Eddie Soto Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 7th Year Alma Mater: Cal State Fullerton '95

Former Cal State Fullerton All-American Eddie Soto is in his seventh season as UCLA assistant coach and his 12th season overall as an NCAA Division I coach. In his first season at UCLA, he helped guide the Bruins to the NCAA College Cup finals, and in the last four seasons, the Bruins have won the Pac-12 title three times, advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals three times, and advanced to the College Cup in 2011.

In addition to coaching at UCLA, Soto is the head coach of both the U.S. Beach Soccer National Team and the U-18 LA Galaxy Academy team. Soto was previously a member of the coaching staff for the U-16 Galaxy Academy team and in 2011 he helped coach the Galaxy U-17s to the Generation Adidas Cup championship.

Soto was the assistant coach for the men's team at Cal State Fullerton from 2001-03 and was hired again as the lead assistant in 2006. He was also the lead assistant for the women's team at Long Beach State from 2004-05 and the head assistant at Long Beach City College in 1997 when the women's team won its first championship. Soto also has vast experience coaching at the club level, totaling 13 years as a coach in the prestigious Coast Soccer League. He coached former UCLA All-Americans Zach Wells and Matt Taylor at Irvine Strikers and also coached the NHB futbol club for five years.

An All-American at Cal State Fullerton in 1992 and 1993, Soto is the No. 2 scorer in Titan history, totaling 96 points and 38 goals from 1992-94. He still holds the single-season record for goals in a season with 18, set in 1994. In 1993, he led the Titans to the NCAA semifinals for the first time in school history. His team also advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 1994. In 2007, Soto was named to the MPSF 15-Year Anniversary first team.

Upon graduating from Cal State Fullerton in 1995 with a B.A. in Kinesiology, Soto was selected in the initial MLS Draft in 1996 by the NY/NJ MetroStars and again in the supplemental draft in 1998 by the San Jose Clash. He also played for the Orange County Zodiac of the A-League, the Los Angeles Cobras of the USISL and ended his career with the USA Pro Beach Soccer Team.

The Cerritos native was a two-time Parade All-American and the 1990 CIF 3-A Player of the Year at Cerritos HS, where he was teammates with UCLA head coach Jorge Salcedo. He was also a member of the NHB futbol club that won the 1991 National Championship and a member of the U.S. U-18 and U-20 National Teams.

Soto, who has a U.S. Soccer Federation "A" Coaching License, resides in Seal Beach with his wife, Stephanie, and his children, Fabrizio, Wyatt and Isabela.