Named Head Coach of the Northampton Men's Soccer program in the Spring of 2018, Mario Barrantes is recognized as one of the premier soccer trainers in the Lehigh Valley. A two-time EPAC Coach of the Year (2021, 2022), Barrantes has guided the Spartans to three conference titles (2021, 2022, 2024) during his tenure in Bethlehem.
2024 was an up-and-down season for the Spartans, as they finished 6-7-2, their first losing season since 2018. The Spartans finished in a 3-way tie for the EPAC championship and earned the #8 seed for the NJCAA District Tournament, losing to #9 Montgomery County, 1-0, in the opening round.
The Spartans finished the 2023 campaign 7-7-1 overall, finishing 2nd in the EPAC with a record of 5-2-1. Northampton earned the #10 seed for the postseason, where they upset #7 Montgomery, 2-1, after losing to the Mustangs twice during the regular season. Nic McCoy earned 2nd team All-Region honors after scoring 9 goals and dishing out 8 assists.
The 2022 season saw Barrantes lead the Spartans to a 10-3-2 record, a #5 seed in the Region playoffs and the program's first-ever national ranking, which peaked at #7 in the country.
Barrantes is currently the owner of Advanced Sports Development, a sports performance and training center for over 20 high schools in Schuylkill, Lehigh, Northampton and Monroe counties.
A former college soccer player at MacMurray College, where he earned All-Conference accolades, Barrantes received a Bachelor's degree from Penn State in Kinesiology in 2004.
Barrantes spent the 2017 season as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Moravian College after years of involvement with international soccer.
BARRANTES AT NORTHAMPTON
Overall Record:
44-37-6 (6 seasons)
Championships:
2021 EPAC
2022 EPAC
2024 EPAC
Honors and Awards:
2021 EPAC Coach of the Year
2022 EPAC Coach of the Year
