FDU Knights Athletics

Honors & Accomplishments
2002 Northeast 10 and Northeast Region Coach of the Year (at AIC)
2009 New England Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
8 Northeast Conference Tournament Appearances
All-time wins leader at AIC (291) 
All-time conference wins leader at AIC (187)

Coaching Experience
Head Coach, Fairleigh Dickinson University (2007 - Present)
Head Coach, American International College (1994 - 2006)
Assistant Coach, American International College (1992 - 1994)  

Education
Western New England College (1990)  

At FDU
Peter Cinella is entering his 12th season at the helm of the FDU women’s basketball program. Cinella is 118-212 (.357) at FDU and 409-342 (.545) overall entering the season.

Cinella earned a major milestone during the 2017-18 season, reaching 400 career victories in a win over Monmouth on Dec. 6, 2017. The Knights that year reached 15 wins for the first time since 1992 and earned eight non-conference victories, the most by any NEC school since the 2013 season. FDU reached the Northeast Conference tournament for a fourth straight season.

Cinella guided the Knights to a third consecutive Northeast Conference Tournament appearance in 2016-17. Picked up his 100th win at FDU with a 59-58 win at St. Francis Brooklyn on January 28, 2017. Coached Amina Markovic earn Third Team All-NEC Honors. 

In 2015-16, Cinella and the Knights finished at 11-21 (8-10 NEC) and a second straight trip to the Northeast Conference Tournament. The Knights fell at No. 3 seed Robert Morris for the second straight season. Three Knights earned All-NEC honors; Erika Livermore (First Team), Kelsey Cruz (Second Team) and Madelynn Comly (Rookie Team). Livermore graduated third all-time in points (1,887), second in rebounding (1,128), third in blocks (179) and third in field goals made (709). 

In 2011-12, Cinella guided the Knights to a 13-18 overall record, including an 8-10 mark in the Northeast Conference to finish in eight place for the second consecutive season. Cinella’s squad lost a heartbreaker in the NEC Quarterfinals to top-seed and eventual champion Sacred Heart, 62-58, after leading most of the second half on the road. Last season, FDU missed the NEC Tournament for only the second time under Cinella, falling just short after finishing one game out of the eighth and final spot.

From 2008-12, Cinella coached one of the all-time greats in program history, Mariyah Laury. She graduated in 2012 as the second all-time leading scorer in program history with 1,920 points. A three-time All-NEC performer, Laury holds the NEC record for most points in a game with 42 at Monmouth (Feb. 11, 2012), which is also the record at the Multipurpose Activity Center. She also holds the Spiro Sports Center record at Wagner for most points after dropping 38 during her junior year (Feb. 7, 2011).

The Knights made the NEC Tournament four times in Cinella’s first six seasons, narrowly missing the postseason in 2009-10 and 2012-13. In 2010-11, he had his best season at FDU, going 14-16 and losing in the NEC Quarterfinals at top-seed Saint Francis U, 72-59.

In 2008-09, Cinella guided the Knights to a 10-20 overall record, including a 9-9 mark in NEC action to tie for sixth and earn a second straight trip to the NEC Tournament. In October 2009, Cinella was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.

In 2007-08, Cinella led the Knights to a 9-9 record in the NEC, and the No. 5 seed in the NEC Tournament. The sixth head coach in school history ultimately guided FDU to its highest postseason seeding since 1997-98, as only the 2003-04 squad obtained equivalent placement in the eight-team bracket.

The veteran coach successfully made the jump from the Division II ranks to Division I during the 2007-08 season. On Feb. 9, FDU beat home-standing Saint Francis Pa., 69-59, to mark Cinella’s 300th career victory.
 
Prior to FDU
Cinella started his career in 1991 as the Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach for Lee High School. That season, the Massachusetts Division II State Champions finished the season a perfect 25-0.
 
In 1992, he served as the assistant men’s basketball coach at AIC and assistant women’s basketball coach the following year before being promoted to head coach in 1994.
 
He coached six Division II All-Americans and his teams were ranked in the Top 25 for five out of his last six years. In 2002, he was named Northeast 10 and Northeast Region Coach of the Year. Cinella spent 14 seasons at AIC and compiled a record of 291-130 (.691) before leaving to take the job at Fairleigh Dickinson. 
 
Playing Career
Cinella graduated from Western New England College in 1990. A four-year starter at point guard, he scored over 1,000 points and led his team to an NCAA Division III playoff berth as a senior.

Personal
Cinella and his wife, Lynne, reside in Montville, N.J. with their children; Colin, Jacqueline and Kyle.