Former University of Cincinnati star Brad Ruzzo begins his ninth year as the top assistant on the Bradley coaching staff. After establishing an impressive track record in his first three years on The Hilltop, Ruzzo was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2003 season and he remains involved in all aspects of the program. His daily responsibilities include developing, organizing and coaching all field and goalkeeping training sessions; player evaluation and recruiting; advance scouting and game preparation; budget management; academic supervision; and fund-raising.
Since joining the Bradley staff, Ruzzo has helped the Braves to seven of the nine winningest seasons in program history, four of which ended with trips to the NCAA Tournament, and a 101-54-25 (.631) record. The 2007 Braves captured their third straight Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship, then enjoyed the best postseason run in program history by following its first State Farm MVC Tournament title with a surge to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship. In Ruzzo’s eight seasons, the Braves have churned out eight All-Americans, six Major League Soccer SuperDraft selections, 37 All-Missouri Valley Conference selections, a Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, two Valley Defensive Players of the Year and two league Freshmen of the Year. During the same eight-year period, Bradley has produced eight ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and NSCAA Scholar All-Americans, 11 CoSIDA District V and NSCAA Region Scholar-Athletes and 25 Valley Scholar-Athletes.
In recognition of his contributions to the program, Ruzzo was named one of the nation’s top assistant coaches by College Soccer News in 2003.
In addition to his Bradley coaching responsibilities, Ruzzo is the co-director for the Central Illinois Soccer Academy (CISA), which works with more than 1,200 youth players throughout the year, and he has served as the event coordinator for the program’s annual Chicagoland Golf Outing. He also has coached CISA’s U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-23 club teams since 2003. During the last four years, those squads have combined for a 116-50-31 (.668) record and 11 tournament championships.
Ruzzo, 29, was a four-year letterman for Cincinnati, starting 77 games for the Bearcats from 1995 to 1998. A second-team All-Conference USA selection, Ruzzo also was voted team captain and MVP during his senior season, which was capped by a trip to the NCAA Tournament. A defender, Ruzzo helped Cincinnati to six shutouts and a 0.89 goals against average during his senior season in 1998.
Following his graduation from Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in economics, Ruzzo added professional playing experience to his resum?. He trained with the MLS Columbus Crew and the A-League’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Cincinnati Riverhawks before beginning his college coaching career.
Ruzzo first entered the coaching world while still a player for the Bearcats, serving as an assistant boys coach at Wyoming High School in Cincinnati during the 1996-97 season. From 1997-99 Ruzzo was the head coach for the Lakota Premier U-16 boys club program, then directed the U-17 & U-18 boys for Club Ohio/Dynamo.
While directing the Dynamo program, Ruzzo also entered the college coaching ranks in 1999 by serving as an assistant at Xavier, where he helped send three players on to the A-League and the Holland Amateur League.
A member of the NSCAA, Ruzzo currently holds a U.S.S.F. “A” license. Ruzzo married the former Tandis Raoofi May 29, 2004.
The Brad Ruzzo File
Education
Bachelor of Arts in economics: University of Cincinnati ?99
Coaching Credentials
? U.S.S.F. “A” license
? NSCAA member
Coaching Experience
1996-97: Wyoming (Ohio) High School Assistant Coach
1997-99: Lakota Premier U-16 Boys Head Coach
1999-00: Club Ohio/Dynamo U-17 and U-18 Boys Head Coach
1999-00: Xavier University Assistant Coach
2000-02: Bradley University Assistant Coach
2003-Present: Bradley University Associate Head Coach
? Four NCAA Tournament appearances
? Three straight MVC regular-season championships
? Eight All-Americans
? Eight scholastic All-Americans
? Six MLS SuperDraft selections
2003-Present: Central Illinois Soccer Academy U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-23 Coach
Playing Experience
1995-98: University of Cincinnati
? 2nd Team All-Conference USA, 1998
? 1998 NCAA Tournament Appearance