NEW HAVEN, Conn. (November 9, 2024) – Former Concordia College men’s and women’s tennis coach Neil Tarangioli was inducted into the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Hall of Fame during the 2024 CACC Women’s Tennis Awards Banquet on October 18 at the Hilton Christiana in Newark, Del. Tarangioli is one of five members of the CACC Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Tarangioli won more than 500 matches as the head coach of Concordia. Between the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference/East Coast Conference and the CACC and across both genders, he was named a conference coach of the year more than 20 times.
“I’m thankful to the CACC for this honor,” Tarangioli said. “I’m thankful for all my players. Sports, and college sports in particular, are all about the relationships, and our players are part of the Concordia tennis family forever. I’m also thankful to our two A.D.s at Concordia, Ivan Marquez and Cathy Laoutaris, who were always very supportive. I’ve lived a very charmed life.”
Of 21 CACC Championship tournaments in which his teams took part, Tarangioli’s Clippers won 19 of them. Upon entering the conference in 2009-10, Concordia swept the men’s and women’s CACC titles for seven consecutive years. Tarangioli’s 2010 men’s Clippers reached the NCAA Division II national semifinals.
“Pressure is a privilege,” Tarangioli told the four teams assembled at the banquet, which was held on the eve of this year’s CACC Women’s Tennis Championship tournament. “If you feel any pressure, enjoy it. Embrace it. It means you’re playing for something meaningful.”
The CACC Hall of Fame Class of 2024 also includes Gage Daye (Bloomfield College men’s basketball), Sherry Keech Coulter (Georgian Court University women’s volleyball and softball), Brian Mackey (Dominican University New York men’s golf) and the 2013 Wilmington University men’s cross-country team.
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its affiliation with NCAA Division II. Conference institutions compete for championships in 18 sports – eight for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 12 members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.