Dan Cinelli was hired as Head Coach of the Maritime College men’s soccer team prior to the 2025 season. A veteran of more than 30 years as a player and coach, he joined the Privateers after three seasons at Hunter College, where he led the Hawks to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024.
Cinelli took over at Hunter in 2022 and posted a 20-28-5 record with the Hawks, including an 11-8-2 mark in CUNY Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) play. In his first season, Hunter reached the CUNYAC semifinals and defeated FDU-Florham in the first round of the ECAC Tournament for its first-ever postseason win. Cinelli then led the Hawks to a 5-1-1 conference record and the CUNYAC regular season title in 2023. He was named CUNYAC Coach of the Year that season. In 2024, Hunter entered the CUNYAC Tournament as the No. 6 seed, but won three consecutive road games to capture the conference championship. With a 3-0 victory over top-seeded Lehman in the Championship Game, the Hawks secured their first CUNYAC crown since 2010 and earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Prior to Hunter, Cinelli was the Head Coach at Bronx Community College. In 2021, the Broncos made their first conference championship game appearance in 13 years and advanced to the semifinals of the NJCAA Division III Region XV Tournament.
A successful high school coach on Long Island before transitioning to the collegiate ranks, Cinelli was the Nassau County Coach of the Year in 2019, when he led New Hyde Park High School’s varsity team to the first undefeated season in program history (10-0-4). That squad was ranked sixth on Long Island and 17th in New York State. In 2016, Cinelli guided Holy Cross High School’s varsity team to its first Brooklyn/Queens championship in 11 years, as well as semifinal appearances in both the CHSAA City and State Tournaments.
As a player, he gained extensive international experience. Cinelli represented Team USA at the 1998 FIFA Junior World Cup in France and was on the team that won the 2001 Madrid Cup. He was also selected for the 2012 International Soccer Stars in Berlin, Germany.
After beginning his collegiate playing career at Farleigh Dickinson University (where he was a member of the Knights’ 2003 NCAA Tournament Team), Cinelli graduated from Marist College (now University) with a degree in business administration in 2007. He later played semi-professionally for the Long Island Rough Riders.
