Nick Giaquinto enters his 21st season at the helm of the Sacred Heart Pioneers and ninth at the Division I level looking to return his team to the Northeast Conference playoffs for a chance at another conference title. After a successful 33 years at Division II, the Pioneers won their first Division I crown in 2006 by winning the NEC Championship and earning their first trip to the NCAA Division I Tournament.

Giaquinto helped the Pioneers make the step up to Division I when they joined the Northeast Conference in 2000. After a difficult 12-38 (6-16, NEC) inaugural season, the Pioneers re-grouped and were one of the surprises in the NEC in 2001. The team improved to 22-23 overall (12-10, NEC) and battled for a NEC Tournament slot into the last weekend. The Pioneers qualified for the NEC Tournament in 2005 for the first time in school history, and backed that up with another appearance in 2006. The 26 wins posted in 2006 is a Division I best for the Pioneers.

Giaquinto has played a significant role in building a rich tradition at the University. He guided the Pioneers to the NCAA Regional Tournament three times - finishing eighth in the country at the Division II College World Series in Montgomery, Ala., in 1992. Sacred Heart also won back-to-back ECAC championships in 1990-91 under his tutelage.

The 1999 season saw Giaquinto pass the 200-win plateau with an 11-7 victory over St. Francis (NY) during the team's annual southern trip to Homestead, Fla. He passed the 300-win mark with a 5-1 over St. Francis during the 2005 seasons. In his 20 years on the job, Giaquinto has compiled a record of 375-487-2.

During Giaquinto's tenure, he has coached two All-America's, seen three players sign professional contracts and has been honored as the Northeast Region and New England Collegiate Conference "Coach of the Year" by the New Haven Diamond Club.

Giaquinto graduated from the UUConn in 1979 where he played football for the Huskies. His 277 yards rushing against Holy Cross in 1976 is still the school's all-time single-game high. After graduating from UConn, he began a four-year NFL career in 1980 with the Miami Dolphins. He was a member of the Washington Redskins 1982 squad that defeated the Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII. After his professional football career, Giaquinto took a position as assistant baseball coach at George Mason University. There he received his master's in Physical Education before being hired at SHU in 1988.

He is married to his wife, Barbara, and has two children, Annie (19) and Patrick (18).