Mariano has a distinguished background as both a player and coach throughout his career. He comes to Pace from The Ohio Machine of Major League Lacrosse where he was the assistant coach and defensive coordinator. Marianos college experience includes a successful career as the Head Mens Lacrosse Coach at Sacred Heart University for 17 years. As the head coach, he oversaw the recruiting efforts, initiated the transition of the lacrosse program from Division II to Division I as well as the move from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to the Colonial Athletic Association, which is one of the premier college lacrosse conferences in the country, and the eventual move to the Northeast Conference. Mariano and his staff annually produced a team that was a strong influence in the community and also carried a 3.0 team GPA. He had a successful 2013 campaign as the NEC Coach of the Year as his team qualified for the 2013 NEC playoffs. In total, Mariano has coached 70 all-conference players throughout his collegiate coaching career. Mariano received his Masters Degree in Teaching with a concentration in Elementary Education in 2000 from Sacred Heart University. He is a 1994 graduate of Nazareth College in Rochester, NY with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Administration. While at Nazareth, he was a member of the 1992 NCAA Division III Mens Lacrosse National Championship team.