FC Tucson name Sebastian Pineda as Head Coach
Tucson, Ariz. – FC Tucson have named Sebastian Pineda as Head Coach ahead of the 2024 USL League Two season, the club announced today. Pineda takes over as Head Coach following a 2023 USL League Two season served as the Associate Head Coach.
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to lead the USL League Two side this season,” said Pineda. “I have seen firsthand that FC Tucson is a club with a rich history in Tucson and I am honored to be named Head Coach for this incredible club and city. I want to thank Jon Pearlman and Kyle Cornell for the opportunity to continue to coach for a club that is so close to my heart and I can’t wait to get started.”
Pineda takes the helm ahead of the club’s open tryouts on March 23rd at the Kino North Sports Complex in search of prospective players ahead of their USL League Two season. Players interested in trying out can visit www.fctucson.com/open-tryout/ for more information.
The San Andres Islas, Colombia, native first featured for FC Tucson during the club’s 2015 and 2017 seasons. Pineda rejoined the club in February of 2022 as the Head Coach of the Pro Academy and as the Assistant Coach of the First Team during its USL League One campaign. Sebastian Pineda will be joined by a coaching staff that includes Technical Director Jon Pearlman and Victor Verdugo who enters his second year as the goalkeeper coach.
“Sebastian has played a vital role in the history of FC Tucson and we feel strongly that he is the right person to lead our USL League Two team,” said FC Tucson Founder and President Jon Pearlman. “He deeply understands this club, league and city as both a player and coach and brings a coaching pedigree that can create a winning season. We look forward to working with Sebastian to provide the city of Tucson the best on-field product that our beloved fans deserve.”
Pineda joined FC Tucson’s technical staff in 2022 after serving as an assistant coach at Duquesne University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, for one season. Pineda helped Duquesne to a 10-7-2 finish in the 2021 regular season. He previously was the assistant coach at NAIA Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa for three seasons, notably helping the Dukes to the Atlantic 10 Championship and assisting the team to three consecutive Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament appearances.
As a player, Pineda represented FC Tucson during their 2015 and 2017 USL League Two season, making 14 appearances for the club and scoring once in 2017. Pineda’s professional playing career includes stints with OKC Energy and the Austin AzTex.
“We are thrilled that Sebastian will be returning to the club as Head Coach,” said Chief Operating Officer Kyle Cornell. “Sebastian has shown the dedication needed for building a winning culture and we have been incredibly impressed at how he has led our team the past two seasons with our USL League One, USL League Two and USL Academy sides. This is an opportunity he thoroughly deserves.”
Pineda’s coaching credentials include a master’s in sports management from the Johan Cruyff Institute/University of Barcelona, a Football Business Management certificate from the Johan Cruyff Institute, a National Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches and a Soccer Scouting and Analysis Certificate from MBP School of Coaches in Barcelona. Pineda is fluent in English, Spanish and German.
About FC Tucson
FC Tucson is Southern Arizona’s preeminent soccer club. Founded in 2011, the club currently consists of an amateur men’s team in USL League Two, an amateur women’s team in the WPSL, and a boys’ youth academy program in USL Academy. Our men’s and women’s teams consist of high level youth, college, and adult players primarily from Southern Arizona and our academy program provides an elite youth platform for top youth prospects in Tucson.
About USL League Two
USL League Two is the leader in pre-professional soccer in North America. The League holds a vital role as it continues to provide the elite platform for those pursuing professional careers domestically and internationally. Throughout the United States and Canada, League Two franchises continue to provide top pre-professional players the opportunity to train and compete at the highest level while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. With ownership of teams coming from the likes of MLS and USL franchises as well as leading business and sports individuals, League Two serves as the leading development platform for the game both on and off the field.