SUNY Cortland Athletics

Recruiting Areas: Suffolk County and Staten Island

Steve Cushing begins his fourth season on the Cortland coaching staff overall and his third as defensive coordinator in 2024. He was promoted to the defensive coordinator position after serving as the team's linebackers coach in 2021, and he works with the team's linebackers in addition to his coordinator role.

In 2023, Cortland's defense featured an All-American and seven All-Empire 8 selections during the Red Dragons' national championship season. Cortland ranked in the top 25 nationally in Division III in turnovers gained (30) and interceptions (17) and allowed less than 20 points nine times. In 2022, Cortland allowed 13.5 points per game in six league games and the Red Dragon defense featured an All-American and seven all-league selections. In 2021, Cushing coached an All-American and three All-Empire 8 selections at linebacker, and the Red Dragons ranked fourth nationally in Division III in scoring defense (10.5 points/game), fifth in total defense (213.8 yards/game), and third in defensive touchdowns (5). Cortland won the Empire 8 title in each of those three seasons.
 
Prior to his arrival at Cortland, Cushing served as an assistant coach at Wilkes University for two seasons, where he coached safeties and also held roles as the team's defensive pass-game coordinator and co-recruiting coordinator. The Colonels went 8-3 during the 2019 season for their highest win total in 13 years and made their first postseason appearance since 2010.

Cushing played four years at Misericordia University as a safety while being named to the Middle Atlantic Conference Academic Honor Roll. He spent the summer of 2018 as a coach at Goshen High School assisting with linebackers, running backs and special teams. Cushing also has experience with youth football in Warwick and Goshen, teaching fundamentals and proper tackling techniques.
 
Cushing graduated from Misericordia in 2018 with a degree in business with a specialization in marketing. In addition to his undergraduate degree, he earned a master’s degree in sport management from SUNY Cortland in 2024.
 
Cushing and his wife, Bryana, were married in the summer of 2024 and currently reside in Homer, N.Y.