July 14, 2014
Armellino Chosen to Lead Cardinals' Women's Soccer Team
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Plattsburgh State has announced the hiring of Tania Armellino, who will serve as the Cardinals' head women's soccer coach beginning in the fall of 2014.
Armellino will be just the sixth individual to serve as the head coach of the Plattsburgh State women's soccer program in its 35 years of existence. She takes the coaching reins from Karen Waterbury, who stepped down at the end of the 2013 campaign after 24 years at the helm of the program to serve as the director of recreation & club sports for Plattsburgh State.
Armellino's most recent coaching stop came at Connecticut College – an NCAA Division III member which competes in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) – where she had served as the top assistant coach since August of 2011.
With the help of Armellino, the Camels enjoyed a banner year in 2012. That season marked the first time in five years that Connecticut College nabbed a berth to the NESCAC Tournament. The squad was led by NESCAC First Team player Aina Torres who was the first Connecticut College player since 2004 to earn All-NESCAC recognition of any type.
In 2013, Armellino helped to mentor eventual NESCAC Rookie of the Year Annie Higgins and saw that Torres was on the receiving end of more NESCAC accolades by way of a second team nod.
Her first non-student assistant coaching stop at an NCAA Division I institution came at the University of Dayton where she held the title of assistant coach from April 2008 until March 2011. During that time, Armellino helped the Flyers amass a record of 50-10-8 while putting together some impressive displays in the Atlantic 10 and the NCAA Tournament.
The 2009 edition of the Flyers became the first team in program history to finish the regular season undefeated. As a result, the squad took home the regular season Atlantic 10 title before earning the Atlantic 10 Tournament crown. Armellino concentrated on coaching the defense, which amassed a school record 15 shutouts. The Flyers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament and finished the season with a record of 16-1-6 as well as an NSCAA postseason national ranking of no. 25. She helped coach the school's first-ever NSCAA First Team All-American in Mandi Back.
In 2010, the Flyers rolled up a 19-3-1 record and successfully defended their Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles. Again, Dayton advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament behind the play of Colleen Williams (A10 Offensive Player of the Year, NSCAA Second Team All-American) and Kathleen Beljan (A10 Defensive Player of the Year, NSCAA First Team Scholar All-American).
Armellino broke into the coaching ranks in 2006 when she was chosen to serve as the assistant women's soccer coach at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. During her first season as a part of the Ladies coaching staff in 2006, she helped the squad capture a trio of firsts including a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) regular season title, a berth in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament and a triumph in that particular tournament.
That 2006 group tied Kenyon College program records for wins in a season (14) as well as shutouts in a season (10). Armellino was responsible for helping to oversee all facets of the women's soccer program during her two-year stint with the Ladies, but excelled specifically at training the defense.
An accomplished student-athlete in her own right, Armellino set up shop in Piscataway, N.J., as a member of the Rutgers University women's soccer team from 1997 until 2000. While on the pitch for the NCAA Division I institution, Armellino accumulated four letters and was named a team captain as a senior in 2000.
Upon the completion of her playing career, Armellino hit the sidelines as a student assistant coach for the Scarlet Knights during a memorable 2001 campaign. The squad rolled up a 14-8-1 record and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history. While taking part in the national tournament, the Scarlet Knights reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time ever before earning a no. 14 national ranking by the NSCAA when the books were closed on the 2001 season.
Armellino earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with minors in Political Science and American Studies from Rutgers in 2001 before obtaining her juris doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law in 2005.
Plattsburgh State, under the direction of Armellino, will begin its 2014 campaign on Friday, Aug. 29, when the Cardinals make the trip to Canton, New York to take on St. Lawrence University in the North Country Classic. The match is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.
Armellino will be just the sixth individual to serve as the head coach of the Plattsburgh State women's soccer program in its 35 years of existence. She takes the coaching reins from Karen Waterbury, who stepped down at the end of the 2013 campaign after 24 years at the helm of the program to serve as the director of recreation & club sports for Plattsburgh State.
Armellino's most recent coaching stop came at Connecticut College – an NCAA Division III member which competes in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) – where she had served as the top assistant coach since August of 2011.
With the help of Armellino, the Camels enjoyed a banner year in 2012. That season marked the first time in five years that Connecticut College nabbed a berth to the NESCAC Tournament. The squad was led by NESCAC First Team player Aina Torres who was the first Connecticut College player since 2004 to earn All-NESCAC recognition of any type.
In 2013, Armellino helped to mentor eventual NESCAC Rookie of the Year Annie Higgins and saw that Torres was on the receiving end of more NESCAC accolades by way of a second team nod.
Her first non-student assistant coaching stop at an NCAA Division I institution came at the University of Dayton where she held the title of assistant coach from April 2008 until March 2011. During that time, Armellino helped the Flyers amass a record of 50-10-8 while putting together some impressive displays in the Atlantic 10 and the NCAA Tournament.
The 2009 edition of the Flyers became the first team in program history to finish the regular season undefeated. As a result, the squad took home the regular season Atlantic 10 title before earning the Atlantic 10 Tournament crown. Armellino concentrated on coaching the defense, which amassed a school record 15 shutouts. The Flyers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament and finished the season with a record of 16-1-6 as well as an NSCAA postseason national ranking of no. 25. She helped coach the school's first-ever NSCAA First Team All-American in Mandi Back.
In 2010, the Flyers rolled up a 19-3-1 record and successfully defended their Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles. Again, Dayton advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament behind the play of Colleen Williams (A10 Offensive Player of the Year, NSCAA Second Team All-American) and Kathleen Beljan (A10 Defensive Player of the Year, NSCAA First Team Scholar All-American).
Armellino broke into the coaching ranks in 2006 when she was chosen to serve as the assistant women's soccer coach at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. During her first season as a part of the Ladies coaching staff in 2006, she helped the squad capture a trio of firsts including a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) regular season title, a berth in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament and a triumph in that particular tournament.
That 2006 group tied Kenyon College program records for wins in a season (14) as well as shutouts in a season (10). Armellino was responsible for helping to oversee all facets of the women's soccer program during her two-year stint with the Ladies, but excelled specifically at training the defense.
An accomplished student-athlete in her own right, Armellino set up shop in Piscataway, N.J., as a member of the Rutgers University women's soccer team from 1997 until 2000. While on the pitch for the NCAA Division I institution, Armellino accumulated four letters and was named a team captain as a senior in 2000.
Upon the completion of her playing career, Armellino hit the sidelines as a student assistant coach for the Scarlet Knights during a memorable 2001 campaign. The squad rolled up a 14-8-1 record and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history. While taking part in the national tournament, the Scarlet Knights reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time ever before earning a no. 14 national ranking by the NSCAA when the books were closed on the 2001 season.
Armellino earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with minors in Political Science and American Studies from Rutgers in 2001 before obtaining her juris doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law in 2005.
Plattsburgh State, under the direction of Armellino, will begin its 2014 campaign on Friday, Aug. 29, when the Cardinals make the trip to Canton, New York to take on St. Lawrence University in the North Country Classic. The match is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.
