Mario Sanchez (soccer)

For the Mexican footballer, see Mario Sánchez (footballer).
Mario Sanchez
Personal information
Date of birth (1975-01-28) January 28, 1975 (age 49)[1]
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Alta Loma SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1997 Fresno State Bulldogs
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 Central Coast Roadrunners
1998–1999 Orange County Zodiac 38 (2)
2001 Stanislaus County Cruisers 14 (0)
Managerial career
1999–2003 Fresno State Bulldogs (assistant)
2003–2005 Akron Zips (assistant)
2006–2009 UNLV Rebels
2010–2015 Louisville Cardinals (assistant)
2015–2018 SIUE Cougars
2020 Louisville City U-23
2021 Racing Louisville (interim)
2024 Racing Louisville (assistant)
2024 FC Tulsa
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mario Sanchez (born January 28, 1975) is an American soccer coach and former player who is currently the technical director for USL Championship club FC Tulsa. He is the former head coach of Louisville City U-23, the SIUE Cougars men's soccer team, and the UNLV Rebels men's soccer team.

Sanchez played professionally in the USISL and USL A-League, winning the 1996 and 1997 USISL championship with the Central Coast Roadrunners.

Early life

Sanchez graduated from Etiwanda High School in 1993. He played soccer for the Alta Loma Soccer Club which won the 1992 U-17 National Championship. He attended the California State University, Fresno, playing on the men's soccer team from 1993 to 1997. In August 1996, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in practice and lost the season.[2] He returned in 1997 for his senior season and graduated in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

Club career

In 1996 and 1997, Sanchez spent the collegiate off-season with the Central Coast Roadrunners of the USISL. Sanchez and his teammates won the USISL championship both seasons.[3]

On February 1, 1998, the Kansas City Wizards selected Sanchez in the third round (thirty-second overall) of the 1998 MLS College Draft. The Wizards released him in the pre-season and he signed with the Orange County Zodiac of the USL A-League. Sanchez began the 1999 season with the Zodiac, but left in July when Fresno State hired him as an assistant coach.[4] In 2001, he returned to playing with the Stanislaus County Cruisers.

Coaching career

In June 1999, Northwood High School hired Sanchez to coach its boys’ soccer team. He resigned two months later to become an assistant coach with the Fresno State Bulldogs men's soccer team.[5] Fresno State dropped its men's soccer program after the 2003 season and Sanchez moved to the Akron Zips.

In 2006, UNLV hired Sanchez as head coach of the men's soccer program. Following UNLV's first winning season in eight years, Sanchez resigned on February 5, 2010,[6] moving to the Louisville Cardinals, where he was an assistant coach and associate head coach 2011–2015.[7]

On January 27, 2015, Sanchez was named the head coach of the SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's soccer team.[8][9]

On November 30, 2018, Sanchez resigned to accept the position of Director of Youth Development and Community Relations for Louisville City FC of the United Soccer League.[10] In August 2021, Sanchez was named interim head coach of Racing Louisville FC and the youth academy director for both Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC[11] On January 3, 2024, Sanchez was appointed as technical director and assistant coach for Racing Louisville.[12]

On January 16, 2024, Sanchez was announced as technical director and head coach of FC Tulsa in the USL Championship.[13]

In November 2024, it was announced that Sanchez would operate exclusively as technical director for Tulsa. Luke Spencer was promoted from assistant coach to full-time manager.[14]

Collegiate record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels[15] (MPSF) (2006–2009)
2006 UNLV Rebels 1–15–2 1–9–0 6th
2007 UNLV Rebels 7–10–2 3–7–0 t-5th
2008 UNLV Rebels 8–9–1 3–7–0 t-5th
2009 UNLV Rebels 8–7–4 1–4–2 8th
UNLV Rebels: 24–41–9 (.385) 8–27–2 (.243)
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougars[16] (MVC) (2015–2016)
2015 SIUE Cougars 12–4–2 5–1–0 1st
2016 SIUE Cougars 10–5–7 4–1–3 2nd NCAA 3rd round/Sweet 16
SIUE Cougars (MVC): 22–9–9 (.663) 9–2–3 (.750)
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougars[16] (MAC) (2019–present)
2017 SIUE Cougars 7–10–1 2–3–0 3rd
2018 SIUE Cougars 9–5–4 1–3–1 5th
SIUE Cougars: 38–24–14 (.537) 12–8–4 (.583)
Total: 55–55–21 (.500)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Personal life

Sanchez earned a bachelor's in business administration from Fresno State.[citation needed] He holds a U.S. Soccer Federation 'A' License.[citation needed]

Sanchez is married to the former Shana Stickel. The couple has four children: sons Sebastian and Santiago, and daughters Ella and Emme.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Mario Sanchez". Stats Crew. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  2. ^ DOGS LOSE SANCHEZ FOR SEASON WITH INJURY Fresno Bee, The (CA) – Friday, August 30, 1996
  3. ^ 1997 PDSL Season Review: Roadrunner repeat Archived 2012-10-11 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Zodiac Rallies, Wins Shootout
  5. ^ Northwood Loses Another Coach
  6. ^ "Sanchez Resigns As Head Coach". CBS Interactive. February 5, 2010. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  7. ^ Mario Sanchez Joins the Louisville Men's Soccer Staff
  8. ^ a b Mario Sanchez Selected as Men's Soccer Head Coach
  9. ^ "Sports digest: Sanchez is new SIUE men's soccer coach". St.Louis Today/St, Louis Post-Dispatch. January 27, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  10. ^ "Sanchez Departs Men's Soccer Post". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  11. ^ "HOLLY'S CONTRACT TERMINATED; SANCHEZ APPOINTED INTERIM COACH". Racing Louisville FC. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Racing names Sanchez assistant coach, technical director". RacingLouFC.com. Racing Louisville. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  13. ^ Malue, B. "FC Tulsa announces first-ever Head Coach and Technical Director, Mario Sanchez". FCTulsa.com. FC Tulsa. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  14. ^ "FC Tulsa promotes Luke Spencer, appointed new Head Coach". USLChampionship.com. USL Championship. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Men's Soccer Archives". Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Archived from the original on September 14, 2017. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  16. ^ a b "SIUE Men's Soccer Archives". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Retrieved 1 December 2016.