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In 2003, the former Missouri Southern team captain and four-year starter returned to action for the Lions, but instead as the squad s seventh head coach in team history.Cirillo now enters his fifth year as head men's soccer coach at MSSU. Last season, the Lions were 3-11-4 but managed to knock off 2005 NCAA Tournament qualifier Truman in dramatic fashion with a 1-0 overtime win on a penalty kick. In 2005, the Lions more than doubled their win total from the previous season by finishing 5-14 overall and 3-11 in the SSC. Cirillo also led the Lions to a couple of marquee victories last year, featuring wins over No. 20-ranked Rockhurst (1-0, Sept. 3) and then SSC-leader West Texas A&M (3-0, Oct. 23). Cirillo's first MSSU squad finished 5-11 in 2003, but the team seemed to come on strong as the season progressed. The Lions played .500 soccer over their last 10 matches, improving leading up to the 2004 campaign. In 2004, Southern returned to a conference for the first time since 1998 in the fledgling Southwest Soccer Conference (SSC), made up of teams from Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Missouri. The league quickly became known as one of the most powerful in NCAA Division II. The Lions went 2-14-3 overall in 04, finishing 1-11-2 in the SSC. Southern did post a tie vs. conference and national power Incarnate Word (Texas) and collected a road win against Eastern New Mexico. A native of Springfield, Mo. and a graduate of Springfield s Kickapoo High School, Cirillo previously worked as Director of Coaching/Director of Club for the Springfield Premier Soccer Club. There, he was responsible for the development of approximately 350 youth soccer players and served as head coach of the under-16 boys and girls teams, the under-18 girls team and the under-13 girls squad. He also was responsible for the placement and resume-building of college-bound student-athletes, planning and organizing coaches meetings, coach evaluations and daily club operations. Cirillo is married to the former Nicole Shoger, who serves as an assistant coach on the MSSU Volleyball squad.
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