Steve DeMatteo was named the head men’s soccer coach at The College of New Jersey in March 2025, becoming only the third full-time leader of the program since 1982 and the first since the retirement of long-time coach George Nazario. His appointment marked a new chapter for the Lions, a program with significant history and tradition, and DeMatteo expressed his commitment to fostering a strong competitive culture and prioritizing the development of student-athletes both on and off the field.
Before arriving at TCNJ, DeMatteo served six seasons as the top assistant coach for the University of Pennsylvania men’s soccer team, where he played a key role in the Quakers’ rise to prominence in the Ivy League — including three consecutive Ivy League regular-season championships and recognition with Ivy League Coach of the Year and United Soccer Coaches Regional Staff honors. His earlier coaching career includes assistant roles at Arcadia University and Lafayette College, and his first head-coaching experience came at Manhattanville College, where he led the team to the Middle Atlantic Conference semifinals and earned MAC Coach of the Year recognition in 2018. As a player, DeMatteo competed collegiately at Drew University and William Paterson University and also played a season in the National Premier Soccer League with NJ Blaze.
