Skip Bandini
Skip Bandini
Title: Head Coach
Phone: 617-333-2109
Email: sbandini0306@curry.edu

Coach Bandini's Coaching Philosophy

The Bandini File at Curry

Bandini begins his 15th season as the head coach of the football progam in 2021-22. 

After 14 seasons (2006-2019) at the helm, Bandini owns a stellar 85-62 career head coaching record. Curry's 28-23 win against Maine Maritime on November 15, 2014 marked the 65th career win for Bandini, who moved ahead of Steve Nelson and into first place on the school's all-time wins list.

In 2019, three of his student-athletes garnered All-Conference accolades, headlined by Hunter Atwood (Reading, Mass.) as the Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year. In addition, 16 student-athletes were named to the CCC Academic All-Conference Team. 

In 2018, Bandini had four of his student-athletes earn All-Conference recognition while 12 were named as Academic All-Conference selections. 

In 2017, the Colonels finished with an 8-3 overall record and a 4-1 mark in the rebranded Commonwealth Coast Football (CCC Football). 10 of Bandini’s student-athletes earned All-Conference recognition from the league office. Quarterback Alex Corvese (Cranston, R.I.) was named the CCC Football Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference honors while running back Sean Amaru (Westwood, Mass.) brought home the CCC Football Offensive Rookie of the Year and First Team accolades. Bandini closed out the major award winners in 2017 when he was voted on by his peers as the CCC Football Coach of the Year. Additionally, Bandini guided Curry to the second annual New England Bowl. Eight other Colonels earned All-Conference accolades in 2017.  

In 2016, the Colonels finished with a 3-6 overall record and a 1-6 mark in the New England Football Conference (NEFC). Three of Bandini's student-athletes earned All-Conference recognition from the NEFC. Wide receiver Jake Cawlina (Danvers, Mass.) was named to the First Team Offensive after he recorded 60 receptions for 945 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was tied for the conference lead in touchdown receptions and ranked second in yards per game. Wide receiver Anthony Nastasi (River Edge, N.J.) earned All-NEFC Second Team accolades. He caught 82 passes for a total of 772 yards and four touchdowns. Junior offensive lineman Ryan Boucher (Reading, Mass.) joined Nastasi on the Second Team.

In 2012, Bandini led the Colonels to a 6-4 overall record and a 5-2 mark in New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division action.

In May of 2012, he was presented with the Ron Burton Distinguished American Award from the Jack Grinold Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation. The award - named in memory of the late New England Patriots running back who co-founded the Pop Warner program in Framingham - is presented to a former player who has carried the lessons learned on the field to a lifetime of service to the community.

In 2010, he guided Curry to a 6-4 overall record and a 4-3 mark in Boyd Division play. Bandini was also the 2010 recipient of the Murray Lewis Award from the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Football Officials honoring his contributions to football in the region.

In 2009, Bandini led the Colonels to an 8-3 record overall, a 7-0 record in the NEFC Boyd Division, another Boyd Division title, and was named as the NEFC Boyd Division Coach of the Year.

His squads have won two NEFC Championships (2006, 2007), participated in three NCAA Division III Tournaments (2006, 2007, 2008), turned in a school-record 12-win campaign (2007), earned the school’s first-ever NCAA home playoff game (2007), earned the first-ever national tournament victory for the school and the NEFC (42-21 win vs. Hartwick in 2007), earned the conference’s first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament (2008) and captured the first road playoff victory for an NEFC team (26-21 win at Ithaca in 2008).

His 2008 Colonels finished third in the final New England Division III Football Poll, sixth in the final ECAC Lambert Meadowlands Football Poll, 22nd in the final D3football.com poll and 23rd in the final American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll. On December 11, 2008, Bandini was honored by the All-American Football Foundation at its 97th Banquet of Champions with the Johnny Vaught Outstanding College Coach Award.

His 2007 Colonels were ranked as the #1 team in the New England Division III Poll for the entire season – a first for Curry – and #19 nationally in the final American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll. At season's end, Bandini was named as 2007 Division II/III Coach of the Year by both the New England Football Writers (NEFW) and the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.

In his first season, Bandini led the Colonels to a perfect 11-0 regular-season record and was named as NEFC Boyd Division Coach of the Year.

Bandini had served on former Head Coach Steve Nelson’s staff for three seasons – as defensive coordinator in 2003 and 2004, then as offensive coordinator in 2005. Curry won the NEFC title and participated in the NCAA Division III Tournament in each of those years. Out of 228 Division III football programs nationwide, his Colonels' defensive units ranked 12th and 16th respectively in 2003 and 2004 in team defense.

Bandini had previously coached at five different high schools and five different colleges throughout Massachusetts. Among his high school assignments were head coaching positions at St. Clement (1989-1990) and Don Bosco Tech (1992-1995), his alma mater. Bandini also served in various coaching capacities at Dom Savio, Stoneham and Reading High Schools.

He launched his coaching career in 1981 with a two-year stint as assistant to the offensive line coach at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Bandini then returned to the collegiate ranks in 1996, working as offensive coordinator at M.I.T. for three seasons before moving on to Mount Ida College as defensive coordinator for one year. Prior to his arrival at Curry, Bandini served as both defensive and offensive line coach at Division II UMass-Lowell from 2000-2002.

Bandini grew up in Brighton with his mother Agnes and brother Jay, and graduated from Don Bosco Tech in 1976, where he earned all-conference honors as a lineman and played on two Catholic Conference championship squads. Bandini then attended Bridgton Academy, graduating in 1977 after earning letters in three varsity sports (football, hockey and baseball). He was recently inducted into the Bridgton Academy Hall of Fame.

He went on to Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering in 1981. A four-year starter at offensive line for the Buccaneers, Bandini was a two-time All-New England performer, earned numerous team and all-conference honors, played on an NEFC Championship squad in 1977 and was a team captain his senior year. In 1999, Mass. Maritime retired his #62 jersey and in 2006, he was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.

In 2005, Bandini was honored by the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association as their recipient of the Association’s annual Distinguished Service Award. Bandini is founder of Master Sports Inc. which is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit corporation providing memorial scholarships to student-athletes.

Bandini joined the Curry Athletics staff full-time in June of 2014. He is the proud father of two sons, John and P.J.