"As a former player who had the privilege of being coached by Vito, I can confidently say he had a major impact on both my development as a player and my growth as a person. Vito brought an energy to the program that made you want to show up every day and give your best. His sessions were always purposeful, competitive, and designed to help us understand the game on a deeper level, not just run drills. What stood out most was his ability to push us without ever losing his sense of support. He held high standards, but you always knew he believed in you. Whether it was breaking down film, offering individual feedback, or motivating the team before a big match, he had a way of getting through to each player in a way that felt personal and genuine. Off the field, Vito cared just as much. He emphasized accountability, communication, and leadership, skills that have stuck with me long after my playing career. Looking back, some of my favorite college memories came from the culture he helped build: a tight-knit team built on respect, hard work, and pride in representing Lasell. I’m grateful for the time I spent under his coaching, and I’d highly recommend him to any athlete looking for a coach who understands the game, inspires improvement, and truly invests in his players."

"Being a former player on Vito's team, there are so many positive things that could be said. One thing that has to be understood about the Lasell soccer culture is that there is a lot of intensity, grit, and tough love. Going into my freshman year, I never truly understood the meaning of hard work and determination until preseason started. Vito and the coaching staff can be very demanding, but it’s because they love and care about their players. He will be honest with you about what needs to be fixed and worked on and will be strict but thats his old school way of coaching and clearly has been working and had success over his several years of coaching. One thing that is absolutely ridiculous is complaining about playing time in college. This isn’t high school, or even middle school, every player knows what they’re getting into, and complaining to parents about playing time is just insanity. Vito prioritizes players who work hard, show up to practice every day, and strive to do a little better than the day before, regardless of whether they start or not. Personally, I never played much, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t up my butt every single day, maybe even more then others and I wasn't playing but he would push me to my limits to make me a better player and a person. Vito has a full-time job and a family, yet he prioritizes the soccer team and the players for several months, even before preseason starts. this isn’t a soft soccer program. You are there to toughen up, grow for yourself and each other, and be part of a family that carries on the legacy and dynasty."

"It is crazy to think in 2025 we have the time to write reviews on collegiate level coaches, but here we are. Aside from the tags selected, I would follow up with Dedication to the players Development beyond the field Honest Passionate about coaching Coach Vito has been part of the Lasell program for nearly two decades as a part-time coach. What most people don’t realize is that he also serves as the Senior Director of Engineering and Facilities Operations at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Despite a demanding full-time career, he dedicates his free time to his family — and to his team, which he considers an extension of that family. Coach Vito is passionate about his team along with their success and takes full responsibility for every loss. Playing for him means learning a culture that extends far beyond the field: “We play for each other. We are family.” It’s a mindset that’s hard to describe unless you’ve lived it. We work together, push each other, and show up for one another no matter what. When one teammate is off, someone else steps up to carry that extra weight — because we all share one goal: to succeed. That mindset carries into adulthood, whether it’s in your career or relationships. You show up. You put in the work. You push through. That’s what sets Vito’s athletes apart — heart and relentless work ethic. Once everyone buys into that, success becomes the only option. At any level, playing collegiate sports means competition — nothing is guaranteed. You earn your time on the field. Every minute matters. If you get two minutes, make them count. It’s no different from life: if you show up to work and put in minimal effort, you won’t get the promotion you’re chasing. And if you’re the athlete worried about playing time — I challenge you to evaluate yourself. Are you grinding in the entirety of the off season or 4 weeks before day 1 of preseason? Even if you’re a practice player, your role is crucial. You’re responsible for pushing your teammates and helping the team reach that one collective goal: winning. Let’s face it - the last few years have not been winning seasons, but there was something about Coach Vito and the history of this team YOU wanted to be apart of. The culture, the heart, and the standard Coach Vito has built go far beyond the scoreboard."

"As someone who played competitive soccer my entire life I have experienced numerous coaches. I've experienced coaches who do choose favorites & favoritism is profound in their coaching just like some of these reviews have stated. I actually almost quit soccer my junior of highschool because of a coach who chose club politics and favoritism when it came to coaching. Coach Vito is absolutely nothing like that! Vito actually has a great relationship with his players, even those who don't see the field a lot (or even at all), because he is a great coach with a huge heart. He makes players laugh at practice often, but will also push you to your absolute edge in order to make you grow not only as a player, but as an individual. Yes, he has an older coaching style in terms of being intense when it comes to fitness, losing, learning lessons, "punishment." But he absolutely does know the game of soccer and is constantly looking at film and scouting reports and adjusting the formation and game plan accordingly. I think his history in the GNAC and building Lasell's women's soccer program from the ground up speaks for itself. Lasell is all about tradition, "family, dynasty, tradition" and if you're a selfish player who only cares about yourself or grew up expecting playing time to be given to you the that's on your and you're not a good fit for the team. You play for more than yourself out there, you play for your team and all the alumni before you, and I think it's important that Vito brings up his last players to remind his current teams that. When I was on the team, when he brought up past players I could tell he really had a place in his heart for them and now I get to be an alumni that he (hopefully) talks about and that he shares a special bond with to this day. Truth is, if your kid didn't play or wasn't a part of the starting XI, it's because they didn't earn it or simply just weren't good enough. I didn't play much my freshmen year and even my sophomore year in comparison to my junior and senior year. Did my dad love that? No. Did I still have an amazing season and feel seen by Vito and enjoy the minutes that I did get? Absolutely. I loved practicing hard and pushing the starting XI to get better. I looked up to my upperclassmen and other starting teammates and when I finally got to start a few games my sophomore year and then most games the rest of my career.. it was amazing. So enough with the favoritism comments... He "favors" those who work their butts off, those who put a smile on their teammates faces every day, those who take leadership, those asking questions and looking to improve, those who don't give up and are ready to fight for their team or fight for a starting spot on the field. And just in case you live under a rock.. they may not have won that GNAC cup back yet but they have made it in the playoffs every year since coming within inches of winning it back. I would bet money that if you went back and asked all of Vito's players from the past, even the ones that didn't play, what they thought about him as a coach. They would probably say "he's crazy" and laugh. But also continue to talk about how much of an amazing person he is and how it was an honor to play for him and be a part of the Lasell dynasty. "

"I’m a past player of Vito and all I have to say is great things about him! He is such a great coach! If you want a coach who is motivating, trusting, dedicated, involved, and cares then he’s it! He gives tough love at times but it’s only because knows how much potential and talent you have! I wouldn’t be the person I am today without him! He has helped me grow as a person outside of soccer and as a player. He truly cares about his players and the success of the team and the individuals. He dedicates so much time into this program more than any other coach I’ve had or seen! He’s a type of coach that is rare these days! I have nothing but great things to say about him! "

"Whoever says that Vito doesn’t care about his players/picks favorites is obviously bitter they weren’t good enough to see the field. This is college soccer, not club or intramurals. Vito is the most caring person/coach i’ve ever met/had the pleasure to play for. There is a reason he is still coaching after 18 seasons. There is a reason he has made it to the finals and semi finals or even playoffs the past 15 seasons. He is also the best father to his children and his team. He treats us all like we are one of his daughters. He is a very old school style coach but that’s what motivates us to be better and play better. He holds us all to a high standard and always wants us to all succeed. He would rip out his heart and give us all tiny pieces if he physically could. I remember when I told him I was having health problems and he immediately dropped everything to make sure I was okay and even offer appointments at his place of work and checked in on me on the daily. If I ever needed to rest one day or sit out, it wouldn’t be a problem. Vito is one of the MOST caring college coaches the GNAC and the whole NCAA can offer. To play for him is a blessing. He builds such an amazing team culture that it is a PRIVILEGE to be apart of the Lasell women’s soccer program. This isn’t highschool. No one is entitled to guaranteed playing time unless you work your a*s off."

"If you are one of his favorites you will see a lot of time. If not you will sit on the bench and be lucky to get 5 minutes once in a while but only if they are up by multiple goals. The guy would rather watch his players exhausted and lose than make substitutions but he will blame the players and not take responsibility for preventable losses. There is very little to no opportunity to earn playing time. Half the team feels hopeless and he makes them lose ambition because they know they have no chance. The team wins games but against the top teams it becomes more obvious they are outpaced. Practices are the starters against the bench and don’t expect that to change unless someone gets seriously hurt. The team would be better off with someone that cared about all the girls and not just the starting 11. "

"Wow! Whoever shared below sounds like someone who was bitter about playing time and does not believe in Vito’s team culture he has preached for over 15 years. Anyone that actually knows Vito as a coach and person knows the sacrifice and time he puts in to the Lasell program. He is the only part time coach in the league and due to his commitment to his players and this program Lasell has been to the semi finals or finals nearly every year he has been in charge. Vito is the core of the Lasell Women’s soccer team, and I can promise you he is not taking the giant chunks of time away from his family for the paycheck - but because he loves the program and loves being there to support his players. You can ask any number of the alumni and they would all tell you they know Vito would throw himself in front of an 18 wheeler for any one of his players, regardless if they are #1 or #30 in his lineup. Saying that he doesn’t foster a cohesive team environment could not be farther from the truth, he cares about all of his players on and off the field from academics, mental health, family scenarios etc and gives everyone a chance. I have seen him work with every individual player and try to improve them - he is always open to meeting with players 1:1 and offering them feedback on what they need to work on. He and the coaching staff are always happy to work on these skills with the player as well at practice or even offer to come early/stay late, but at the end of the day it is ultimately on the player to put in the hard work to make the improvement (which often seems to be a lost concept these days). He is extremely knowledgeable about the game, and I have seen him adjust formations and players on the fly to match and beat the other team. Not sure how he would be so successful if he didn’t know what he was doing! On campus I always felt safe because I knew I had the team and Vito as my second family and I would do my 4 years over every time. There’s a reason he gets invited to nearly every alumni’s wedding, and it’s because the relationship fostered with Vito over 4 years and beyond is a special one, and one I will always treasure. "

"Coach LaFrancesca fosters a hostile playing environment where injuries are not taken seriously and a hierarchy between classes demolishes any chance of cohesiveness. If you’re not a starter you won’t play and you won’t get a chance to. Bench players practice solely as the opposing team in up coming matches. He does nothing to develop players to get them to his preferred level of skill suitable for game play. He is notoriously bad at choosing assistant coaches and only knows how to compare players to those he’s had in the past. He destroys any sense of confidence in his players who don’t start. As for the starting XI, they are treated respectfully, encouraged, and developed. Unless your the exact player he’s looking for I would play elsewhere. His knowledge of the game is also lacking. He has no collegiate experience himself, and has been unable to adjust his coaching techniques to beat league teams Don’t be fooled by his past accomplishments or the players he’s taken under his wing. More likely than not you won’t be lucky enough to be one of them and you’ll lose your love for the sport."

"Somehow motivates his athletes to do well by running pretty poor practices, rest of the staff was awesome though. Learned a lot from them. "

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