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News
DiRico Named DII National Coach Of The Year
John DiRico (Lindenhurst, NY) has been named the 2006 National Coach of the Year after guiding the Golden Lions to Dowling's first ever National Championship. DiRico is the second coach in Dowling history to garnish National Coach of the Year honors.
Coach DiRico was named NSCAA All-Northeast Region for the third time this year, an award he previously garnered in 2004 and 2001. Over his fifteen years as head coach of the Men's Soccer team, he has compiled an impressive overall record of 189-68-32.
During his tenure at Dowling, the Golden Lions have won eight NYCAC Championships and have also received nine bids to the NCAA Northeast Regional Tournament. John began his career at Dowling in 1992 as head coach and has turned Dowling soccer into an elite national program. Dowling made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1996 and have since made it a yearly tradition.
In 2001, 2003, and 2004, DiRico's squad made their presence known by winning the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship and advancing to the Final-Four but it wasn't until this year that the Golden Lions received their first ever #1 national ranking and advanced to the finals of the NCAA Tournament. After fifteen years at the helm of the Men's Soccer program at Dowling, DiRico and his Golden Lions have become the first team in school history to take home a National Championship.
In addition to coaching, John has held several positions at Dowling. He was the gym intramural coordinator and in charge of scheduling and maintenance before moving on to recruiting and becoming the International Students Coordinator in 2005. He assists Dowling coaches in their recruitment efforts to make sure they comply with NCAA regulations as well as international studies.
DiRico is a member of the United States Soccer Federation and the National Coaches Association of America as well as holding a National B coaching license. He is a former chair of the NSCAA Northeast Regional Ranking Committee and a former NCAA Regional Selection Committee member.
John has been happily married 31 years and has three children.
About Dowling College
Dowling College is an independent, coeducational college that serves more than 6,500 students at
its historic Rudolph Campus on the banks of the Connetquot River in Oakdale, NY, and the 105-acre
Brookhaven Campus in eastern Long Island and a business center located near the Nassau-Suffolk
border in Melville. Dowling offers Bachelor′s, Master′s, and Doctoral degrees in several
disciplines through its four schools: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Education.
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