Head Coach Brian Marcantonio was hired in the Winter of 2014 by Athletic Director David Fontaine and guided Utica College to a 7-9-3 overall record and a trip to the Empire 8 Conference Tournament in his first season at the helm. He led the Pioneers to a 4-3 record in the highly competitive Empire 8 and entered the tournament as the fourth seed only to lose, 1-0, to Ithaca in the semifinals. Seven of the Pioneers nine losses came by two goals or less including four one goal defeats. UC posted a 5-2-1 mark on its home turf while outscoring opponents 16-5. Last season, he led four Pioneers to All-Conference accolades including Bita Gazashvilli to Empire 8 Rookie of the Year honors.
Marcantonio came back to UC after a brief stint at Hamilton College where he was an assistant for the men’s soccer program. In the Fall of 2014, he helped guide the Continentals to their first NESCAC Conference Tournament appearance since they joined the conference in 2011. While at Hamilton he was responsible for designing training sessions and assisting in tactical and technical development. He was in charge of scouting and film analysis, and he was responsible for identifying and recruiting prospective student-athletes, along with creating a recruiting schedule and budget. In the off-season he was charged with game management and he also worked with the College’s Wellness Program to provide classes for friends and family of the college, as well as the local community.
Prior to Hamilton, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach here at Utica College where he helped guide the Pioneers to 31 victories and an Empire 8 Conference Tournament appearance back in 2010. He played a part in the two highest win totals in program-history, guiding the Pioneers to 12 wins in 2010 and 11 wins in 2011. He helped coach 11 All-Conference selections, including four Empire 8 All-Conference First Team selections, and three All-Region picks. His teams at UC also excelled in the classroom, producing ten scholar All-Region selections, and as a group UC was rewarded by being named an Empire 8 All-Academic Team in 2013, posting a grade point average of 3.22.
“One of the most attractive things about coming back to Utica College is my familiarity with the environment,” said Marcantonio. “It’s a family atmosphere and a tight knit community. Everyone is here to help each other.”