Aug 8, 2007

Scranton Names Interim Women's Soccer Coach

SCRANTON, Pa. - Vincent Carilli, Ph.D., vice president for student affairs at The University of Scranton, has announced that athletics director Toby Lovecchio will serve as interim women's soccer coach for the upcoming 2007 season.

Lovecchio replaces Joe Bochicchio, who passed away on Tuesday, July 24, after a brief illness. In 23 seasons as head coach at Scranton, Bochicchio led the Royals to an overall record of 298-144-33 (.662), including 15 Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference championships and 11 NCAA Division III tournament berths, including quarterfinal appearances in 1987, 2001 and 2003. He was named the regional coach of the year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) four times (1989, 1999, 2000, 2003) and was selected the Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference Coach of the Year on five occasions (1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006).

"After consulting with many involved parties, I believe it is in the best interest of the program to have Mr. Lovecchio lead the team during what I assume will be a difficult season," says Dr. Carilli. "Coach Bochicchio was admired by many, and I want to ensure that we pay special attention to the emotional needs of our student-athletes. I have no doubt that Mr. Lovecchio is well-suited for this important task. He, too, like the rest of us, will do all that we can to support the team members while paying appropriate homage to the legacy of Coach Bochicchio."

Lovecchio returns to the sidelines after posting a 52-57-6 record (.478) as head coach of the women's soccer program at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, from 1990 through 1996. After serving as an assistant men's soccer coach at Bucknell for a year, he started the women's program in 1990 and led the Bison to six straight Patriot League tournament appearances, including the number one seed with a perfect 6-0 conference record in 1995, a feat that helped earn him the league's coach of the year award. In 1994, he led Bucknell to a school-record 12 wins, a mark that still stands today and has been tied only by the 2001 team.

Under his direction, 13 players were named either first or second-team all-Patriot League, including Lisa Gibbons and Sarah Stopper. Gibbons is the first and only player in Bucknell history to earn first-team all-Mid-Atlantic regional honors by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and is the first women's soccer player to be inducted into the Bucknell University Hall of Fame. She was also named the Patriot League rookie and offensive player of the year in 1991 and 1993, respectively, while Stopper distinguished herself by earning a berth on the NSCAA all-freshman team in 1996. Another of Lovecchio's players, Katie Fink, was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 1995.

Lovecchio is a 1985 graduate of The University of Scranton with a Bachelor of Science degree in management. He also holds a Master of Education degree with a concentration in sports administration from Temple University in Philadelphia. He began his tenure at Bucknell University as a graduate intern in the athletics department in 1989 and was later promoted to assistant athletic business manager in 1990, a position he held until 1992. He was promoted again in 1992 to assistant director of athletics for business services and internal operations and served in this capacity for five years before becoming director of athletics at Scranton in the fall of 1997.

A native of East Stroudsburg and current resident of Clarks Summit, Lovecchio played soccer for the Royals of then head coach and current associate director of athletics Steve Klingman from 1982 through 1984. A two-time all-Middle Atlantic Conference selection (1983, 1984), Lovecchio was a key defender on the Royal teams that won Middle Atlantic Conference North and overall championship titles in 1982 and 1984 and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III tournament in 1982 and 1983.

Lovecchio will be joined on the sidelines by assistant coaches Nick Bressler, a 2001 graduate of College Misericordia who will begin his third season on staff.

Toby and his wife Cathy, an assistant professor in the university's nursing department, have two children: Matthew (11) and Lydia (9).

The University of Scranton will conduct a national search for a full-time coach for the 2008 season.


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