Recruiting Areas: Northern and Central New Jersey, Central and Northern New York; Indiana, Kansas, Texas, Southern California

In 1998, Fred Mariani was hired as the first full-time head football coach in the 33-year history of the Iona College football program. Mariani enters his 11th season in New Rochelle and is the second-longest tenured football coach in Iona history.

Coach Mariani and his staff have wasted no time building a new tradition of success, turning around a football program that was a combined 1-19 over the previous two seasons and had won just four games in three years.

Since then, Mariani has guided the team to 43 wins and a complete turnaround of the Gael football program, including a 7-4 mark and a share of the MAAC Football League Championship in 2007. This was the program's highest win under Mariani and the highest for the program since winning nine games and taking the the inaugural league title in 1993.

In Mariani's tenure, he and his coaching staff have worked hard to install a new offensive system and require a deeper sense of commitment from the players. The success has shown as Mariani has coached a number of players who have made their mark in the Iona College record book. He guided three players that rushed for 1,000+ yards at Iona in former All-American Ralph Saldiveri '01 and the dynamic tandem of Rudy Arcara '07 and Dane Samuels '07. WR Dennis Calacione '06 set receiving records for receptions, yards and sits fourth all-time in scoring. In 2003, former All-Conference player Billy Brieden '04 was just the third quarterback in school history to record a 2,000+ yard passing season and first since 1993. In the last ten seasons, coach Mariani's players have set 40+ Mazzella Field, game, single-season, and career school records.

A number of Coach Mariani's players at Iona have also gone on to a professional level after their career in New Rochelle. Julio Boromei '04, Jason Collins '02, Kevin Fales '04, Brent Maddox '06, Kazmel Minott '02, Jesse Oriol '04, Lavar Stockon '02 have all experienced football at the next level in various capacities. The six players have spent time in the NFL, Canadian Football League, Arena Football League and pro leagues in Europe. This past year, Dane Samuels '07, Reggie Dorsainvil and David Tash '07 were each invited to professional training camps. Samuels was invited by the Buffalo Bills, Dorsainvil by the Cleveland Browns and Tash by the AF2 Manchester Wolves.

Mariani is well known for both his coaching and recruiting abilities at the Division I-AA level. He has established a national recruiting program at Iona, attracting student-athletes from all over the country. Players from as far away as Iowa, Las Vegas and California to players from close home in the Bronx, Yonkers and New Rochelle fill out this season's roster.

Prior to accepting his first head coaching position at Iona, Mariani served as the Offensive Coordinator and the Recruiting Coordinator at Fordham University from 1994 through 1997. At Fordham, he helped direct the turnaround of the Ram football program, including an impressive 4-2 mark in conference play in 1997.

In four recruiting seasons at Fordham, Mariani was responsible for signing over fifty scholarship recruits, including All-American punter Barry Cantrell, who played with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cory Bailey, who starred for the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe.

Mariani spent six seasons as the Offensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Lehigh University before his stint at Fordham. He made an immediate impact on the Lehigh program, helping guide the team to a 6-5 overall record while leading Division I-AA in both total offense and passing offense.

In addition, the 1988 squad allowed only eight quarterback sacks, an average of less than one sack per game. Mariani was also responsible for signing over sixty recruits in his six seasons, including 12 All-Patriot League offensive lineman. The 1991 squad finished 9-2 and the 1993 team posted a 7-4 record on the way to winning the Patriot League Championship. During four of his six seasons at Lehigh, the offensive line gave up less than nine sacks a season.

Mariani's first Division I-AA coaching position came at Morehead State University, where he was named the Recruiting Coordinator and Offensive Coordinator. In his four seasons at Morehead State, the offense led the Ohio Valley Conference in passing on three occasions and established 24 new school records. In his first season as Offensive Coordinator in 1986, MSU finished 7-4, the most wins in school history. One of those wins came against Division I-A opponent Wichita State. The victory stands in the NCAA record books as the most points ever overcome to win a game, Division I-A or I-AA. Morehead State trailed 35-3 at the half but rallied in the second half for a 36-35 victory. That same year, Morehead State broke 14 offensive records on its way to their first winning season in 20 years.

After a successful playing career at St. Joseph's College in Collegeville, IN, Mariani joined the coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 1974. In nine seasons on the coaching staff, Mariani helped guide St. Joseph's to three Conference titles as well as a national ranking for passing offense for five straight years (1979-83).

In April of 1999, Mariani was inducted into the St. Joseph's College Athletic Hall of Fame for his contributions to the football program.

Mariani began his football career as an offensive lineman at Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey. As a three-year letterman, Mariani helped guide Don Bosco to two-straight New Jersey State Championships (1969-1970).

Mariani resides in Saddle River, NJ. His daughter, Brook, is a graduate of Iona.