Joe Mortarulo

Biography

Joseph Mortarulo, who has made his mark on the soccer landscape at all levels of competition - high school, collegiate, professional and international - enters his eighth season in 2026 on Jim McElderry’s Rutgers men’s soccer staff as an assistant coach. Mortarulo saw the team to an 8-6-3 record in the fall of 2025, including Big Ten wins over Penn State (1-0), Ohio State (2-0) and Wisconsin (4-2). The defense, led by senior goalkeeper Ciaran Dalton, was solid throughout the season, ending with five shutouts. Dalton cemented his name in the record books, ranking fifth all-time with 62 career games in net and 230 career saves. Nick Collins (3) and Devon Stopek (1) also excelled on offense each finding the back of the net. Braxton Montgomery played all 17 games for the Scarlet Knights on the backline during his first campaign and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. In 2024, Mortarulo helped lead the Scarlet Knights in an exciting campaign, picking up two top-10 wins for just the second time in program history, over No. 8 Wisconsin (3-1) and No. 10 Maryland (3-1). Joey Zalinsky (37th overall) and Nick Collins (85th overall) were chosen in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, continuing a long line for professional success for the program. Curt Calov, who was named to the All-Big Ten second team, was also signed to a professional contract after the draft with Minnesota United FC. In the fall of 2023, Mortarulo helped McElderry lead the team to a 5-8-3 record, picking up three Big Ten