Bryan Vitagliano, a former standout player at the University of Maryland, was named assistant coach for the University of Delaware men’s soccer program on May 2, 2007.
Vitagliano, who previously served as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s soccer programs at his alma mater, will begin his third season as head coach Ian Hennessy's top assistant in 2009.
"Bryan has an accomplished playing and coaching record at the University of Maryland, and I am obviously thrilled to have him on board,” said Hennessy. “He has a good eye for the game and can still jump in and play with the lads which is a bonus. Bryan's playing pedigree commands instant respect.”
A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Vitagliano served the previous two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach for the Maryland women’s soccer team under Brian Pensky, leading the squad to a 9-7-4 record and berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2005 and a 5-9-4 record in 2006. He also doubled as a volunteer assistant with the Terrapin men’s program in 2004 under head coach Sasho Cirovski. The Terrapins went 17-6-1, captured the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title, and advanced to the NCAA semifinals.
An All-American and three-time All-State player at Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Vitagliano, 27, was a four-year standout defender at Maryland, helping the Terrapins post a four-year record of 61-26-2 and advance to the NCAA Tournament his final three seasons. The Terrapins advanced to the NCAA semifinals and won 20 games in both 2002 and 2003. The team also earned a No. 1 national ranking and won an ACC regular season title. He tallied five career goals and six assists in 65 career games with 30 starts. He earned his degree in marketing in 2004 and his master’s degree in kinesiology with a specialization in sport commerce and culture in 2006.
Vitagliano was a Dean’s List student at Maryland, earning the University of Maryland “M” Club’s Presidential Award for Academic Achievement in 2003 and earning a place on the Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Honor Roll four times. He is also a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (2000-03) and the Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society.
He captained the 1982 Sereno club team, which is credited for the start of the club’s national dominance, ranking No. 3 nationally, No. 1 in Region IV, and No. 1 in Arizona. He was a three-year captain and starter for the Region IV Olympic Development Program (ODP) team.
Vitagliano is the current assistant coach for the Maryland Boys (1990s) ODP team that won the national championship in 2006. That team also won the regional title in the summer of 2006. He is also United States Soccer Federation licensed.
Assistant Coach Bryan Vitagliano