Year by Year
John Ciano will begin his sixth season at the helm of The College of Saint Rose men’s soccer program this autumn after being appointed in the spring of 2016. The 11th mentor in program annals, Ciano has meticulously positioned the Golden Knights within the upper echelon of the Northeast-10 Conference and on the precipice of national prominence.
Saint Rose has increased its win total throughout each of Ciano’s previous four years, which culminated in 2019 with the most successful season in the program’s 38-year history.
The Golden Knights advanced to their first NE10 Championship semifinal and final matches, had a school record five players earn seven different All-Conference awards, recorded the first 10-win campaign in school annals, and on three occasions were ranked as high as sixth in the United Soccer Coaches East Region Weekly Poll. Saint Rose also finished second in the NE10 with a team 1.16 goals-against-average and lost only one home match all year.
The future holds promise as well. Three-fourths of last year’s roster was comprised of freshmen and sophomores.
Looking back, Saint Rose had a breakout season in 2018. The Golden Knights finished 8-7-1 overall and were ranked among the top eight teams in the Region in three separate United Soccer Coaches weekly polls.
Three years ago, Ciano guided Saint Rose to a sixth place finish in the NE10, which represented its then best ever finish throughout the program’s 18-year NE10 tenure. It also represented the program’s first postseason berth under Ciano.
Prior to his arrival on Western Avenue, Ciano served as an assistant coach for three years at nearby Siena College where he was engaged in recruiting, tactics and personnel decisions, goalkeeping training, analyzing game film, and running youth and college prospect camps.
He helped guide the Saints to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) semifinals in 2015 and a 10-win campaign in 2014. Siena’s 10 wins were tied for the second most in school history. The Saints furthermore put together their first-ever undefeated home schedule (6-0-2) and were among those teams receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll for two weeks in mid-September.
Ciano, whose duties primarily revolved around the squad’s goalkeepers, helped mentor 2014 MAAC All-Rookie pick John Weiss who registered six clean sheets, one shy of the school record. In addition, Weiss was a two-time MAAC and ECAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree.
Ciano, a four-year starter at Central Connecticut State (2005) and Manhattan (2006-08), previously worked as an assistant for former Siena head coach Cesar Markovic at NJIT in Newark, N.J. He managed the Highlanders goalkeepers who posted a 1.67 goals-against-average in 2012, after recording a 2.03 GAA the previous season; and a 1.44 GAA in 2013. Ciano also helped Markovic lead NJIT to its best ever NCAA Division I record with a 10-9 slate in 2012.
Ciano began his coaching career at Manhattanville where he helped direct the Valiants to a two-year 23-11-2 slate in 2009-10 and the 2009 Freedom Conference Regular-Season Championship.
Ciano played his freshman campaign at Central Connecticut State before moving on to Manhattan for his final three years. He appeared in 46 matches, with 45 starts, was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team, and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in physical education.
Ciano, who is originally from Syosset N.Y., has played semi-professional soccer for the Jersey Express and Brooklyn Knights of the United States Soccer League.
He holds a USSF “B” License, and United Soccer Coaches Premier and Advanced National Goalkeeping Diplomas. Ciano furthermore has experience with the Albany Alleycats Soccer Club, and the U.S. Region 1 and Eastern New York Olympic Development squads.
