Chesapeake BayHawks Hire Tom Mariano as Assistant Coach
Published on October 21, 2015 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Chesapeake Bayhawks News Release
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Tom Mariano was among many outstanding candidates to interview for the head coaching job with the Chesapeake Bayhawks.
While Mariano did not get that post, he made quite an impression on the Chesapeake brass. Owner Brendan Kelly and president Dave Cottle promoted Brian Reese to head coach, and one of the first discussions the braintrust had was about Mariano.
"I've had long-standing relationships with Dave Cottle and Brian Reese, and I got to spend some time with Brendan Kelly during the interview process. I like what those three men stand for and their vision for the Chesapeake Bayhawks," Mariano said. "Chesapeake is a franchise with great pedigree in winning three championships in six years. They understand how to win, and the opportunity to come aboard and help the Bayhawks get back to that championship level was enticing."
"Tom Mariano was one of the first people I thought of when I began the process of putting together a staff. It was kind of a priority of mine to get Tom onboard with the Bayhawks," Reese said.
Consider it mission accomplished as Chesapeake has announced the hiring of Mariano as an assistant coach. Mariano comes to the Bayhawks after spending 2 ½ seasons as assistant head coach and Director of Player Personnel for the Ohio Machine of Major League Lacrosse.
"Tom is a veteran coach with a wide range of experiences. He has done a great job at both the collegiate and pro level. He understands the league and we share many of the same philosophies," Reese said.
Mariano served as defensive coordinator during his time in Ohio and Reese was impressed with how the Machine played on that end of the field.
"Ohio fielded one of the top defenses in league last season despite not really having any big-name players. I thought Tom had a great system and got his guys to play great team defense," Reese said.
Chesapeake is still pursuing another assistant coach and Reese said he will take into consideration that individual's strengths before determining what duties to assign Mariano.
"Tom knows both offense and defense so he can help out on either side of the ball," Reese said. "My philosophy is that coaches are there to help the players in every aspect of the game. Tom is well-rounded and will be a great asset in all areas of coaching. A new perspective and new voice is always good. I'm looking for some new opinions and philosophies and I think Tom will bring plenty of that to the table."
Mariano has extensive experience on the collegiate level, having spent 17 years as head coach at Sacred Heart University. He oversaw that program's transition from Division II to Division I and ultimately led the Pioneers to a playoff berth in the Northeast Conference. He was named NEC Coach of the Year in 2013.
Mariano was previously head coach at Marist College and is currently head coach at Pace University. This past season, Mariano led the Settlers to their first Northeast-10 Conference Tournament berth since 2010.
Mariano was a fine player in his own right, a starting long stick defenseman on the 1992 Nazareth team that captured the Division III national championship. He received a Master's in teaching with a concentration in elementary education while coaching at Sacred Heart.
Mariano lives in Stratford, Connecticut along with his wife Alison and three children - daughters Jordyn, 11, and Ryanne, 9, along with son Thomas, 2.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from October 21, 2015
- Chesapeake BayHawks Hire Tom Mariano as Assistant Coach - Chesapeake Bayhawks
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