Penn State Scranton Director of Athletics and Recreation Enrico Mastroianni will return to the sidelines in 2026-27, assuming leadership of the Penn State Scranton men’s basketball program.
A Penn State alumnus and veteran collegiate basketball coach, Mastroianni brings 14 seasons of collegiate head coaching experience to the program, having previously served as head coach at Marywood University, Georgian Court University and Centenary College. Throughout his career, he has established a track record of building programs, recruiting and developing student-athletes, promoting academic success and creating winning cultures on and off the court.
“I’m incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to return to coaching, particularly at Penn State,” Mastroianni said. “I want to thank Director of Student Services and Engagement, Matt Nied, and Regional Chancellor, Penn State Scranton, Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre, Menah Pratt, J.D., Ph.D., for their confidence and support in entrusting me with this program. I know what this University has meant in my own life, and I’m excited to build something our players, alumni, campus and community can be proud of.”
Mastroianni’s coaching career includes several successful program-building efforts. At Marywood University, he guided the Pacers to a then-program-record 17 victories in 2018-19, a No. 2 seed in the Atlantic East Conference and the first postseason victory in program history, earning 2019 Atlantic East Conference Coach of the Year honors. He also became the only coach in program history at the time to lead Marywood to four consecutive playoff appearances.
Prior to Marywood, Mastroianni was selected as the first men’s basketball coach at Georgian Court University, where he built the program from its inception. At Centenary College, he inherited a struggling program and won 13 games in his first season, more than the program had won during the previous five seasons combined, and later left as the program’s all-time wins leader at the time.
“Enrico brings a proven track record as a collegiate head coach and a clear understanding of what it takes to build a successful program,” Nied said. “His experience in recruiting and developing student-athletes, combined with the relationships he has built throughout our region and his commitment to Penn State Scranton, gives me tremendous confidence in his ability to lead our men’s basketball program forward.”
Mastroianni’s coaching philosophy has consistently emphasized more than wins and losses. His teams earned repeated NABC academic recognition, including eight NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards through his final season at Marywood. During his collegiate coaching career, he also developed 17 all-conference players and recruited and coached 12 student-athletes who reached 1,000 career points.
That combination of competitive excellence, academic achievement, accountability and personal development will serve as the foundation for Penn State Scranton men’s basketball moving forward.
“We are going to compete, and our expectations are going to be high,” Mastroianni said. “But our responsibility is bigger than basketball. We want young men who value their education, love the game, want to be challenged and understand what it means to represent Penn State. Our goal is to develop better basketball players, better students, better teammates and, ultimately, better men.”
A 1999 graduate of Penn State University with a bachelor of science in marketing and international business and a minor in international studies, Mastroianni later earned a master of education from Misericordia University. His higher education career has also included experience in admissions, academic support, student development, and teaching.
“It’s about establishing a standard, investing in our student-athletes and building a program worthy of the Penn State name,” Mastroianni added. “I’m excited to get to work.
https://www.psuscrantonathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2026-27/releases/20261001zt4ftg
