The longest-tenured coach currently at Monroe Community College, Nelson Cupello is in his 25th season as head coach of the MCC men’s soccer team. He has an overall record of 303-110-29.
The 2012 season will go down as one of the best in the program’s history. Cupello guided the squad to an 18-1-1 record, regional and district titles, and a third-place finish at the NJCAA Division I national tournament. For his efforts, Cupello was named the NSCAA National Coach of the Year.
Cupello is a former All-American player at Monroe Community College and at SUNY Brockport, which he led to the NCAA National Championship.
He played professional soccer for the Rochester Lancers in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975-80. He also played for the Rochester Flash in the American Soccer League from 1981-82. Upon his retirement from professional playing, he concentrated on coaching. He was the assistant coach at MCC from 1978-84.
Cupello became the head coach at SUNY Fredonia in 1985, taking them to five SUNYAC tournament appearances while winning or sharing the championship three times. Fredonia appeared in the NCAA tournament four out of five years and lost twice in the semifinals.
He returned home in 1990 to coach the Tribunes. Cupello’s teams have made the regional tournament 16 consecutive years, winning in 1995, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. He is a 12-time Region III Coach of the Year and three-time Northeast District Coach of the Year.
In 2002, Cupello was inducted into the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame for his accomplishments while an athlete here at MCC. He is the first former athlete from the college to be inducted.
Cupello earned his bachelor’s degree from The College at Brockport in 1975. He received his master’s degree in sports coaching from the United States Sports Academy in 1989.
Cupello resides in Rochester with his wife, Molly. They have three sons, Nelson, Tim, and Ryan.
