SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club has hired Eric Bucchere as the head coach of the team’s Premier Development League affiliate Burlingame Dragons FC. Bucchere was an assistant coach on Burlingame’s staff during the club’s inaugural season of 2015, which resulted in an 11-2-3 overall record, a Southwest Division championship and an appearance in the Western Conference Final Four. Bucchere was also an assistant coach with the Earthquakes Academy from 2013-15, helping guide the U-16s to a U.S. Soccer Federation Development Academy Elite 8 appearance in 2014.
“With his time in the Earthquakes Academy, Eric has become familiar with the Quakes training methodology and the players that have come through the youth system,” said Earthquakes Technical Director Chris Leitch. “He has the knowledge and coaching ability necessary to help the players take advantage of the opportunity to work their way up to the first team.”
In addition to his role with Dragons FC, Bucchere remains the head coach at Menlo College. In his first three seasons with Menlo, Bucchere led the Oaks to a 28-18-8 overall record and a Cal Pac North Division Regular Season Championship in 2014.
Before his time at Menlo, Bucchere spent five seasons as the head assistant coach at UC San Diego, where here led the Tritons to an overall record of 44-33-14. In 2012, UC San Diego’s defense ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II with a conference-record goals against average of 0.44 and a 0.71 shutout percentage by way of 12 clean sheets in 17 matches played. UCSD allowed only eight goals all year, its lowest total in the Division II era, and maintained three separate shutout stretches in excess of 400 minutes.
Bucchere holds a U.S. Soccer Federation 'B' coaching license and was previously a standout midfielder at UC Santa Cruz under head coach Paul Holocher from 2001-04. A four-year letter winner, Bucchere helped the team to a 69-12-3 during his four seasons. The team qualified for the NCAA tournament three of the four years, winning NCAA DIII Western Regional Championships in 2003 and 2004 and appearing in the 2004 NCAA DIII National Championship Game.
A 2005 graduate of UC Santa Cruz with a degree in literature, Bucchere went on to spend two seasons as the head assistant coach for the Banana Slugs from 2006-08. During his tenure, the team put together a 36-7 overall record, qualifying for the NCAA Division III playoffs in both seasons. In 2006, UCSC registered a nation-leading 20 shutouts and led the nation in goals against average while advancing to the NCAA Round of 16. In 2007, UCSC again reached the NCAA Tournament and earned an NSCAA Team Academic Award for 2007-08 (3.0 GPA).
He and his wife Julia reside in Menlo Park, Calif.
