Tony DiCicco to be inducted into NSCAA Hall of Fame

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Via NSCAA) – Tony DiCicco, one of the most well-known figures in American soccer, will be inducted into the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s Hall of Fame. The legendary coach will be presented his honor on Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 at the Awards Banquet at the NSCAA Convention in Baltimore.

”I am very appreciative to the NSCAA for this honor. There are so many worthy individuals that have given so much to the sport and to be included with all these NSCAA legends of our game is fantastic and very rewarding,” DiCicco said. “I receive this award on behalf of all my teachers, mentors and players, and especially my wife, Diane and my sons Anthony, Andrew, Alex, Nicholas, and daughter-in law, Nicole.”

NSCAA CEO Lynn Berling-Manuel added: “I am so excited to see Tony receive this honor. His success as a coach at the highest level, his dedication as a soccer educator, and his passion for the NSCAA make him the perfect addition to our Hall of Fame. In the community of coaches, he is a shining leader.”

DiCicco has been and continues to be an integral part of developing soccer in the United States. He most recently was a FOX Sports analyst during the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and continues to work as a soccer analyst for several television networks.

DiCicco served as the goalkeeper coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team for the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991 before starting his five-year head coaching tenure in 1995. DiCicco was the head coach that led the Women’s National Team to the iconic 1999 Women’s World Cup win over China in front of the largest crowd in women’s sports history. In 2008, DiCicco led the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team to victory in the Women’s U-20 World Cup in Chile. Then in 1996, he coached the team to the first ever Olympic Gold Medal in Women’s Soccer.

Altogether, he compiled a 103-8-8 national team coaching record and is the only coach in women’s international soccer to have won an Olympic Gold Medal and a FIFA World Cup Championship with a senior national team and U-20 national team.

Additionally, DiCicco’s coaching career also includes serving as goalkeeper coach for the 1993 U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team when it finished in eighth place at the FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia. DiCicco was also the founding commissioner of the Women’s United Soccer Association (2000-03) and was head coach of Women’s Professional Soccer’s Boston Breakers from 2009 to 2011.

A 1970 graduate of Springfield College in Massachusetts, DiCicco played five years of professional soccer in the American Soccer League with the Connecticut Wildcats and Rhode Island Oceaneers, where he was team MVP and captain. In 1973, DiCicco played for the U.S. Men’s National Team.

DiCicco has been an active member of the NSCAA since 1981. He is currently the director of the NSCAA Goalkeeping Academy and is a regular presenter at NSCAA events, such as the annual Convention and the Summer Symposium. He has been recognized by the Association as an Honorary All-American, and a recipient of both the Women’s Committee Award of Excellence and the NSCAA Letter of Commendation.

DiCicco founded and is still active in his national camp business, SoccerPlus Goalkeeper School and FieldPlayer Academy, long considered one of the nation’s leading soccer camp programs for student-athletes.