CORINO TO BE HONORED AT CALDWELL PRESIDENTIAL GALA

March 29, 2006

Courtesy of Matt McLagan, Caldwell SID

CALDWELL, NJ - Caldwell College Executive Director of Athletics and head men's basketball coach Mark Corino will be one of the honorees at the 2006 Caldwell College Presidential Gala, which will be held at Mayfair Farms in West Orange, N.J., on Friday, April 28. Corino, who has served the College in both capacities for 18 years, will receive the President's Award along with the Horn Family, owners of Pals Cabin and Mayfair Farms. The Presidential Gala raises funds for the Caldwell College scholarship fund, which enables students in need to pursue their educational and professional goals.

Corino, the only athletic director the College has had, arrived in 1988 to head a program that had just three intercollegiate sports with no conference or national affiliation. Now, 10 Caldwell College athletics teams compete in the NCAA Division II and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, with an 11th sport, volleyball, to be added in the fall of 2006. Under Corino, Caldwell College athletics have emphasized excellence in academics and athletics, with several student-athletes receiving academic honors from national organizations and the CACC. This past fall, 46 student-athletes representing over a third of all student-athletes at Caldwell College were included on the Dean's List.

"Mark Corino is an outstanding example of a coach who knows the importance of excellence in academics and athletics," Caldwell College President Sister Patrice Werner, O.P., Ph.D., said. "The continuing success of our student-athletes in the classroom is due to Mark's commitment to seeing our students achieve both their athletic and academic goals."

As the Cougars' head basketball coach, Corino has led the Cougars to five national tournament appearances, seven CACC regular-season championships, four CACC Tournament titles and one District 31 crown. This past season, Corino won his 300th game as the coach at Caldwell when the Cougars defeated Bloomfield College on Dec. 1. Then on Jan. 12, he became just the sixth men's college basketball coach all-time in New Jersey to reach 400 career victories with a win at Dominican College. Corino's career record in 23 seasons, which includes five years at Bloomfield, is 410-262, including a 315-214 mark in 18 seasons at Caldwell College.

"It's certainly an honor to be recognized, but I look at it not as a credit to me, but as a credit to everyone who has contributed to our success," Corino said. "It's a celebration of our vision and everyone, from Sister Patrice on down to the student-athletes, who has helped to achieve our vision at Caldwell College."

A native of Belleville, N.J., Corino holds a Bachelor's degree from Kean University and a Master's degree from Caldwell College in Curriculum and Instruction. He resides in Cedar Grove, N.J., with his wife Susan and daughter Michele.