2018 Skyline Coach of the Year

2019 Skyline Coach of the Year

2022 Skyline Coach of the Year

In July of 2017, Maurizio Grillo was named head women's soccer coach at Sarah Lawrence College.

Grillo has quickly transformed the women's soccer program in his first six seasons, compiling 63 wins, including 40 victories against Skyline opponents, the most of any coach in team history. Under his guidance, the Gryphons have earned 25 all-league selections and Grillo himself has been recognized as the Skyline coach of the year three times.

2017

Grillo made an immediate impact in his very first season in Bronxville in 2017, guiding the Gryphons to nine new program records, including marks for wins, conference wins, points, goals, assists and goals allowed. Under the direction of Grillo, Lauren Ashby became the program’s first-ever all-conference performer, setting team records for points and goals in a single-season.

2018

Sarah Lawrence fared even better in 2018, setting a school victory record while finishing 9-8 overall and 5-4 in the Skyline, its first winning season in school history. Sarah Lawrence earned the No. 4 seed, clinching a postseason berth for the first time in program history and a first round home playoff game for the first time in Sarah Lawrence Athletics history. The Gryphons won their first round playoff game over fifth-seeded St. Joseph's Brooklyn before falling to conference champion and nationally ranked Farmingdale State in the semifinals. Grillo was also named Skyline Coach of the Year in just his second year with the college.

Grillo coached a team-record four Skyline All-Conference performers, highlighted by Kiley Ritter, who was crowned Rookie of the Year after leading the Skyline in points (45) and goals (20), both program single-season records.

2019

2019 was the Gryphons' best season yet under Grillo. The team finished 14-5 overall with an 8-2 record against league opposition. The squad returned to the postseason, winning their first round playoff game for a second straight campaign, a 6-0 verdict over Old Westbury. Grillo produced the conference's Rookie of the Year, Niki Dalrymple, while coaching three others to Skyline All-Conference status. In addition, Grillo was crowned Skyline Coach of the Year. Under the guidance of Grillo, Tiffany McBrayer became the first Gryphon in team history to earn United Soccer Coaches All-Region recognition.  

2021

The 2021 season saw the Gryphons take on a tough non-conference schedule and despite convincing wins over Old Westbury, St. Joseph's Long Island, Maritime, Yeshiva and Purchase, the Gryphons would finish the season at .500 in Skyline play and would fall to #5 Mount Saint Mary in the conference tournament. Grillo would coach another all-conference player as Sophia Massucco would garner first team all-conference honors. 

2022

2022 was the culmination of the previous successes in Grillo's Sarah Lawrence career, finishing undefeated in Skyline contests with 10 victories and one tie against the eventual runner-up Farmingdale State Rams. Sarah Lawrence allowed just three goals in conference-play, including two shutouts in the postseason.The Gryphons claimed the program's first Skyline Tournament championship after besting the aforementioned Rams by a tally of 4-2 in a shootout after 110 minutes of scoreless soccer. The Gryphons would break another program barrier by making it to the NCAA tournament for the first time, falling to M.I.T. in the tournament after a historical season.

The Gryphons swept the Skyline all-conference awards with Cora Colvin and Lainie Cadieux taking home offensive and defensive player of the year honors while Viktoria Balbin earned rookie of the year recognition. Cadieux would also earn a spot on a United Soccer Coaches All-Region team, becoming the second Gryphon to be recognized by the organization. The aforementioned trio of award winners would be just three of seven Gryphons to garner all-conference status, including six who found themselves recognized as first team all-conference selections. Grillo would also claim his third Skyline coach of the year award in his five seasons at Sarah Lawrence after leading the team to numerous program-bests, including being named Skyline conference regular season and tournament champions.

In addition to getting it done on the pitch, the Gryphons have also excelled in the classroom, annually receiving United Soccer Coaches Team Academic recognition.

About Coach Grillo

Grillo joined Sarah Lawrence following a stint at Manhattanville College, where he helped the Valiants with in-game strategy and academic support, along with other day-to-day duties. During his time at Manhattanville, he also coached the New York Soccer club, a member of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

In addition, Grillo was the director of coaching for the Eleven United Soccer club, overseeing recruiting, game scheduling, equipment, and the team’s social media accounts. Grillo previously spent four years at Evanston High School, guiding the program to regional and sectional titles. During his time with the team, he led the squad to two third-place finishes at the PepisCO Showdown, the largest high school tournament in the country. Grillo’s varsity team ranked as high as No. 2 in the state of Illinois and seventh in the nation by SIMA.

Grillo, a native of Italy, graduated from G. Galilei in 1997.

Year

Overall

Conference

Postseason

2017

5-9-1

3-6

--

2018 *

9-8

5-4

Skyline Tournament Semifinals

2019 *

14-5

8-2

Skyline Tournament Semifinals

2021

9-10

5-5

Skyline Tournament First Round

2022 *

14-4-3

10-0-1

Skyline Tournament Champions

2023

12-5-3

9-0-2

Skyline Tournament Semifinals

Career

63-41-7 (.599)

40-17-3 (.692)

*Skyline Coach of the Year