Staff Spotlight: Meet Nick, Leading Sports, Team, and Student-Athlete Success Â
Bradenton, Fla. Sep. 17, 2025
Nick Cichielo, Athletic Director, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
Nick Cichielo was born in Rockville Centre, NY, and spent most of his childhood in St. Louis, MO. He has worked in professional baseball and college athletics. While pursuing a Master of Science degree in collegiate athletic administration from Coker University, he gained valuable experience as an intern with ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, Manatee-Sarasota’s Manatees Athletics Department. This role helped him fast-track his career in sports.
Serving Proudly at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
Cichielo enjoyed every moment of his internship, which focused on distributing news and social media content for ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s sports teams. He hoped to join the department in a full-time capacity, and in November 2022, he seized that opportunity. Since then, he has served as an interim volleyball head coach, interim athletic director, and now athletic director.
As ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s athletic director, Cichielo oversees the College’s intramural, baseball, softball, court volleyball and beach volleyball sports programs, which are governed by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is adding a new Division II intercollegiate men’s and women’s cross country program, which receives funding support from an NJCAA Sport Opportunity Grant and the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Student Activity Budget Review Committee. The College is also hosting its inaugural on Oct. 4, 2025, to benefit its sports programs.
Cichielo values ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s rich history of athletics. He cares about every detail and feels a sense of purpose in achieving outstanding results.
Honoring Excellence at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
One of Cichielo’s top achievements is leading ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø to a national runner-up finish in the 2025 NJCAA Beach Volleyball Championship. He also celebrates his appointment as ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s athletic director, winning the 2016 California League Championship with the Texas Rangers MLB organization, and becoming the first person in his family to earn a graduate degree.
The student-athletes are a driving force for Cichielo. He finds joy in their success—on the courts, fields and in the classroom—and credits them with inspiring him more than they may realize.
Life Outside of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
When not at work, Cichielo enjoys playing golf and cooking. When he travels, one of his favorite places to visit is San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter downtown district.