Tony Trisciani

Tony Trisciani (born April 24, 1973) is an American football. He is the head football coach at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina a position he has held since the 2019 season. Before becoming head coach, Trisciani was the defensive coordinator for the Elon Phoenix under head coach Curt Cignetti.[1] Trisciani also served as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Elon in 2006.[2] He was named the head coach of Elon on December 17, 2018 after Curt Cignetti resigned to become the head coach at James Madison.[3] Trisciani was the head football coach at Whitehall High School in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania from 2007 to 2011.

Named the 23rd head football coach at Elon University on Dec. 17, 2018, Tony Trisciani will begin his fourth season at the helm of the program in the fall of 2022. Widely familiar with the CAA Football landscape, the 2021 fall season marked Trisciani's 26th year as a football coach and his 16th year coaching at a CAA Football institution. Known for developing champions, Trisciani's career has featured multiple conference championships on the field while guiding his defensive units to national leaders in multiple categories and coaching numerous all-conference and All-American student-athletes.

Trisciani is also a leader locally and nationally, serving on the AFCA Rules Committee and as a voter in the AFCA Coaches Poll. He also works on the coaches council for the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation and serves on Elon Athletics’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion subcommittee.

In his second stint at Elon, the 2022 season marks Trisciani's seventh with the Phoenix overall. Formerly a defensive assistant with the program under Pete Lembo in 2006, Trisciani returned to Rhodes Stadium ahead of the 2017 season as the program's defensive coordinator before being elevated to head coach before to the 2019 campaign. Since his return to Elon, Trisciani has helped the Phoenix defeat ten Top 25 programs over the course of the last five seasons while making back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in the program's Division I history in 2017 and 2018.

In year three as head coach of the program, Trisciani’s squad far exceeded preseason expectations to become a contender in CAA Football. Elon went 6-5 overall and 5-3 in conference play, defeating No. 22 Richmond and No. 25 Rhode Island along the way. Picked to finish 12^th in the CAA Football preseason poll, Elon ended in sole possession of third place. It was the first time the program won at least six games overall and five in conference since 2017.

Emphasizing discipline, Trisciani’s team ranked among the top 25 in the country in turnover margin, turnovers lost and fewest penalty yards. The team was explosive offensively, ranking among the national leaders in passing offense, completion percentage, and third down conversion percentage. On special teams, Elon also thrived, ranking in the top 25 in blocked punts and punt return defense.

As a player, Trisciani was a four-year starter and two-year captain at Springfield, where he was the 1992 New England Rookie of the Year and the 1995 Springfield College Athlete of the Year and Team MVP. He earned a bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation services in 1996 and pursued a masters in health studies from Springfield from 1996-98.

Trisciani and his wife, Julie, reside in Elon and are the parents of two children, Shane and Hannah. Hannah is a senior at Elon in 2021-22.