Ramapo Magazine

Putting the Pep in the Roadrunners’ Step

Photo Coach Peppe Pinton Roadrunner Head Men’s Soccer Coach Peppe Pinton has one thing on his mind: winning soccer games. As it stands, Pinton is the College’s third all-time winningest coach with a career record of 103-87-12. This year, Pinton led the Roadrunners to a 14-3-2 overall record, for one of the best finishes in his 11-year career at Ramapo College. The team opened the season with a smashing five-game winning streak giving up only one solitary goal.

On October 16, 1999, Pinton became one of just three coaches at Ramapo College to record his 100th career victory, a 3-0 shutout of Rutgers Camden. Once again this year, Coach Pinton took his team into post-season play as the Roadrunners made their fifth post-season tournament in as many years. The Roadrunners claimed the number one seed in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament but lost in the semi-final game.

Coach Pinton also has been named director of soccer operations and is only the second head coach to be in full-time status. As director, he oversees every detail for both the men’s and women’s soccer programs. His philosophy is simple: recruit top student-athletes for both programs and the success will come – and he has been doing it non-stop since November 1989. Pinton has dedicated thousands of hours to recruiting, getting commitments from players around the state of New Jersey as well as Long Island and Connecticut, looking to expand his young team and develop a championship squad.

In his 11-year tenure at Ramapo College Pinton has accomplished a great deal. Aside from his 100th victory, Pinton brought an ECAC Metro Region Championship to the College in 1996, and was named Ramapo College Coach of the Year one year later while taking his team to the NCAA Tournament.

Coach Pinton has been a mentor to many players throughout the years who have achieved outstanding individual honors, such as Marco Chung, a 2000 graduate who is the only soccer player to be honored as All-American, and Nansha Kalonji, who is now a member of the NY/NJ Metrostars of MLS. Pinton also has coached six New Jersey Athletic Conference first team All-Conference players, 11 second team All-Conference and seven All-Conference honorable mention selections. Since 1977, Coach Pinton has been the executive director of the Cosmos Soccer Camps, inspiring young players from all over the world. His camps have featured world-class players such as Pele and Franz Beckenbaur.

Watch for more from Coach Pinton as he continues to make a major impact on Ramapo soccer. Could there be another championship in the College’s future? If Coach Pinton has his wish there will be.