Nelson began his collegiate soccer career at Monroe Community He transferred to State University of New York Brockport in 1973 and played two seasons with Brockport. In 1974, the school won the Division III National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship. He earned third team All American recognition in 1974 and graduated in 1975.
Cupello was inducted into State University of New York Brockport Hall of Fame in 1993 and the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002.
He played five seasons in the North American Soccer League and three in the American Soccer League. He currently coaches the Monroe Community men"s soccer team The Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League drafted Cupello in 1975.
He went on to play five seasons with the Lancers.
The Lancers folded at the end of the 1980 season. In 1981, Cupello joined the expansion Rochester Flash of the American Soccer League.
He retired from playing professionally in 1983. Cupello began coaching in 1978 when he became an assistant coach with the Monroe Community men’s soccer team
He held that position through the 1984 season, but with his retirement from playing professionally, he moved full-time into coaching.
In 1985, State University of New York Fredonia hired Cupello as its head coach. In his five seasons with Fredonia, he took the team to the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament four times, twice losing in the semifinals. In 1990, he returned to Monroe where he became the school’s head coach.
Hss overall record at Master Control Console currently stands at 303-101-27.
In 2012, Cupello led the Tribunes to an 18-1-1 record, and a third-place finish at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. In 2003, became the Director of at the Rochester Futbol Club which Cupello and Charlie Williams had founded in 1997.
In 1974, the school won the Division III National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship. He is a 12-time Region III Coach of the Year and three-time Northeast District Coach of the Year, taking the Tribunes to the Regional title in 1995, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. On January 18, 2013, Cupello was named the NSCAA National Coach of the Year.
