By Iosa McMahon
Junior Connor Abbatiello is making his mark on the sidelines this season, guiding the women’s club basketball team to a dominant doubleheader sweep over the Binghamton Bearcats this past Sunday.
Under his leadership, Cortland opened the day with a hard-fought 52–42 victory in the first game. In game 2, Cortland delivered another impressive performance, defeating Binghamton 54–34 to complete the sweep and to finish off a successful day on their home court.
Junior Alison DiPietro played a key role in both games wins by leading the way offensively with 17 points.
A junior from Queens, N.Y., Abbatiello is currently pursuing a coaching degree in the kinesiology department at Cortland, he began his journey as a freshman assistant and, in just a few years, has stepped into a head coaching role for the first time this season. Abbatiello is serving as the head coach of the women’s club basketball team while also assisting the men’s basketball coaching staff.
“Coach Connor is very dedicated, although he is also a coach for the men’s team, he puts hours into scouting the other teams and reviewing footage of their past games.” said Reese Fellows, a junior center from Newport, N.Y.
“It’s impressive since he is also a full-time student.”
He spends two hours at men’s basketball practice, then heads straight to women’s club basketball practice for another two hours. Then when he’snot coaching, he can often be found in the Student Life Center playing with friends.
Ella Gentile, a junior point guard from Delmar, NY, said that having a coach who is close in age to the players is a big positive.
“He forms a deep connection with them,” said Gentile.
“He never misses out on the chance to meet up and connect with the team outside of practices and games.”
Abbatiello credits Dan Hurley, the head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies, with inspiring his interest in coaching.
Hurley is best known for winning back-to-back NCAA Division I National Championships in 2023 and 2024, and was named the 2024 Naismith College Coach of the Year
“Dan Hurley has inspired me to pursue coaching because of the passion, intensity, and accountability he brings to the game every single day,” Abbatiello said.
“The way he leads with energy, demands toughness, and builds a culture centered on discipline and belief shows that coaching is about much more than just winning. Watching how he connects with his players and takes pride in their development motivated me to have that same kind of impact.”
Abbatiello specifically chose basketball because of the level of engagement it allows with players, and his love for the game itself.
“The fast pace, constant teaching, and daily interaction let me build stronger relationships and truly help athletes grow both on and off the court,” Abbatiello said.
Abbatiello aims to coach at the college level, combining high level competition with mentoring student athletes during a crucial time in their lives. At the same time, he wants to develop an Amateur Athletic Union program that gives young players the guidance, exposure, and opportunities he didn’t have, helping them pursue their dreams with the right support.
With his commitment on and off the court, Abbatiello is already leaving an impression on his players, proving that the future of Cortland basketball and his career in coaching is full of potential. Cortland now shifts its focus to a tournament this weekend. After Sunday’s two wins, they’ll look to continue their success.