Aquino brings more than 20 years of head coaching experience and an impressive track record of success at both the high school and grassroots levels to NFF. Most recently, he has served as the head girls' varsity coach at Bradenton Christian School, where he led the Panthers to a Florida District Championship in 2025.
A proven program builder, Aquino previously spent 16 years as the head girls' coach at Mount St. Dominic Academy (N.J.), where he guided his teams to multiple conference championships, five state finals appearances, and over 400 career wins. He was named the Northern Hills Conference Coach of the Year four times at St. Dominic.
Beyond high school basketball, Aquino has been deeply involved in player development. He co-founded the New Jersey Crusaders AAU program, capturing three state titles and two national finalist finishes, while helping more than 17 of his former players continue their careers at the collegiate level (D1, D2, D3, and NAIA). He has also directed Nike and Bradenton Christian basketball camps and served as a lead trainer for USHOOPS, mentoring hundreds of athletes.
Aquino's commitment to the game has been recognized through his induction into the Essex County Hall of Fame and being honored as UNICO Man of the Year for Community Service. He is a member of both the New Jersey and Florida Coaches Associations.
"I am truly excited and thankful to be a part of the New College of Florida community. I will bring high energy and relentless passion to the program," Aquino said. "My goal is to build strong relationships within the team and develop players to become champions on and off the court."Â
"Jerry brings a wealth of knowledge to the program; he has been coaching for 20+ years at every level," said head coach Brian Cruz. "His passion for the game and his work ethic will be an immediate help to our program. Jerry has developed many 1,000 point scorers and collegiate basketball players. We're very happy to have him in the program."
