SUNY Cortland Athletics

As both a soccer player and coach, current Hamilton College men’s team mentor Perry Nizzi ’77 has enjoyed national success and acclaim at every point in his illustrious career.

A native of Rome, N.Y., Nizzi graduated from Rome Free Academy, where he earned high school All-America honors. Nizzi enjoyed an All-America playing career at Mohawk Valley Community College, where he earned an associate’s degree in 1975.

He continued his education at SUNY Cortland. As a starting midfielder, he finished among the College’s all-time leading scorers in just two years of play. He was a two-time, first team All-SUNYAC player and was first team all-state and team captain as a senior.

Nizzi, who helped to establish and coach the undefeated women’s soccer club, earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree at Cortland. A lecturer in the Physical Education Department, he coached the men’s junior varsity squad and was an assistant under Head Coach Fred Taube.

From 1981-98, Nizzi was an assistant professor physical education and a coach at Herkimer County Community College (HCCC). His men’s soccer squads captured three National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championships while setting a national record with 97 consecutive victories. His squads posted a 291-56-11 record in 17 seasons. His teams won nine regional and 10 conference crowns. A two-time NSCAA National Coach of the Year, Nizzi was named regional coach of the year in nine different years.

He received the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association Recognition Award for Outstanding Sportsmanship and Excellence in Coaching. He has been inducted into the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame, the Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame and the Rome Sports Hall of Fame.
For three seasons, he directed the HCCC women’s basketball team, advancing to the regional final four in two of those three years.

In 1998, Nizzi became the men’s soccer coach at Hamilton. In seven of his 11 seasons, Nizzi’s teams have reached double figures in wins. They have a combined record of 98-43-14. He has led the Continentals to four NCAA Div. III Men’s Soccer Tournament appearances, including the first in school history, and four Liberty League regular season/tournament championships.

Nizzi captured five gold medals as a soccer coach/player in the Empire State Games. He has been active with youth sports throughout his career as a coach, official and clinician in soccer, basketball and baseball.