NEWS

Award-winning Ontario Junior Hockey League coach and general manager Mike Tarantino (photo by Spencer Smye / OJHL Images) is one of 10 individuals selected for induction into the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2021, it was announced this week.

Mike Tarantino BS '04 (Men's Hockey) 
A native of Oakville Ontario Canada, Mike Tarantino was a mainstay during RIT's final Division III years. The center played in 105 games, tallying 68 goals and 103 assists for 171 points, ranking him 15th all-time at the university.

As a senior, Mike served as team captain and was named second team All-American. He also garnered four All-ECAC honors, including Rookie of the Year in 2000-01. A model of consistency, Mike had at least 40 points all four seasons.
From 2000-04, RIT was 83-15-9 with two ECAC West titles, while playing in two NCAA Division III Tournaments. During Tarantino's freshman year, RIT started the season 27-0-1, advancing to the NCAA Division III Championship game.

In 2001, Tarantino received RIT's Craig Lauzon Award as Rookie of the Year. In his senior campaign he won the Corner Crew Fan's Choice (now Dan Barrows) Award and the Art Thomas Award.

Now 40, Mike teaches business studies at Garth Webb Secondary School in Oakville. He is also General Manager of the Collingwood Blues in the Ontario Junior Hockey League.

He was named OJHL Executive of the Year in 2014 with the Toronto Patriots and Coach of the Year in 2019 with the Oakville Blades.

Both teams won the league and Central Canadian championships and advanced to the nationals. He also coached current RIT player Ryan Nicholson in the 2018-19 championship season with Oakville.
The Oakville native played two-plus seasons for his hometown Blades, including an 81-point (35 goals, 46 assists) campaign in 1999-2000 before attending RIT.
Mike and his wife Melinda have two daughters, Zoey and Maizie. They live in Burlington, Ont.

Due to ongoing pandemic concerns, the class will be celebrated at a later date, anticipated in the Fall of 2022. 
"It is unfortunate that we must postpone our inductions," said Jackie Nicholson, RIT’s executive director of Intercollegiate athletics. "We want to honour our inductees appropriately and look forward to welcoming the Class of 2021 next year."

Founded in 1829, RIT has over 19,000 students and more than 135,000 graduates from 49 states and over 100 nations,