The 2021 season marks the eighth year for Tania Armellino as head coach of the Plattsburgh State women’s soccer program.
Armellino made an immediate impact on the program, leading the Cardinals to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament semifinals during each of her first six seasons (made finals in 2017) at Plattsburgh State. She has guided 16 different student-athletes to 26 All-SUNYAC honors, and she coached the 2018 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year (Allison Seidman) and the 2017 SUNYAC Offensive Player of the Year (Madeline Saccocio). Armellino has also coached eight student-athletes, who have earned United Soccer Coaches All-East Region honors 10 times.
Academic excellence has been just as impressive the past six seasons. Armellino has kept the Cardinals' rich academic tradition going as Plattsburgh State women’s soccer team has received the United Soccer Coaches team academic award for 10 consecutive years. In 2019-20, Armellino had a program-best 22 student-athletes garner SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll plaudits. In addition, Madeline Saccocio earned SUNYAC Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year and SUNY Chancellor's Scholar-Athlete honors in 2017-18.
In 2019, Armellino guided Plattsburgh State to a 10-8-1, 4-4-1 SUNYAC, record. The Cardinals reached the SUNYAC Tournament semifinals for the sixth consecutive season. In the quarterfinals, Plattsburgh State edged SUNY Potsdam 1-0 on the strength of a goal in the 21st minute and a strong defensive effort.
The 2018 season marked another return to the conference semifinals for the Cardinals, as a penalty-kick goal in the 69th minute lifted Plattsburgh State to a 1-0 win over SUNY Oneonta in the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament. The Cardinals finished the year at 13-6-0 overall (6-3-0 SUNYAC), matching Armellino's most wins achieved in a single season at Plattsburgh State.
In 2017 Armellino coached the Cardinals to a 13-5-2 overall record and 6-1-2 in the conference with a second-place finish. The team made it to its fourth straight SUNYAC Tournament semifinals and the SUNYAC Tournament finals for the first time since 2010.
In 2016 the Cardinals went 11-9 overall and finished fourth in the SUNYAC making their third consecutive appearance in the conference tournament semifinals.
The Cardinals' 2015 campaign was highly successful at building off of the previous year’s efforts. Plattsburgh State finished fourth in the SUNYAC, posting a 12-6-2 overall record, and for the second straight season, the Cardinals made an appearance in the SUNYAC Tournament semifinals.
In 2014, her first year as coach at Plattsburgh State, Armellino led the Cardinals to their first winning record in three seasons at 9-8-2 as well as their first SUNYAC Tournament berth in the same period.
Before Plattsburgh State, Armellino was an assistant coach at Connecticut College – an NCAA Division III member which competes in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) – where she had served as the top assistant coach since August of 2011.
With the help of Armellino, the Camels enjoyed a banner year in 2012. That season marked the first time in five years that Connecticut College nabbed a berth to the NESCAC Tournament. The squad was led by NESCAC First Team player Aina Torres who was the first Connecticut College player since 2004 to earn All-NESCAC recognition of any type.
In 2013, Armellino helped to mentor eventual NESCAC Rookie of the Year Annie Higgins and saw that Torres was on the receiving end of more NESCAC accolades by way of a second-team nod.
Before her time at Connecticut College, Armellino held the title of assistant coach at the University of Dayton - an NCAA Division I institution - from April 2008 through March 2011. During that time, Armellino helped the Flyers amass a record of 50-10-8 while putting together some impressive displays in the Atlantic 10 and the NCAA Tournament.
The 2009 edition of the Flyers became the first team in program history to finish the regular season undefeated. As a result, the squad took home the regular-season Atlantic 10 title before earning the Atlantic 10 Tournament crown. Armellino concentrated on coaching the defense, which amassed a school record of 15 shutouts. The Flyers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament and finished the season with a record of 16-1-6 as well as an NSCAA postseason national ranking of no. 25. She helped coach the school's first-ever NSCAA First Team All-American in Mandi Back.
In 2010, the Flyers rolled up a 19-3-1 record and successfully defended their Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles. Again, Dayton advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament behind the play of Colleen Williams (A10 Offensive Player of the Year, NSCAA Second Team All-American) and Kathleen Beljan (A10 Defensive Player of the Year, NSCAA First Team Scholar All-American).
Armellino broke into the coaching ranks in 2006 when she was chosen to serve as the assistant women's soccer coach at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. During her first season as a part of the Ladies coaching staff in 2006, she helped the squad capture a trio of firsts including a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) regular-season title, a berth in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament and a triumph in that particular tournament.
That 2006 group tied Kenyon College program records for wins in a season (14) as well as shutouts in a season (10). Armellino was responsible for helping to oversee all facets of the women's soccer program during her two-year stint with the Ladies but excelled specifically at training the defense.
An accomplished student-athlete in her own right, Armellino set up shop in Piscataway, N.J., as a member of the Rutgers University women's soccer team from 1997 until 2000. While on the pitch for the NCAA Division I institution, Armellino accumulated four letters and was named a team captain as a senior in 2000.
Upon the completion of her playing career, Armellino hit the sidelines as a student assistant coach for the Scarlet Knights during a memorable 2001 campaign. The squad rolled up a 14-8-1 record and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history. While taking part in the national tournament, the Scarlet Knights reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time before earning a no. 14 national ranking by the NSCAA when the books were closed on the 2001 season.
Armellino earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with minors in Political Science and American Studies from Rutgers in 2001 before obtaining her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law in 2005. Armellino is a licensed attorney in the state of Connecticut.
| Season |
School |
Record |
Pct. |
Conf./Place |
Postseason Finish |
| 2014 |
Plattsburgh State |
9-8-2 |
.526 |
4-4-1/5th |
SUNYAC Semifinals |
| 2015 |
Plattsburgh State |
12-6-2 |
.650 |
5-3-1/4th |
SUNYAC Semifinals |
| 2016 |
Plattsburgh State |
11-9-0 |
.550 |
5-4-0/4th |
SUNYAC Semifinals |
| 2017 |
Plattsburgh State |
13-5-2 |
.700 |
6-1-2/2nd |
SUNYAC Championship Game |
| 2018 |
Plattsburgh State |
13-6-0 |
.684 |
6-3-0/4th |
SUNYAC Semifinals |
| 2019 |
Plattsburgh State |
10-8-1 |
.553 |
4-4-1/4th |
SUNYAC Semifinals |
| 2020 |
Plattsburgh State |
- |
- |
- |
Season canceled
due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| Overall |
Seven Seasons |
68-42-7 |
.611 |
30-19-5 (.602) |
6x SUNYAC Semifinals
1x SUNYAC Championship Game |
