SIUE Tabs Mario Sanchez as Men’s Soccer Head Coach
SIUE Director of Athletics Dr. Brad Hewitt has announced Mario Sanchez as the new Cougars men’s soccer head coach. Sanchez becomes the seventh head coach in program history.
“We were fortunate in our candidate pool,” Hewitt said. “We had applicants from every major soccer conference in the country. Ultimately, we felt Mario was the best fit for the program.”
Sanchez comes to SIUE after most recently serving as the associate head coach at the University of Louisville.
“My family and I would like to thank Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe and Dr. Brad Hewitt for allowing me the opportunity to lead the SIUE men’s soccer program,” Sanchez said. “I am looking forward to continuing the success of the men’s soccer program built through the previous head coaches and all of the alumni who have helped shape the culture of success for the program.”
Sanchez takes over an SIUE program that is coming off its most successful season since returning to NCAA Division I play. The Cougars won their first Missouri Valley Conference title in 2014 and advanced to the NCAA tournament where they defeated Northwestern in the first round, before falling on the road at No. 18 California, 1-0.
Sanchez succeeds co-Head Coaches David Korn and Brian Jones. Korn remains on staff as the program’s associate head coach. Jones departed SIUE for a position with Saint Louis FC, a United Soccer League (USL) Professional side.
Sanchez served on Louisville’s staff for Head Coach Ken Lolla, including the past three seasons as the associate head coach. Prior to joining the staff at Louisville, Sanchez spent four seasons as the head coach at UNLV. Sanchez previously worked under Lolla for three seasons at the University of Akron.
The 1999 graduate of Fresno State began his coaching career at his alma mater. Sanchez was an assistant coach at Fresno State from 1999 to 2003 before the school eliminated its men’s soccer program.
With Sanchez on staff, Louisville made five consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, advancing to at least the second round in each appearance. In 2010, the Cardinals made their only College Cup Final appearance during Sanchez’s first season on the bench, where the team, ironically, bowed out to Akron 1-0.
For more on Sanchez, visit siuecougars.com.
