Page 14 - YC360 Spring 2021 Edition

Former YC Star Andre Luciano Returns to Lead Men’s Soccer
by Michael Grady
In 1990, when he was a promising young goalkeeper under the tutelage of Coach Mike Pantalione, did 19-year-
old Andre Luciano ever imagine he would succeed Pantalione as the next coach of Yavapai College Soccer?
“No,” Luciano laughs at the idea. “I could barely figure out how to get to class.”
Much has happened in the three-plus decades since: Mike Pantalione established a soccer dynasty at Yavapai College – seven NJCAA national championships;
78 total conference, region, district and national championships; and an unheard- of .900 winning percentage. He did it developing outstanding players like Luciano: the 1990 AIAS/Adidas Goalkeeper of the Year and Most Valuable Goalkeeper on YC’s first championship team; he went on to lead the University of Indiana to
two Big Ten titles and two trips to the NCAA National Tournament. Since then, Luciano has coached for the University of Arizona, worked with three states’s Olympic
Development programs and coached at Northern Arizona University.
In a world where many coaching changes feel like crap shoots, this one feels like Karma. Or as Athletic Director Brad Clifford put it: “It is a great day for Yavapai College Athletics with the hiring of Andre Luciano.”
For his part, Luciano is already embracing the job whole-heartedly. “When I left
NAU in 2018, I had it in my head I’d never coach again – unless YC came available.” He said. “This college and the program provided me a pathway to where I am today. It changed the trajectory of my life.”
First order of business, re-establishing a cohesive team culture in the wake of the pandemic. “The College has done a good job of setting [COVID-19] parameters,” he said. Players moved into the dorms in early March, “and you have to be careful how you physically manage guys who’ve been off for 15 months.” Some are in game- shape, some less so. “Many have to get
YC’s 2021 Men’s Soccer Team – Photo by Bill Leyden
acclimated to playing at 5,300 feet. Right now, they’re split into small groups. We don’t know what the whole pie looks like. The players are more anxious than I am to get going.” He laughs.
That’s a spirit that’s felt across the program: Let’s get going. “I spent the last two years coaching youth sports in Las Vegas,” he said. “Practice became the normal for those kids. They wanted those routines and that social interaction.”
Luciano plans to continue YC Soccer’s approach of developing the whole player: person, student and athlete: “We’re going to have a hard-working, blue-collar team that is also skilled.” He said. “We’re going to have young men who are going to fight really hard for the name on the front of the jersey. We’re going to have an up-tempo game and a team that produces on-the- field and off-the field, as well.”
14 YC360 A Yavapai College Publication
ATHLETICS