 Paul Ricciardi
Head Coach
Years: 8
Won-Lost (Pct): 78-62 (.557)
Phone: (718) 982-3165
Email: paul.ricciardi@csi.cuny.edu
The College of Staten Island Athletics Department announced the hire of Paul Ricciardi as Head Coach for Men's & Women's Tennis in November of 2019. For Ricciardi it marks his second go-around with the programs, as he formerly served in the same capacity after an accomplished playing career as a Dolphin. Â
Ricciardi brings a great deal of familiarity with the tennis programs at CSI. He enjoyed a sensational playing career as a Dolphin from 2000-03, collecting a pair of CUNYAC titles in 2001 & 2003, CSI's last conference championships on the men's side in the sport he captained in 2002 and 2003. Then, after an assistant coaching role, Ricciardi stepped in as the head coach for both CSI programs in 2006, and served in the position until the spring of 2014, leaving the programs after a great deal of success, including a women's tennis championship in 2013, their first since 1999. Â
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Paul Ricciardi
YEAR-BY-YEAR
|
| Year |
Overall |
Conf. |
| 2007 |
7-8 |
5-3 |
| 2008 |
4-11 |
2-6 |
| 2009 |
11-6 |
7-1 |
| 2010 |
16-6 |
7-0 |
| 2011 |
16-5 |
7-1 |
| 2012 |
8-9 |
4-3 |
| 2013 |
11-8 |
6-1 |
| 2014 |
5-9 |
3-3 |
| TOTALS |
78-62 |
41-18 |
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After leaving CSI in 2014, Ricciardi has concentrated on owning and operating his own business, PJ Snacks LLC, and with that enterprise off of the ground, Ricciardi is excited to return to the position, recognizing the new opportunity at CSI and the entry into NCAA Division II as a chance to resurrect the program, which has struggled at times since his absence. In his years at the helm, Ricciardi enjoyed a 73-67 (.521) record on the women's side and a 78-62 (.557) record on the men's side. While the men have achieved success recently, the CSI women's tennis team has collected a 3-18 record the past two seasons (.142).
Ricciar
di believes that with effective recruiting and the ability to cultivate players from their entry into the CSI Tennis Center to their exit, the Dolphins' program could be one to contend with in the future. More than that, he hopes to instill the pride and enjoyment that being a member of the Dolphins program is all about.
Taking over immediately, Ricciardi will pick up both programs in time for the spring of 2020. |
Joseph Taranto
Assistant Coach
A former volunteer assistant and an alum of the men's program, Joseph Taranto was named an Assistant Coach with the Men's & Women's Tennis team in November, 2019.
A familiar face at CSI, this will be Taranto's second turn as a coach. He joined the staff under former coach Arthur Kapetanakis in the spring of 2018 with the men's program, serving as a volunteer through the spring 2019 year with the women's and men's units. With the program under new and established leadership, he is anxious to return to the Dolphins program as it's top assistant.
A four-year men's standout, Taranto played a majority of the time right in the heart of the order for the Dolphins from 2008-11, at the time under current Head Coach Paul Ricciardi. Over that stretch he earned a 33-26 Singles record, including a 13-5 mark in his usual spot at No. 3. An accomplished Doubles player, Taranto boasted an all-time record of 43-22 in Doubles play. At CSI, he has been able to combine his savvy as a player with the happenings that occur on the sidelines, and hopes to use those experiences to his advantage.
A youth coach and private instructor for many years, Taranto resides on Staten Island and doubles as a teacher in the Department of Education.
