Merrimack College Men's Soccer

One of the most successful coaches in NCAA men's soccer history, Tony Martone begins his landmark 44th season at Merrimack College in the fall of 2025. In the 2024 season, Martone led the Warriors through another season of change as they joined the Metro Atlantic Atheltic Conference. In the 2023 season, the Warriors made it to the NEC Tournament for the second consecutive season after qualifying with a win on the final day of the regular season but were eliminated on penalties by Sacred Heart in the first round.     In 2022, The Warriors collected eight wins and five in conference to capture a first round bye in their first ever NEC Tournament appearance. The Warriors also had six members on the All-NEC Team that season as Juri Schlingmann and Stefano Pesenti were named to the First Team, Alessandro Negri, Carlo Romei and Alvaro Rodriguez were named to the Second Team.    The Warriors competed an abridged 2020 season in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19. Despite competing in six contests, Merrimack had five student-athletes represented on all-conference teams. Junior defender Stefano Pesenti earned All-Conference First Team nods, as Frantz Pierrot, Alessandro Negri and Henry Osei represented on the Second Team, with Dylan Barreira honored on the All-Rookie team.   Martone led the Warriors into their first year in Division I to a record-breaking season in the Northeast Conference (NEC). Merrimack finished with a record of 11-3-2 overall, earning wins against Northeastern and Boston University and draws against Boston College and Harvard. The squad went on to go 9-0-0 in conference play.    Merrimack's coaching staff was honored with the NEC's Coaching Staff of the Year for their outstanding inaugural season. The Warriors continued to bring home honors in 2019, as Tola Showunmi, Marc Torrellas, Lucas Rezende and Mirko Nufi all named to the All-Conference First Team. Nufi was honored as the conference's Defensive Player of the Year as well as the NEC's Fall Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year, United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region and Scholar All-American. That same offseason, senior Aasmund Joedahl was honored as a College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Selection.    In 2018, the Warriors concluded its final season as a Division II program with a 13-6 overall record. Entering the league tournament as the four seed, the Warriors were able to host both the quarterfinal and semifinal round, winning both contests, before falling in the NE10 Championship to Adelphi, 2-0.  During the 2017 season, the team captured the NE10 Tournament Championship, defeating Bentley on November 5th in overtime. The team tied a program record of 16 wins in a season, while making its fourth straight NCAA Tournament and fifth overall. It was the fourth straight season the Warriors had won 15 or more games. Between 2013-16, Merrimack collected three NCAA Tournament appearances (2014-2016). Despite missing out on the national tournament, the Warriors won 13 games in 2013 and reached the NE10 Final. In 2014, the Warriors advanced to the East Region Final - one of the final 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament. Merrimack hosted the game as well - the first such occurrence in program history. 2012 was historic year for Martone, as the Warriors posted a 15-4-2 overall record, claiming the program's fourth Northeast-10 Conference regular season title in the process while also qualifying for the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in program history. Merrimack would finish as the runner-up in the Northeast-10 Championship, but would make up for it with the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. Martone, who holds a United States Soccer Federation ‘A License,’ have seen his teams capture four Northeast-10 regular season championships as well as three tournament championships. When the Warriors participated in the ECAC tournament, his teams were selected for postseason play for a record six straight years and won the overall ECAC championship in 1997. During Martone’s tenure, the program has seen comparable success both on and off the pitch; since 2011, the program has had three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, and nine athletic All-Americans, including seven since 2009 – Lucas Rezendes (2017), Lars Sund (2016), Joseph Briers (2015), Augusto Silva (2015), Jose Silva (2014, 2012), Franklin Lemus Pena (2012) and Robbie Sabadoz (2009). Martone began his coaching career in 1981 as an assistant coach at Curry College. In 1982, he became the youngest head coach in the country, signing with Merrimack at the age of 24. The veteran coach boasts some of the most prolific awards in all of college soccer, including N.E.I.S.L. Coach of the Year (1994, 2004); E.M.S.C.A. ‘College Coach of the Year’ (1995, 2004); and Northeast-10 ‘Coach of the Year’ (1987, 1994, 2002, 2004). Martone was recognized by Soccer New England as ‘The person who did the most for soccer in 1994’ and was inducted into the Massachusetts Senior Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005. For his dedication and professional accomplishments in the coaching world, Martone was named the U.S. Adult Soccer Association Region I Coach of the Year, and the runner-up National Coach of the Year following the 2006-07 season. Along with coaching the Warriors, Martone has been involved with many other soccer programs across the New England Region, ranging from youth to the professional level. Professionally, he has coached with the Boston Bolts of the ASL and the Cape Cod Crusaders of the USISL – both of which qualified for postseason play in each of his seasons behind the bench - and has also worked with the coaching staff and management of the Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution, primarily as a scout. Several of Martone’s players have moved on to play at various levels of the US National Teams, including the Men’s National team and the Olympic team, as well as several professional teams across the world. Further, over 50 of his former athletes have gone on to join the coaching ranks at the college and/or professional levels. One of the most rewarding experiences for Martone came in 1994, when he was selected as the Competition Manager for the Boston/Foxboro venue for the 1994 World Cup. In his capacity, he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of competition, including the management of all the World Cup games played in Boston. For his efforts, he was recognized by US Soccer and World Cup USA 1994 as ‘The best competition manager in the country.’ Martone is a 1981 graduate of Boston College, where he earned three varsity letters. The highlight of his playing career came in 1980, when he was invited to train with U.S. Avellino of the Italian First Division. His efforts and abilities earned him a contract offer, loaning him to a third division team. While his dream of playing professionally came to an abrupt end due to a serious injury, Martone has remained an active player for many top semi-professional and amateur teams throughout New England. He currently still completes in an over-50 division. On Oct. 1, 2011, Merrimack College renamed its turf field Martone-Mejail Field to recognize Tony Martone and Gabe Mejail, the Merrimack women's soccer head coach, for their dedication and service to the Merrimack soccer programs. Martone resides in Saugus, Mass., with his wife, Patricia, and his two daughters - Rosalba and Antonella.

Nufi returns to Merrimack College for his third season as an assistant coach for the 2025 season. A native of Crema, Italy, Nufi played semi-professionally for Pergolettese before coming to the United States to play under head coach Tony Martone at Merrimack from 2018 to 2021. During his standout collegiate career, he was named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. That same year, he earned United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American honors, was selected to the Scholar All-Region First Team, and the All-Northeast Region First Team. He also played a pivotal role in leading the Warriors to an NEC regular season title, clinching the championship with the winning penalty kick against Fairleigh Dickinson in Merrimack’s inaugural Division I season. In 2021, Nufi capped off his playing career by being recognized as an All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year. In addition to his role with the Warriors, Nufi serves as the general manager at MA North Rush Soccer Club.

Frassine returns to Merrimack as an assistant coach for the 2024 season. Originally from Brescia, Italy, Frassine played under head coach Tony Martone from 2017 to 2021. During his time at Merrimack, he helped the team win the NE-10 championship in his first year and reach the NE-10 championship final the following year. He also led the team as a captain to a NEC regular season title in 2019, Merrimack's first year in Division-I. Additionally, in recognition of his efforts on and off the field as a proven leader, he was awarded the Athletic Director Award in 2021.

  Kevin Murphy begins his eighth season as an assistant coach with the men's soccer program. During the 2019 season, Murphy helped the Warriors capture their first Northeast Conference (NEC) regular season title.  Murphy coached three all-region selections, an All-American, and was a part of the 2019 Northeast Conference coaching staff of the year. Murphy returned to Merrimack after graduating in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing. An alumnus of the men's soccer program, Murphy appeared in 81 career games with the Warriors from 1996-99, winning 51 games over that span. He was part of a pair of conference-title-winning teams in 1996 and 1997.  Over the last 20 + years, Murphy has coaching experience across all levels of soccer. In addition to his career in teaching Physical Education, Murphy currently works as a Head Coach for Northeast Rush Soccer Club. Other stops along the way have included the Aztec Soccer Club, South Shore Scorpions FC as Head Coach and Goalkeeping Director, and a three-year stint at Bridgewater State College as an assistant, specifically as the head goalkeeping coach. Murphy has a US Soccer Federation “C” License and earned the United Soccer Coaches' Advanced National National Goalkeeping Diploma. Murphy resides in Haverhill, Mass., with his wife Catherine, and their two children, Maeve and Cade.