The College of New Jersey Athletics

nazariog@tcnj.edu

Seton Hall University ’91
Year of Service: 19th
Hometown: Union, NJ
Education: BA, Communications

George Nazario enters his 19^th season as head coach of The College of New Jersey men’s soccer team. During his tenure at the College, he’s compiled an overall record of 180-128-37.

Nazario has enjoyed consistent success, commandeering TCNJ’s soccer program to 11 winning seasons in the last 17 years. The Lions have tallied double-digit wins in seven of those years and won 17 games in back-to-back seasons in 1996 and 1997.

TCNJ has competed in four NCAA Division III Championship tournaments during Nazario’s reign, including a national championship title in 1996. The Lions boast a record of 14-3 in the NCAA tournament during his tenure and were national runner-up in 1997.

In 2010, TCNJ posted a record of 9-6-4 (7-1-1 NJAC) and finished first in the conference regular season standings. As a result, Nazario was named the 2010 NJAC Coach of the Year. The Lions advanced to the NJAC tournament championships game before falling to Kean University 1-0 in overtime.

Nazario has twice been named NCSCAA Metro Regional Coach of the Year, making him a candidate for the NSCAA National Division III Coach of the Year. The first was in 1996 when Nazario guided his troops to capturing the school’s first-ever men’s soccer NCAA national championship. He won the award a second time in 2005 when the Lions went 16-3 and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinal match.

In October of 2011, the 1996 men’s soccer team that won the national championship was inducted into the Lions’ Athletic Alumni Hall of Fame.

Nazario had an exceptional playing career earning All-American honors at Union High School and winning a national championship with the Union Lancers Under-19 Team in 1987. In college, he led Seton Hall University to three Big East Conference championships and four NCAA Division I Championship tournament appearances in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1990. He was twice named Big East Player of the Year in 1987 and 1990 and served as the Pirates team captain in 1990. Following his collegiate career, Nazario was a member of the Puerto Rican National Soccer Team from 1992 to 1998.

Prior to taking over TCNJ’s men’s soccer program, Nazario served as an assistant men’s soccer coach for Seton Hall University for three seasons. He served as the athletic director of the Union Lancers Youth Club from 1995 until 1997 and also served as head coach of the Union Lancers Under-16 Youth Team.

Nazario is currently head coach of the Under-18 PDA Larsson Team affiliated with the Players Development Academy (PDA).

In January of 2007, Nazario was married to Carol Peirce. The couple resides in Hightstown, NJ.