Maria Nardulli, who spent last season as the top assistant of the College of Mount Saint Vincent’s women’s basketball team, has been promoted to head coach, beginning this upcoming season.
Athletic Director and former head coach Phil Stern made it official on Friday afternoon.
“I am thrilled to name Maria as our new head coach,” previous head coach and Athletic Director Phil Stern stated. “She is knowledgeable, enthusiastic and a tremendous recruiter. As I concentrate full time on my role as Athletic Director, Maria guarantees a smooth transition to continue building the program.”
Nardulli brings a wealth of experience, both from her playing and coaching days, spanning across NCAA’s Division II and Division III.
“I am extremely grateful and honored to be named the next Head Women’s Basketball Coach at CMSV,” Nardulli told CMSVAthletics.com. “I would like to thank Athletic Director Phil Stern for this opportunity and for believing in me. I am confident that CMSV is a great place to build a championship program.”
Nardulli was a driving force on the sidelines in her first season with the Dolphins a year ago, with the team finishing with an 18-6 record, good for the third seed in the Skyline Conference postseason and a semifinal appearance in the tournament.
Nardulli’s journey to Riverdale came off the heels of a four year stint as the first assistant at Division-II Concordia College. Throughout her time with the Clippers, Nardulli worked extensively as a recruiter, player developer and in fundraising while aiding the team to their first Division-II East Regional Tournament berth in program history in 2021. Nardulli also was a part of the coaching staff for both Division-III John Jay College (2016-17) and Division-III Monroe College (2015-16). Her coaching career kicked off with her alma mater, Division-II Mercy College, where she worked as the team’s volunteer assistant throughout the 2014-15 season.
Nardulli is also a prominent member of the Empire State Blue Flames AAU program. She currently serves as the program’s fourth, fifth and sixth grade head coach while assisting with the seventh and eighth grade teams.
Nardulli spent her playing days at Division-II Mercy College, where she spent four years as a member of the women’s basketball program and wrapped up her career ranking fifth in three point attempts and sixth in three pointers made. She was a three sport athlete for the Mavericks, playing both lacrosse and cross country in addition to basketball.
Nardulli, a full time middle school physical education teacher at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry and current head coach of CMSV’s cross country program, is a Staten Island native and currently resides in Yonkers, New York.
Now named a head coach at the collegiate level for the first time in her coaching career, Nardulli is ready to take the illustrious CMSV women’s basketball program to new heights.
“I am filled with optimism for the upcoming season,” Nardulli continued. “With a large incoming freshman class, as well as a strong returner presence, I am looking forward to a successful year for the Dolphins. I can’t wait to get started.”
