WATERBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Wednesday morning, Post University named Mike Mannetti as the new head coach of its sprint football team. The second head coach in program history, Mannetti previously served as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator during the program’s inaugural season in 2010. He brings 13 seasons of coaching experience in Waterbury to Post. As per university policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“I’m excited and honored to rejoin the Post University family,” Mannetti said. “In just two seasons, Post University has grown its sprint football program into something the institution and community can be proud of. I look forward to the opportunity to recruit excellent student-athletes and develop them into honorable young men on and off the field.”
Mannetti was the program’s inaugural offensive coordinator during the 2010 campaign, when the team beat Princeton University, and lost to Army, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania. The team ran a multiple spread offense, which ranked fourth in the Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) with 243.5 yards per contest during its four-game season. Mannetti mentored the running backs and quarterbacks as well. The running backs averaged 3.8 yards per attempt. He recruited student-athletes from Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
“Since we added sprint football as a varsity program, our student-athletes have been able to compete against some of the most well-known universities in the nation,” said Athletic Director Anthony Fallacaro. “After two solid seasons of competitive play, I know Mike [Mannetti] is the right man to take our program to the next level based on his first stint at Post, and his long history as a winning football coach. I trust his ability to recruit and retain a top-notch group of student-athletes who will represent the university well during their time at Post University and after they graduate.”
Post University is one of two universities in New England to compete in the prestigious CSFL program, which competes in an eight-week season following NCAA football rules with the exception that student-athletes must weigh 172 pounds or less. “The CSFL program at Post is designed to strengthen the leadership, communication, and teamwork skills of student-athletes who have a burning desire to play football at the college level,” added Fallacaro.
During his ten seasons as a coach at Holy Cross High School in Waterbury, the Crusaders compiled a record of 83-25. Most recently he served as the defensive coordinator during the 2011 campaign, a season when the Crusaders were named the 2011 Naugatuck Valley League (NVL) Copper Champions with an unblemished 6-0 league record. Holy Cross boasted a 9-1 record overall during the season. Mannetti’s defense ranked second in the conference and ninth in the state in total points allowed (117), average points allowed (15.0) and average yards per game (278.5). The group amassed 32 takeaways and scored seven touchdowns. Individually, four defensive players were named All-State by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA).
Mannetti specifically worked with the offensive line from 2004-09, a group which helped to produce seven 1,000-yd. rushers, while two quarterbacks threw for over 2,300 yards in a season. He was elevated to the Holy Cross offensive coordinator for the 2008 and 2009 campaigns, where he implemented a spread offense.
Scholastically, Mannetti played offensive line for the Crusaders from 1994-97, where he was a two-time All-City choice. Holy Cross went 12-1 and appeared in the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Class L Final during the 1996 season. The group rushed for more than 3,000 yards, including two performances of 400 rushing yards or more in a single game. The Crusaders were named city champions, NVL Large Division and NVL Champions. A team captain as a senior, Mannetti was a named All-Conference and All-State. He also earned the team’s Most Dedicated award.
“This is a very exciting time at Post University,” said Tom Samph, Ph.D., president and CEO of Post University. “The improvements we have made to everything from academics to athletics have helped us continue to build on the tremendous momentum we’ve been enjoying as a University. We look forward to working with the city to further rebuild, revitalize and invest in our campus and in the city, making Waterbury an ever greater place to live, grow a business and get a superb education.”
The Post University sprint football team won two games during the 2011 season, including a 48-0 shutout over Princeton. The Eagles return four Second Team All-CSFL performers including junior wide receiver Dan Awwad (Waterbury, Conn.), sophomore linebacker Christopher Lopez (Waterbury, Conn.) and defensive linemen sophomore Matt Santos (Waterbury, Conn.) and Charles May (Fort Myers, Fla.).
For the latest on Post’s 16 intercollegiate athletic programs, log on to www.PostEagles.com.
About Post University
Founded in 1890, Post University is a student-focused, career-driven university committed to providing students with the knowledge, personal skills and experience required to be leaders in their chosen fields. Located in Waterbury, Conn., Post University provides a wide array of degree programs for on-campus and online students of all ages. It is known for its quality, career-driven academic programs, small classes, and competitive NCAA Division II athletics. Its more than 9,000 full- and part-time students come from the United States and abroad, and are supported by faculty whose mission is to prepare students to compete and succeed in today’s global workplace. To learn more about Post University, visit www.Post.edu or call 800-345-2562.
What They’re Saying About Mike Mannetti…
Jerry Ciarleglio – Holy Cross High School Athletic Director
“We’re very happy for Mike and we think this is a great opportunity for him. We know he will do well. He is very thorough and works very hard at being a good coach. I think Post University is going to love him.”
Michael Giampetruzzi – Holy Cross High School Head Football Coach
“I think Mike is one of the best high school coaches in the area. He is very knowledgeable with ‘the X’s and O’s.’ He puts in a lot of time and is committed to succeeding. Mike is going to be loyal to the kids he brings in. He wants kids who have high character, and who will be successful on the field and in the classroom.”
Scott Allen – Post University Chief Financial Officer
“In keeping with our initiative of improving the quality of athletics, Mike’s familiarity with sprint football and Post University made him the perfect fit. As a member of the search committee, he spoke properly with respect to the ability to recruit quality student-athletes, and he had the most passion and enthusiasm to go along with his coaching experience. All of these factors put him head and shoulders above the field.”