Steve Klingman is the elder statesman of The University of Scranton athletics department, having begun his career in 1973 as head men’s soccer coach. He is currently in his 51st year at The University of Scranton and currently works primarily as Assistant Athletic Facility Director.
His passion for the sport of soccer has never wavered, beginning on the high school level in his hometown of Havertown, Pa., and continuing at the collegiate and professional level in upstate New York in the early 1970s.
He will always be remembered, however, for his tenure as head coach of the Royals’ men’s soccer program. Taking over just four years after the program was founded, he led Scranton to an overall record of 324-116-23 in 22 seasons, including two straight appearances in the championship match of the NCAA Division III tournament in 1980 and 1981 during a string of four straight Final Four berths (1980-1983). The Royals also made nine other NCAA tournament appearances during his tenure, including Elite Eight appearances in 1977, 1978, and 1979. To this day, he is ranked 23rd in winning percentage (.726) and tied for 39th in victories (324) all-time in NCAA Division III men’s soccer history.
He won the first of his eight championships in the highly regarded Middle Atlantic Conference in 1976, just four years after taking over as head coach, and, remarkably, led the Royals to 21 consecutive winning seasons after posting a 5-8-1 record his first year. Ten of his former players have earned All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), 29 have been named all-regional by NSCAA, and 69 have earned all-conference recognition.
He continues to share his extensive knowledge of the game even today. From 2005 through 2008, he coached the Abington Heights Middle School program to a 62-1-1 overall record that included four Lackawanna League titles and two Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) District II championships. From 2009 through 2015, he coached the boys' varsity program at Abington Heights High School, where his teams posted a 109-27-6 overall record, including five Lackawanna League Division 1 titles.
Klingman earned his 400th coaching vctory (433-143-28, combined college and high school record) during the 2013 season. His 2009 team won the PIAA District II AA title and advanced to the state tournament and his 2011, 2013 and 2014 teams won the PIAA District II AAA championship, while earning the District II AAA silver medal in 2010 and 2012. In five of seven seasons, Abington Heights has been ranked in the large school state rankings by the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association.
The road to his successful coaching career mirrors that of many in his profession. Klingman was a two-year varsity performer at Haverford High School, earning All-Central League honors, serving as team captain, and earning his team’s most valuable player (MVP) award his senior year.
He enrolled at Ithaca College, where he was a three-year starter on the Bombers’ men’s soccer team (freshmen were prohibited by NCAA rules from competing on the varsity back then) and was twice named team captain and twice selected the team’s most valuable player (MVP). In 1971, he was named All-Independent College Athletic Conference (ICAC) and All-New York State.
Upon graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education, he joined the Ithaca coaching staff as an assistant men’s soccer coach while pursuing a Master of Science degree in physical education, which he eventually received in 1975. He also played professionally with the Syracuse Suns in the American Soccer League in 1973 and 1974.
Steve and his wife, the former Deanna Kyle, are the parents of four children: Kelly, Derek, Justin, and Colin. Steve and Deanna reside in Clarks Summit, Pa.
His oldest son, Derek, was a member of the Royals' men's soccer team and his middle son, Justin, played on the basketball and baseball teams at Scranton. Justin is in his second year as the head men's basketball coach at Goucher College after completing four years as the top assistant at both Catholic University and Ursinus College. His youngest son, Colin, was captain of the Ursinus men's soccer team for three seasons and served as an assistant coach for three seasons (one season at Ursinus and two at Catholic while earning his Master's Degree, and one season as a full-time assistant coach at Division I Binghamton University. Colin is currently in his first year as head men's soccer coach at Ursinus College.
His daughter Kelly played four years of varsity soccer under legendary coach Joe Bochicchio. Her teams won the MAC Freedom Conference Championship and participated in the NCAA Tournament all four years she was a member of the team and reached the national quarterfinal in 2001 and 2003.
Coaching Highlights
Awards & Honors
The University of Scranton Wall of Fame (1996)
Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame – Delaware Valley Chapter (1992)
Ithaca College Sports Hall of Fame (1993)
Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame – Northeast Chapter (1997)
Chic Feldman Foundation Sports Hall of Fame (1998)
Haverford High School Hall of Fame (2008 – Team/Baseball)
University of Scranton Peter Carlisimo Award (2014)
Middle Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame (2016)
Milestones:
1st Win: 4-0, Lebanon Valley College, Sept. 19, 1973
100th Win: 3-0, Elizabethtown College, Nov. 5, 1980
200th Win: 2-0, Bloomsburg University, Sept. 24, 1986
300th Win: 4-2, SUNY New Paltz, Sept. 5, 1993
Overall Coaching Record: 324-116-23, .725 winning %
Decade of 80”s Wins (1980-1989): 173 Wins – 3rd Most in NCAA - All Divisions
Winning Seasons: (21 Consecutive)
1974 (11-2), 1975 (11-6), 1976 (15-6), 1977 (13-6), 1978 (141-5-1)
1979 15-3-1), 1980 (21-3-1), 1981 17-6-1), 1982 19-5), 1983 (15-7-1),
1984 (18-4-1), 1985 (17-2-4), 1986 17-3-4), 1987 (20-1-1), 1988 (15-4-2),
1989 (14-8), 1990 18-2-4), 1991 (13-8-1), 1992 (10-8-2), 1993 15-7),
1994 (11-9)
MAC/Freedom Coach of the Year: 1993 (Freedom League COY)
MAC did not initiate Coach of Year until 1990 season
Middle Atlantic Conference Overall Championships (8):
1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985
Middle Atlantic Conference Player of the Year Selections: (7)
Bill DiBianca (1976), Cedric deSilva (1979), Bill McNeel (1982), Gerry Pindar (1983),
Dan Diceanu (1984), Magnus Ojert (1987), Joe Schmidt (1993)
All Middle Atlantic Conference Selections (54):
Manny Del Campo (1973, 1974), Joe Falana (1973, 1974), Pat Coleman (1974, 1975),
Bill DiBianca (1974, 1975, 1976), Steve Jiulianti (1975, 1976, 1977), Jim Rauer (1975, 1976, 1977)
Jack Vogel (1975, 1976, 1977), John Keating (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979), Dan Amspacher (1977, 1978, 1979),
Glenn Brodwater (1977, 1978), Cedric deSilva (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981), Mark Haley (1978, 1979, 1980),
Wayne Risoli (1978), Bill McNeel (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982), Don DiValerio (1980), Bob Hernandez (1980), Eric Knuttel (1980), Dave Hardie (1981), Tom McGill (1981, 1982), Carlos Loureiro (1981, 1982), Mike Crines (1982),
John Cobb (1982, 1983), Toby Lovecchio (1983, 1984), Gerry Pindar (1983), Jeff Arestivo (1984, 1985, 1986),
Kevin Ferrari (1984, 1985, 1986), Jim Grueter (1984), Scott Hirst (1984), Brian O’Callahan (1984),
Hugh O’Neill (1984, 1985), Magnus Ojert (1985, 1987), Mike Commesso (1985, 1986),
Mike Kane (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989), Mike Capasso (1986, 1987), Roy Best (1987, 1991), Mike Loyack (1987), Greg Marron (1987), Doug Edwards (1988, 1989, 1990), Jim Grace (1988, 1990), Vince McNulty (1988),
Mike Graybar (1989, 1990), Jack Faber (1990), Mike Masucci (1990), Steve Sandford (1990, 1991),
Tim Ermlich (1991, 1992), Jay Young (1991, 1992), Joe Schmidt (1992, 1993), Chad Eckelberger (1993),
Paul Houri (1993), Don Pullano (1993), Mike Shale (1993, 1994), Jake Straub (1993, 1994), Scott White (1993),
Ted Castell (1994)
NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year: 1983: PA, N.J., Del. Regional Coach of the Year
NCAA Tournament Appearances: (13):
1977, 1978 (Elite 8), 1979 (Elite 8), 1980 (Finalist),
1981 (Finalist), 1982 (semi-finalist), 1983 (Semi-finalist),
1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1993
NSCAA All Region Selections: (29)
Bill DiBianca (1976), Jack Vogel (1977), Jim Rauer (1977), Jack Vogel (1977), John Keating (1978, 1979),
Glenn Brodwater (1978), Cedric deSilva (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981), Dan Amspacher (1979),
Eric Knuttle (1980), Bill McNeel (1980, 1981, 1982), Mike Crines (1981, 1982),
Carlos Loureiro (1982), Tom McGill (1982), Gerry Pindar (1983), Dan Diceanu (1983, 1984),
John Cobb (1983), Jeff Arestivo (1984, 1985, 1986), Kevin Ferrari (1984, 1986), Hugh O’Neill (1985),
Mike Capasso (1985, 1986, 1987), Magnus Ojert (1985, 1986, 1987), Mike Kane (1987, 1988, 1989),
Jim Grace (1988, 1989, 1990), Doug Edwards (1990), Mike Penkethman (1990), Steve Sandford (1991),
Jay Young (1991), Joe Schmidt (1993), Jake Straub (1994)
NSCAA All Americans (10):
Cedric deSllva (1980, Division 1, 1981, Division 3), Bill McNeel (1982), Dan Diceanu (1984),
Hugh O’Neill (1985), Jeff Arestivo (1986), Mike Capasso (1987), Magnus Ojert (1987),
Mike Kane (1988), Doug Edwards (1990), Joe Schmidt (1993)
