-athletes qualify to compete at the 2025 U SPORTS National Championships, where both teams finished eighth in the standings. The team featured 21 Academic All-Canadians in 2023-24.
"I'm looking forward to continuing to move this program forward and reaching our team goals at U SPORTS with everyone here in RVS," Sljuka says.
"I'm especially looking forward to continuing to help our swimmers reach their goals both in and out of the pool. Nothing is more rewarding as a coach than seeing the growth and development of each person on this team over the course of their university career."