Rich Mercado finished his sixth season on the Maritime College Football staff in 2013.
During the 2013 season, he moved to the defense where he will coach the backfield after 5 seasons as the Wide Receivers coach. Mercado will again act as Director of Football Operations, a title he added in 2011, and will focus on improving the administrative and financial details of the program. He is specifically tasked with increasing the fundraising efforts, organizing game day events and improving community relations initiatives for the team.
For the 2012 season, Mercado was the Offensive Pass Game Coordinator which generated the first 1000+ yard receiving season in Maritime history. With a primary run threat offense, Mercado has directed his receiving corps into a solid blocking unit that has taken advantage of the play action pass game. In 2010, his receivers pulled down a program record 10 TD passes and in 2009 they averaged a program highest 17.7 yards per catch. Mercado demonstrated his skill in developing players, as then sophomore, Erik Heedles, exploded for 281 receiving yards and six TD grabs (both program records) and ECFC All-Conference recognition in 2010. In 2011, Xavier Torres was named the Most Improved Offensive Player and pulled down 10 catches for 108 yards in 9 games.
As Special Teams Coordinator from 2009-2011, Mercado’s units put in outstanding performances during that time. In 2011 Kicking Specialist Madison Leary was named All-ECFC First Team Punter and Second Team Kicker while freshman sensation Greg Caneparo helped Maritime lead the ECFC in Kickoff and Punt Returns. In all, Privateers earned ECFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in 6 weeks of the 2011 season. In 2010 his protégées earned ECFC Special Teams Player of the Week five times during the season. Against Western Connecticut, freshman Thomas Davis returned Maritime’s first ever Kickoff for a TD and sophomore Fritz Jean repeated the feat against Mount Ida. The Punt Return unit finished with a national ranking of 12th and, combined with the Field Goal block unit, came up with five blocked kicks on the season. All units improved an average of 25 places in each national statistical category. In 2009, the Kick Off team finished 24th in the nation and his Field Goal block squad also came up big blocking kicks against rivals Mass Maritime (for a TD) and Kings Point (to send the game to overtime).
Mercado spearheads the recruiting efforts in Florida and the team has greatly benefitted from the impact players he has brought in from the “Sunshine State.” He also recruits the New York City Public Schools (PSAL) and Southern New Jersey.
Prior to Maritime, Mercado spent three years at Division II Pace University. He was the Wide Receivers Coach from 2005-2007 and Special Teams Coordinator from 2006-2007. In 2006, one of Coach Mercado’s kick-off and punt returners were selected Second Team All-Northeast-10 Conference and attended mini-camp with the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants.
Prior to getting into the college ranks, Mercado was the varsity assistant football coach at Dewitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, N.Y. He was also the men's and women's volleyball head coach at his alma mater Hunter College from 1994-1995. He directed the women's team to the CUNYAC championship finals and won a CUNYAC Championship with the men's team. Mercado played football in a variety of positions and was invited to several NFL, CFL, and AFL tryouts.
Mercado resides in New York City (Manhattan) and has a daughter, Jasmine.
