Hernando Santamaria assists Coach Smith’s staff by helping with the goalkeepers, scouting, film breakdown, on field sessions and recruiting.  His primary responsibilities include fundraising, academic monitoring, strength and conditioning and the rigors of day to day operations including all aspects of running a successful men’s soccer program.  “Coach Santamaria is a loyal, hard working and articulate young aspiring coach who will be a tremendous teacher for our goalkeepers and is truly an asset to the program,” states Coach Smith.

Mercy surrendered 24 goals in 17 games in 2010, compared to allowing 42 goals in 15 games in 2009.  The overall NCAA Division II rankings in 2009 had Mercy 155 out of 174 in goals allowed. In 2010, the Mavericks ranked 79 out of 177 in goals allowed. These are just some of the key contributions Coach Santamaria made in 2010 while working with the squad's goalkeepers and backline.

Prior to Mercy, Santamaria played for Coach Smith at Saint Peter’s College where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a Minor in Secondary Education in 2009.  He was a member of the NCAA tournament team that played Virginia in the first round in 2007.  In 2008, he started 10 games recording a 1.36 Goals Against Average and registering four shutouts with key results against Rutgers, Drexel and Hartford.   Since graduation, he has worked for the Albertson Soccer Club of New York, an elite club team in the USSF system.

He holds a United States Soccer Federation National License.

Santamaria currently resides in Queens, N.Y.