The College of Staten Island Athletics department has officially announced the hiring of Nicole Sarcone as their new Head Coach for Women’s Basketball. Sarcone, a veteran of the high school coaching circuit on Staten Island, will replace Tim Shanahan, who resigned from the position in early-July.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Nicole Sarcone as the new Head Coach of Women’s Basketball. Her track record of success, her competitive drive to succeed and her vision for the program all made her the ideal candidate for this position,” said CSI Director of Athletics Charles Gomes. “We have the utmost confidence that she will lead our women’s program to be highly competitive moving forward. I’m eager to begin working with her in support of her vision.”
After a highly-successful playing career at Notre Dame Academy and then collegiately at SUNY-New Paltz, Sarcone has been coaching ever since. Most recently, Sarcone spent the last two years at Staten Island Academy High School, guiding the Tigers to an overall record of 38-10, capturing the New York State Class A Federation Championship in her rookie season. Last year the team finished as a Class A Semifinalist and with the No. 3 ranking in the New York State Sportswriters Class A poll. She sees coaching at the College of Staten Island as a great fit and is anxious to get underway.
“I’m very excited and it’s a huge opportunity for me,” Sarcone said. “It was an honor to be selected as the next head coach of the women’s basketball team at the College of Staten Island and I’m ready to bring the program’s past success to new heights. I would also like to thank Charles Gomes and the Staten Island community for this opportunity.”
Prior to her stint with Staten Island Academy, Sarcone spent three years guiding the Junior Varsity team at her alma mater with Notre Dame Academy. There, Sarcone compiled an immaculate 63-9 record, leading the team to three-straight Archdiocesan Championships and two-straight Staten Island Championships from 2014-2016. Prior to the three years at the helm of the JV team, she spent two seasons as an Assistant Coach with the varsity program. Her time at NDA guided Sarcone on the ins and outs of implementing practice plans and game strategy and working on individual skill training. She affirms that her progressions at the high school level will transition nicely to the collegiate game.
“I have treated all of my past teams as a college program so I feel I have been ready for this next step for a while. Basketball is basketball at the end of the day and the high-level high school programs I have coached have really played a part in my coaching style and prepared me for the college level,” she said.
Alongside of her major coaching endeavors, Sarcone has immersed herself on the club and clinic basketball coaching scenes, especially on Staten Island. Since 2012, she has lent her instruction to the Moe Hannafin All-Star Camp and she was also a part of the University Basketball Camp as well. Sarcone has also had coaching stops with the Staten Island Rebels Under-12 program, has coached 16 and under girls with the Staten Island Finest AAU program in 2013, and then with the New York Belles AAU 16-Under program in 2014. Given her track record, player development will be a key factor in her coaching acumen.
“Building our own culture and playing style will be the first step. I plan on using a hard-nosed style of play with defense being the main focus of our game plan. Implementing a training regime to bring out the best in our players will be key in our success this season.”
Sarcone will be making her collegiate coaching debut this season, but has NCAA Division III experience as a player with the New Paltz women’s basketball program that amassed a 71-36 record over her playing career. Sarcone finished as the all-time career assists leader for the Hawks, was a three-time SUNYAC All-Star and captained the team her final two years. Having been a part of success everywhere she has been and knowing the winning pedigree of the CSI program, she has nothing but forward expectations for the proud Dolphins’ program she is inheriting.
“I plan to build off of the success this program has had in the past. We have a solid returning core and I don’t see why this team can’t become nationally and regionally recognized this season. My plan is to bring the CUNYAC title back to CSI.”
CSI is coming off of back-to-back 20-plus win seasons and the team has been a mainstay atop the CUNYAC standings for over two decades. The 2016-17 Dolphins won the CUNYAC Championship for the first time in 12 seasons, and the Dolphins returned to the CUNYAC Final a year ago, finishing with a 21-6 overall record.
Photo Courtesy CSI Athletics
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