Mike Minielli is entering his 28th season as a collegiate head coach, and his 11th at the helm of the Wagner College women’s soccer team. Minielli has compiled a career record of 247-247-51 between Wagner, Murray State, and Saint Joseph’s College (IN).
The 2014 season, one which saw Minielli guide the Seahawks to their first Northeast Conference (NEC) championship appearance in 17 years, the fourth winning season in program history, with three being under his guidance, and the program’s best ever record in the conference play. For his efforts, Minielli was named the 2014 NEC Coach of the Year.
Minielli spent six seasons as head coach at Murray State, compiling a 190-136-31 record. While with the Racers, he coached 17 all-conference players, and oversaw 81 student-athletes to the Ohio Valley Conference Honor Roll, including five who received the OVC Medal of Honor for Academics. In 2000-01 under Minielli’s tutelage, Murray State was rated the #1 First Year Women’s Soccer Program by Soccer Buzz Magazine.
The Indiana native began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater, Saint Joseph’s College, where he oversaw both the men’s and women’s programs. As head coach of the women from 1988-99, he posted a 143-77-20 mark, earning two NCAA Division II tournament berths, including a 1996 Final Four appearance. In addition, Saint Joseph’s earned a national ranking eight times under Minielli.
The 1996 Division II Women’s National Coach of the Year also administrated the Puma men’s program for 11 seasons winning 111 games while supervising numerous all-conference and all-academic student-athletes. Minielli has been honored as a Coach of the Year by various conferences and organizations eight different times during his coaching career.
After graduating from Saint Joseph’s with a degree in Science, History and Political Science, Minielli took the Mater Dei High School (IN) Women’s Soccer Team to four city league titles before jumping to the college ranks full time. The 1986 graduate capped his playing career as the second-leading scorer in school history and was a Great Lakes Valley All-Conference Player.
Professionally, he served on the Olympic Development Program in Indiana for women’s soccer from 1991 to 1994 and in April 1997, and for the men’s soccer program in April 1995. He directed the Saint Joseph’s College youth soccer league from 1992-99 and was a co-coach for the NCAA/UMBRO All-Star Soccer Game in Fort Lauderdale, FL in 1997.
Minielli also served as the NCAA representative for the Division II men’s and women’s soccer championships in 1998, and on the 1998 NCAA Men’s Soccer Selection Committee from 1997-99.
