Siena College men’s soccer head coach Cesar Markovic retires after 25-year career

LOUDONVILLE, NY – Following a decorated 25-year career as a collegiate head coach including the past seven seasons leading the Siena College men’s soccer program, Cesar Markovic has announced his retirement.

Markovic amassed 213 career victories with five different programs spanning a quarter century as a head coach, and led three of them to the NCAA Tournament.

“Being the head coach at Siena has been such a wonderful time in my life,” reflected Markovic. “I am so grateful for the opportunity that John D’Argenio gave me seven years ago. The community feels like home, and the people that I’ve worked with have become lifelong friends. It’s been a fun and exciting ride as a college coach, but it’s time for me to begin a new journey with my family and experience some new and wonderful things the world has to offer. My two eldest sons are now proud Siena College alumni, and I am eternally part of the Siena Family and tradition. Thank you to my co-workers, assistant coaches, and student athletes for providing me with a wonderful experience.”

The second winningest coach in Siena Men’s Soccer’s nearly five decades long history, Markovic won 47 matches since taking the reins of the Saints in 2013, highlighted by consecutive MAAC Semifinals appearances in 2015 and 2016. The 2015 squad won multiple postseason matches for the first time in program history, and in 2016 Markovic led Siena to a triumph in the program’s first-ever postseason home match.

“I would like to thank Cesar for the commitment that he has made to the Siena Men’s Soccer program, our student athletes, and the College over the past seven-plus years,” said Siena College Vice President and Director of Athletics John D’Argenio. “He has reached a personal decision that I am sure was challenging to make. Cesar has enjoyed a long and successful collegiate coaching career that has impacted many lives, and I wish him and his family great success in their new endeavor.”

In just his second season at the helm in 2014, Markovic guided the Saints to 10 victories which was tied for the second highest total in program history, and led Siena Soccer to its first-ever undefeated home season (6-0-2). The 2014 team was also amongst teams receiving votes in the NSCAA Top-25 Poll for consecutive weeks that September, with a peak of 24 votes in the Sept. 16, 2014 poll which marked the 32nd highest total in the nation. The Saints were also ranked as high as second in the Northeast in the NSCAA’s regional rankings the week prior. Markovic was responsible for piloting Siena to two of the program’s four all-time victories over nationally ranked opponents, leading the Saints past No. 23 Boston University that season as well as 22nd ranked Rider in 2017.

Markovic’s Siena teams also enjoyed great success in the classroom. Last spring, the Saints earned the program’s first-ever NCAA Public Recognition Award for achieving an Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the top-10 percent of all Division I men’s soccer program’s nationally. Siena was one of just 20 Division I men’s soccer programs in the country – and the only MAAC squad – to be recognized. The Saints also received five United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards during his tenure (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019), and led all of Siena Athletics’ male programs during the 2018-19 academic year with a 3.36 cumulative GPA as 21 of 26 student athletes on the roster maintained a 3.0 GPA or better. This past season, Siena boasted a program record 13 MAAC All-Academic Team selections.

Prior to his appointment at Siena, Markovic served as the head coach at NJIT (2011-12), Stony Brook (2004-10), Saint Peter’s (2000-03), and his alma mater Division III Hunter (1995-99), and departed each of those four institutions as the winningest head coach in each of their respective program’s histories. He led Saint Peter’s to the NCAA Tournament in 2003, and Stony Brook in both 2005 and 2009. Both Markovic’s 2003 Saint Peter’s and 2005 Stony Brook squads each won First Round games. He also led Hunter to the regional semifinals of the 1999 NCAA Division III Tournament.

In 2016, Markovic was appointed an assistant coach and technical assessor of the Puerto Rican National Team, which reached the Third Round of the Caribbean Cup for the first time ever. He earned a USSF A License, the highest granted in USA Soccer, an NSCAA Premier License, and was among the first American coaches granted a Brazilian Professional Coaching license after serving as an apprentice/assistant with the famed Sao Paulo FC. He also served as an assistant coach stateside with the professional Long Island Rough Riders in 1997 and 1998.