June 6, 2005
CARMINE ISACCO NAMED HEAD COACH OF VARSITY BLUES SOCCER
The University of Toronto is pleased to announce the appointment of Carmine Isacco as the Head Coach of the Varsity Blues men's soccer team.
Isacco, who most recently served as a club head coach and the general manager of the Hearts-Toronto C.S. Azzurri Soccer Club, comes to U of T with an exceptional playing and coaching resume.
Prior to his time with the Toronto Azzurri, Isacco was an assistant coach at the University of Maryland and a goalkeeper instructor with the Ontario Soccer Association. With Hearts-Azzurri, Isacco's squad claimed a national championship in the under-18 division and he was honoured as the Ontario Youth Soccer Coach of the Year.
\"I'm looking forward to the challenges and opportunities this position presents,\" said Isacco. \"I hope I can add to the already illustrious soccer history at the university.\"
As a goalkeeper at Maryland, Isacco was a freshman all-American, was named to the All-ACC first team three times and was the Terrapins team captain as a senior in 1992. He then spent time with the Canadian Olympic Team and competed at the 2003 World University Games before enjoying a six-year professional soccer career.
The native of Toronto starred in the Indoor NPSL with the Toronto Shooting Stars, the Buffalo Blizzard, the Milwuakee Wave, when they claimed the 1998 title, and the Edmonton Drillers, where he was named a league all-star. Outdoors, Isacco was the A-League playoffs most valuable player during the Milwuakee Rampage's 1997 championship season before also suiting up with the Rochester Rhinos and the Toronto Lynx, where he was also an assistant/goalkeeper coach in 2000.
"We're incredibly excited to have a rising star like Carmine join our coaching staff this season," said Liz Hoffman, director of athletics and assistant dean (co-curricular education) at U of T's Faculty of Physical Education and Health. "Earlier this month we had the pleasure of inducting our first national championship men's soccer team into the U of T Sports Hall of Fame and I look forward to seeing us continue to chase the CIS crown behind the leadership of such an experienced and committed coach and teacher.\"
Isacco replaces head coach John Vidovich who stepped down this past season after being named an OUA coach of the year for the second straight season while leading the Varsity Blues to an OUA silver medal and a berth in the 2004 CIS Championship.
The U of T men's soccer team returns all but three starters and will once again contend for both the provincial and national university titles in 2005.
(Source: Adrian Bradbury, Toronto Sports Information)
Isacco, who most recently served as a club head coach and the general manager of the Hearts-Toronto C.S. Azzurri Soccer Club, comes to U of T with an exceptional playing and coaching resume.
Prior to his time with the Toronto Azzurri, Isacco was an assistant coach at the University of Maryland and a goalkeeper instructor with the Ontario Soccer Association. With Hearts-Azzurri, Isacco's squad claimed a national championship in the under-18 division and he was honoured as the Ontario Youth Soccer Coach of the Year.
\"I'm looking forward to the challenges and opportunities this position presents,\" said Isacco. \"I hope I can add to the already illustrious soccer history at the university.\"
As a goalkeeper at Maryland, Isacco was a freshman all-American, was named to the All-ACC first team three times and was the Terrapins team captain as a senior in 1992. He then spent time with the Canadian Olympic Team and competed at the 2003 World University Games before enjoying a six-year professional soccer career.
The native of Toronto starred in the Indoor NPSL with the Toronto Shooting Stars, the Buffalo Blizzard, the Milwuakee Wave, when they claimed the 1998 title, and the Edmonton Drillers, where he was named a league all-star. Outdoors, Isacco was the A-League playoffs most valuable player during the Milwuakee Rampage's 1997 championship season before also suiting up with the Rochester Rhinos and the Toronto Lynx, where he was also an assistant/goalkeeper coach in 2000.
"We're incredibly excited to have a rising star like Carmine join our coaching staff this season," said Liz Hoffman, director of athletics and assistant dean (co-curricular education) at U of T's Faculty of Physical Education and Health. "Earlier this month we had the pleasure of inducting our first national championship men's soccer team into the U of T Sports Hall of Fame and I look forward to seeing us continue to chase the CIS crown behind the leadership of such an experienced and committed coach and teacher.\"
Isacco replaces head coach John Vidovich who stepped down this past season after being named an OUA coach of the year for the second straight season while leading the Varsity Blues to an OUA silver medal and a berth in the 2004 CIS Championship.
The U of T men's soccer team returns all but three starters and will once again contend for both the provincial and national university titles in 2005.
(Source: Adrian Bradbury, Toronto Sports Information)
