Coaching Staff

Contact Information

Marcus Reilly
Head Coach
mrreilly@ccri.edu

Claudia DeFaria
Associate Head Coach
cdefaria@ccri.edu

Nicholas DiOrio
Assistant Coach
ndiorio@ccri.edu

Marcus Reilly: Head Coach

Marcus returned as Head Coach at CCRI in 2006-2007 after serving as Top Assistant and Recruiting Coordinator for Jacksonville State University (NCAA DI, Ohio Valley) from 2003-2006. While at Jacksonville State, Reilly helped guide the Gamecocks to their first ever trip to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Final Four and their highest Division 1 win total of 18 victories. Reilly directed skill workouts for all red-shirts and post players. As the Director of Scouting in the 2003-04 season, Reilly led the scout for the Gamecocks in their first ever victory over a Conference USA opponent UAB and first ever SEC victory over Auburn.

Before serving at Jacksonville State, Reilly was Head Coach at CCRI from 2001-2003 where he coached the Knights to a 32-16 record and onto the National JUCO scene. Reilly’s club upset Mitchell Junior College for the first time in program history (25 years) and its dominance in New England has never been relinquished. Reilly’s success includes recruiting the first CCRI class of women’s basketball players to ever reach the NJCAA Final Four. Included in that class were CCRI All-time Leading Scorer Amanda Ward (956 pts), CCRI Single-season Scoring Leader Jeannell Hughes(662 pts), and forward Nicola Dalton who continued their careers on full athletic scholarships at the University of Albany, Hofstra, and Franklin Pierce, respectively.

Player development and moving players to the next level has always been at the core of Coach Reilly's programs. His former players and signees have gone on to play in the ACC, Big East, America East, MAAC, Ohio Valley, MEAC, Colonial Athletic Association, Northeast-10, Sunshine State and Little East Conferences.

Prior to coaching at the College level, Reilly coached Cranston High School West from 1999-2001. Reilly directed West to a 24-17 record and led them to their first and only State Tournament Championship Game as Division 1 Central Champions. Five players from that team moved on to play college basketball at scholarship levels including the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year, Shannon Petranoff, who accepted a full basketball scholarship to Boston University. During that time he also served as Head Coach of the RI Breakers AAU basketball team which saw eight of those players accept NCAA Scholarships.

Reilly received his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Policy from Trinity College in 1999. He is working towards his Master’s Degree in Adult Education Administration at the University of Rhode Island. He currently resides in Cranston, RI with his wife Lindsey and their son, Owen.

Claudia DeFaria: Associate Head Coach

Claudia DeFaria has been a constant throughout CCRI Basketball and its rise to national prominence. The assistant coach at CCRI for the past four years, she was promoted to Associate Head Coach in 2006-2007. She has worked closely with Coach Reilly since 1999 at Cranston High School West, leading that program to its first and only Class A state championship appearance in 2001.

As a former Lady Knight star, DeFaria earned All-Region 21 honors and finished as the All-Time leading scorer (916 points) as well as being selected a NJCAA All-American. Many of her records were broken by her own players during the 2004-2005 National Final Four Championship run. DeFaria still holds the record for most three pointers in a single game (7).

She continued her playing career at Rhode Island College, where she scored over 1000 points in just two seasons and was selected Little East Conference Player of the Year (the school's first). DeFaria was inducted into the CCRI Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999 and then into the Rhode Island College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. She was also recognized as a member of the RIC 75th All-Anniversary team in May, 2005. She currently serves on three Hall of Fame selection committees: Central Falls High School, CCRI, and RIC.

DeFaria graduated CCRI in 1993 with an Associate's in Business with a concentration in Law Enforcement. She transferred to Rhode Island College to earn her degree with a Bachelor's in Justice Studies in 1996. Claudia resides in Central Falls, RI. She is currently a member of the Women’s Basketball Coach’s Association.

Nicholas DiOrio: Recruiting Coordinator

Nick DiOrio serves a variety of vital roles for the Community College of Rhode Island women’s basketball program and the athletic department. Promoted to the program’s recruiting coordinator in 2007-2008, Coach DiOrio identifies the program’s top recruits in the Northeast and oversees future roster projections. He also manages staff in preparing all recruit mass mailings and contacts. He also maintains Coach Reilly’s recruiting and camp databases.
“With his increasing knowledge of player evaluations and game strategy, Coach DiOrio is invaluable to our program and has a bright future in college athletics. We are fortunate to have him on staff”, states Coach Reilly. “He works diligently on improving himself in both administrative and sport specific duties at all times and he is relied on daily in the program”. Nick will also aide in practice planning, game preparation, scouting, and camps.

From September 2002 through May 2006, DiOrio served as a student assistant to the men’s basketball program at Western New England College. He was involved in recruiting, scouting, and skill workouts in addition to other duties. He has also involved himself in camps on the summer circuit, including basketball camps at the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College.

DiOrio graduated from Western New England College in May of 2006 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and a concentration in Sports Management. He also serves as an assistant to the Sports Information Director at CCRI. Nick resides in Cranston, RI. He is a member of the Women’s Basketball Coach’s Association.