Mount Saint Mary College Athletics

Michael Coppolino is in his sixth season year as head coach of the Mount Saint Mary College women’s basketball team in 2018-19, and also serves as the head coach of the men’s golf team.

Through play in the 2019 NCAA Division III Tournament, Coppolino has guided the Knights to a 91-69 overall record, including a 69-27 mark against Skyline Conference rivals. During the 2019 season, Coppolino guided the Mount to its sixth ever win in the NCAA Tournament with an 85-80 victory over Westfield State. 
 
Coppolino has improved the Mount’s record in each of his six seasons, making the jump from nine wins to 14 wins from year two to year three on his way to posting 19, 21 and now 22 victories in a season. Coppolino has mentored nine All-Skyline Conference selections to date, including Kayla Cleare who was named the league’s Co-Rookie of the Year in 2016 and the Player of the Year in 2019. 

In addition to his player’s success, Coppolino has been recognized by his Skyline Conference peers with a pair of Coach of the Year honors. After guiding the Mount to a 15-3 league mark and the second seed in the conference championship in 2017 and a 17-1 mark and a berth in the championship final in 2018, Coppolino was tabbed the Skyline’s top coach. 

The women's basketball team returned to the Skyline Conference Championship Tournament after a one-year hiatus in 2014-15. The Knights nearly upset top-seeded Farmingdale State College in the semifinal round of the tournament, but fell to the Rams on a buzzer-beating shot. The Knights improved to go 9-17 overall and 4-8 against conference opponents in Coppolino's second season. Senior Natalie Candarelli represented the Knights on the 2014-15 Skyline Women's Basketball All-Conference Second Team.

The men's golf team took a significant step forward in 2014 by finishing third overall in the Skyline Conference Championships. Freshman Dylan Legg took home the 2014 Skyline Conference Men's Golf Rookie of the Year award, and was joined by sophomore Alex Harcher on the 2014 Skyline Men's Golf All-Conference Second Team. The Knights also picked up the first victory in the program's history on Sept. 15, 2014, as they took home the top prize at the Sage Golf Fall Invitational.


Coppolino served as an assistant coach for the inaugural men's golf season in 2013. He helped guide the Knights to a fourth-place finish in their first-ever Skyline Conference Championship appearance. Freshman Owen Heath was the first men's golfer to represent the Knights on the Skyline Men's Golf All-Conference team, earning a spot on the 2013 Second Team.
 
Prior to taking over the women's basketball team, Coppolino served as the assistant coach for the Mount Saint Mary men's basketball team. Coppolino helped the men's basketball team with recruiting, on-court coaching and player development during the 2012-13 campaign. He helped steer the Knights to a 19-9 overall record, including a 14-4 mark in Skyline play. The team advanced to the Skyline semifinals and also made an appearance in the ECAC Championship Tournament.
 
Prior to his arrival at the Mount, Coppolino served as the assistant coach at Alfred University.  He helped the Saxons to a record of 15-11 in 2011-12, the highest win total for the men's basketball program at Alfred in 15 years. The team also qualified for the ECAC Upstate Championship for the first time since 2001.
 
From 2000 to 2011, Coppolino served as a clubhouse attendant for the Boston Red Sox.  He owns a pair of World Series rings from the Boston championships in 2004 and 2007. 

A 2007 graduate of Eckerd College with a degree in business management, Coppolino recently completed a master's degree in business administration at Alfred University.

A native of Acton, Mass., Coppolino now resides in Newburgh.