THROGGS NECK, N.Y. I Dan Cinelli, who boasts more than 30 years of experience as a player and a coach, has been named head coach of the Maritime College men’s soccer program. He joins the Privateers after three years at Hunter College, where his team won the CUNY Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) championship and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2024.

In three seasons at Hunter, Cinelli had an overall record of 20-28-5, including an 11-8-2 mark in conference play. In his first season at the helm, the Hawks reached the CUNYAC semifinals and earned their first-ever postseason win, defeating FDU-Florham in penalty kicks in the first round of the ECAC Tournament. Cinelli was then named CUNYAC Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading Hunter to the CUNYAC regular season title. The Hawks went 5-1-1 and outscored their opponents 27-6 in league play that season. In 2024, Hunter entered the CUNYAC Tournament as the No. 6 seed, but won three consecutive road games to clinch its first conference championship since 2010. The Hawks advanced to the NCAA Tournament with a 3-0 victory over top-seeded Lehman in the CUNYAC Championship Game.

“I would like to thank the administration and the Athletic Department for choosing me to lead the men’s soccer program,” he said. “It is a great honor to be a part of the Maritime family, and I am extremely humbled by this opportunity.”

Cinelli came to Hunter from Bronx Community College, where he led the Broncos to their first conference championship game appearance in 13 years in 2021. Bronx also made it to the semifinals of the NJCAA Division III Region XV Tournament that season.

Prior to Bronx, Cinelli was a successful high school coach on Long Island. He was the Nassau County Coach of the Year in 2019, when his New Hyde Park varsity team completed the first undefeated season in program history (10-0-4) and finished second in the conference. In 2016, Cinelli took Holy Cross High School to the semifinals of the CHSAA state tournament after capturing its first Brooklyn/Queens title in 11 years.

He also boasts extensive international experience. Cinelli represented Team USA at the 1998 FIFA Junior World Cup in France and was a member of the team that won the Madrid Cup in 2001. He played for the BW Gottschee Academy, as well, helping that club earn a conference championship.

A 2007 graduate of Marist College (now University), Cinelli began his collegiate playing career at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He was on the Knights’ 2003 Northeast Conference (NEC) championship team that made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.  Cinelli later played semi-professionally for the Long Island Rough Riders before transitioning into coaching.

-Courtesy of Maritime Sports Information