Sebastian Vecchio to Lead Roadrunner Women's Soccer

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – CSU Bakersfield's Director of Athletics Kenneth "Ziggy" Siegfried has announced the successful completion of a national search and the hiring of Sebastian Vecchio as the Roadrunners' head women's soccer coach. Vecchio will be the fifth head coach in program history.

Vecchio, a Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and a first team All-C-USA goalkeeper in his playing career at the University of Memphis, has been an assistant at Big 12-member Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas for the last three years and comes to Bakersfield with 15 years of coaching experience. In five of those years, Vecchio helped his team reach the NCAA Tournament.

Vecchio replaces Gary Curneen, who left to take a coaching position with the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League.

"We are excited to welcome Sebastian and his family to California State University, Bakersfield," said Siegfried. "I want to thank our search committee, led by Sr. Associate AD/SWA Cindy Goodmon for doing a fantastic search and making sure to leave no stone unturned. The search produced a tremendous group of candidates from across the nation, but Sebastian rose to the top during the process."

Vecchio, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, will be leading a Division I women's soccer program for the first time.

"I want to thank CSUB and the search committee for this opportunity," said Vecchio. "It is an honor and a privilege to represent CSUB while leading the women's soccer program, and I don't take that for granted."

Prior to coaching at TCU, Vecchio also made collegiate stops at Vanderbilt University, Rice University and Memphis. As an assistant coach, Vecchio has proved to be an exceptional recruiter, and contributed to a top-25 nationally ranked class with the Commodores. Vecchio has recruited seven National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region selections, in addition to 26 all-conference selections and seven all-conference freshman picks. He was also able to recruit student-athletes that excelled outside of the classroom. Vecchio's recruits racked up 75 academic honor roll selections, four SEC community service awards and an academic all-American selection.

"Sebastian fits within the culture that has been developed in our department by being a coach that promotes a focus on the student-athlete experience, a family type atmosphere, and putting an emphasis on being successful in the classroom as well as in competition," said Siegfried. "Additionally, it was very clear that he has the communication skills, experience, energy, and work ethic to help our women's soccer program grow for many years to come."

As an assistant with the Horned Frogs, Vecchio worked with the goalkeepers, developed game plans and maintained scouting reports. TCU produced eight shutouts in each of his three seasons on staff. The team's goals-against average also improved each year he was on staff, falling to an impressive 0.82 in 2017.
"There is a strong foundation to build upon and I can't wait to get on the field with my new team, our 2018 season will be very exciting and fun to watch," said Vecchio.

As a player, Vecchio started for two seasons for the Tigers after transferring to Memphis from Mid-Continent College in Kentucky. He allowed just 12 goals in over 1,500 minutes of action in 2004, posting a school record of 0.69 goals-against average. That season, he was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year and was picked to the All-Conference USA first team. He finished his career with a school record 1.02 goals-against average and produced 21 wins in two seasons.

Vecchio obtained a bachelor's degree in marketing from Memphis in 2005 and a bachelor's in sports and leisure management in 2008. He holds a USSF National C License and a National Goalkeeping Diploma from the NSCAA.

Vecchio will officially be introduced at a community reception the first week of March.

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Sebastian Vecchio to Lead Roadrunner Women's Soccer