Hernando Santamaria
Hernando Santamaria joined Newark Academy in 2019 after serving as a middle school Spanish Teacher and Middle School Athletic Coordinator at The Masters School (Dobbs Ferry, NY) for 4 years. Prior to teaching, Coach Santamaria began his career as a men's soccer graduate assistant at Mercy College where he worked closely with the men's soccer team while completing his Master's Degree. Upon the completion of his degree, Coach Santamaria resumed his collegiate coaching career at NJIT for a year before transitioning to the classroom. Coach Santamaria played his collegiate career at Saint Peter’s College where he ended his career playing in two MAAC Conference Finals and receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament in 2007. He was recently inducted into the Saint Peter’s University Athletics Hall of Fame alongside his teammates. He holds a BA in Spanish with a Minor in Secondary Education from Saint Peter's College and a MA in Adolescent Education from Mercy College. Outside of school, Coach Santamaria enjoys spending time with his wife Vanessa and son Valentino and enjoys playing basketball and bike riding.
