Blaise Faggiano Named Utica Head Football Coach
December 28, 2007
From Utica Sports Information Release
UTICA, NY – Utica College Athletic Director Jim Spartano Friday named Blaise Faggiano head football coach.
Faggiano spent the past nine seasons as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY.
“Utica College is excited to welcome Blaise into our family, and we believe he is the great fit to guide our program into the future,” says Spartano. “His success within the Empire 8 Conference speaks for itself, and his ties throughout New York state will surely help for a smooth transition to Utica College.”
Faggiano graduated from Ithaca College, where he was a member of the football team and helped guide the Bombers to a Division III National Championship in 1991. After earning his undergraduate degree in 1993, he accepted a graduate assistant coaching position at the University at Albany, where he earned a master’s degree in liberal arts. Faggiano returned to Ithaca College in 1995, and was part of a coaching staff that led the Bombers to postseason appearances in three out of four seasons.
He has played a major role in the recent success of the St. John Fisher football program, guiding the Cardinals to the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Tournament in each of the past two seasons.
“I have always aspired to be a head coach at the Division III level, and I am eager to join the Utica College family,” says Faggiano. “Through the interview process I was pleased to find that Utica College has similar goals and values to that of St. John Fisher. I am excited about the talent that we currently have in the football program at Utica, and I look forward to working with the local section III high school football coaches to continue to help this program grow in the years to come.”
Faggiano attended Rush-Henrietta High School, where he earned All-Greater Rochester honors. He recently earned a master’s degree, his second, in educational administration from Fisher. He currently resides in Webster, NY, with his wife Alison and his son, James.
UC closed out the 2007 season by posting a program-record 70 points and finishing with a 3-7 overall record.