Sebastiano Mana was hired as an assistant coach of the New York University men’s soccer team in September 2021 and serves as the goalkeepers’ coach.

The Violets’ 2023 squad notched an overall record of 5-6-5, 3-2-2 in the University Athletic Association (UAA). The team garnered awards from the UAA and the College Sports Communicators (CSC) for accolades on and off the field.

Arkan Tahsildaroglu earned First Team All-UAA recognition, while Joss Cohen received All-UAA Honorable Mention. Both players, along with Chaz Bond, also earned UAA Player of the Week accolades during the season. Tahsildaroglu, a four-year team member, graduated as NYU’s all-time leader in goals per game (.55), points per game (1.45), shots per game (4.8), assists (17), and shots (235).

The Violets posted a 9-5-3 overall record in 2022, 4-1-2 in the UAA, as NYU earned an at-large-bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.

On October 30, the Violets faced the University of Chicago. The contest ended in a 0-0 draw, the only game all season in which #1-ranked and eventual NCAA Division III Champions Chicago did not win.

There were plenty of accolades for the players in 2022. Arkan Tahsildaroglu was named UAA Men’s Soccer Co-Offensive Player of the Year. He and Alex Rovirosa-Illa were named All-UAA First Team, while Joe Leslie was selected Second Team and Nicholas Suter received Honorable Mention accolades. Tahsildaroglu (First Team) and Rovirosa-Illa (Third Team) earned United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-Region honors, as well.

Tahsildaroglu and Rovirosa-Illa also set program records during the campaign. Tahsildaroglu ended the season #1 all-time in goals per game (.57), points per game (1.51) and shots per game (4.71), while Rovirosa-Illa set the standard in total career assists (16) and assists per game (.46).

In Mana’s first season at NYU, the Violets posted an 11-6-1 overall record and went 4-3 in the UAA. The Violets earned an at-large to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Second Round. The campaign also included a seven-game unbeaten streak and a victory over then-#9 Washington University in St. Louis on October 15.

There were plenty of honors for the players in 2021. Tahsildaroglu (Second Team) and Louis Meeks (Third Team) earned USC All-Region honors. Nathan Bennett was selected UAA Freshman Rookie of the Year, Tahsildaroglu and Meeks earned Second Team honors, while Bennett, Isaiah Boyd, Rovirosa-Illa, and Pablo Vargas were awarded Honorable Mention. The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) also bestowed honors on the players with Bennett being tabbed Division III Rookie of the Year and Rookie of the Month in October, while Luca Mancuso (Goalkeeper of the Month) and Tahsildaroglu (Player of the Month) earned monthly accolades in September.

Mana joined the NYU staff after holding three goalkeeper coaching positions in the New York City area. He has served as the Director of Goalkeeping at the Met Oval Development Academy since August 2018, the Under 7-11 Goalkeeper Coach at Manhattan Kickers F.C. (N.Y.C.F.C Development Program) since March 2018 and as the U7-U15 Goalkeeper Coach at FA Academy (NJ) since September 2019.

A native of Turin, Italy, Mana played 15 years of semi-professional soccer in his home country and has been training goalkeepers for the past 17 years. Prior to his roles in the U.S., Mana served as the Head of Goalkeeper Coaches at A.S.D. Cheraschese, part of the F.C. Juventus Academy, from 2011-17. He has also worked for A.S.D. Carmagnolese (F.C. Sampdoria Academy) from 2009-11 as the Under 10-14 Goalkeeper Coach and held a different role within the F.C. Juventus Academy from 2007-09 for A.S.D. Chisola Calcio, serving as the Under 10-14 Goalkeeper Coach.

Mana holds a U.S.S.F. National Advance Goalkeeping Diploma and earned an Executive Master’s in Corporate Public Relations from I.U.L.M. University in Milan, Italy. He also received a Bachelor’s degree in Communications & Marketing from the University of Turin, Italy.

A proficient speaker of French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and English, Mana resides in New York City.