NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Iona College Director of Athletics Rick Cole Jr. appointed Patric Santiago as head coach of the volleyball program. Santiago comes to New Rochelle from Farmingdale State College on Long Island, it was announced Monday.
“We are fortunate and excited to have Patric as our new volleyball head coach,” said Cole. “He brings a diverse background with experience both as a coach and a professional volleyball player. I’m excited to see the success he will bring to the program.”
“I am thankful to Rick Cole and the Iona College community for the chance to lead the volleyball program,” said Santiago. “I’m excited to help propel it forward and continue the growth of our student-athletes both on and off the court. The legacy of Iona is filled with a tremendous tradition of service and I look forward to serving the College to the best of my ability.”
Santiago joins the Maroon & Gold after having served as the head coach at SUNY Farmingdale for seven seasons. He helped lead the Rams to a 39-25 Skyline Conference record, earning six consecutive post season appearances.
During his tenure, Farmingdale posted seven straight top three finishes in the athletic department’s Team GPA Award standings. Santiago acted as the academic moderator, ensuring his student-athletes succeeded both inside and outside the classroom.
Santiago began his career at his alma mater shortly after his graduation in 2006. He served as an assistant track & field coach with the Rams before becoming the team’s head coach in 2011. While leading the program, he saw four school records broken and helped in the mentoring of two NCAA Division III Championship qualifiers.
In 2008, Santiago set foot inside the classroom as an adjunct professor, teaching physical education classes in sports management.
As a professional volleyball player, Santiago remains an active member in USA Volleyball, competing in multiple AVP Tour events as well as Open level competition. He was an AVP Main Draw Athlete in 2015, a Jose Cuervo Pro Beach player in 2013 and a Barefoot Win Championship Cup athlete in 2010. Santiago is currently an active participant in USAV Adult Volleyball.
Santiago established Dawn Patrol Volleyball Incorporated in 2014, Long Island’s largest beach volleyball club. He continues to aid and mentor club coaches under his personally developed model of technical instruction. In addition, Santiago is a club coach for the Island Volleyball Academy in Oakdale, NY; he develops and fosters mental and physical growth among his players while also participating in club fundraising activities.
Academically, Santiago graduated from Farmingdale State with a GPA of 3.96 with a Bachelor’s Degree in business management. While competing for the Rams, Santiago was a four-sport athlete, excelling in soccer, golf, indoor and outdoor track. He is the only student-athlete to ever compete in four sports in school history and was captain of all four sports during his career.
Santiago was named an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American in 2006. He was the first student-athlete at Farmingdale to receive the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence in 2005, a two-time recipient of the Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award (2005, 2006) and a two-time Farmingdale State Male Athlete of the Year (2004, 2006). He also received the 2006 ECAC Robbins Scholar-Athlete Award, which is given annually to just one male and one female student-athlete throughout all NCAA divisions.