Eric Luzzi Hometown: Chicago High School: St. Ignatius Position: Assistant Coach Experience: First Season Alma Mater: St. Mary's-Minn., 1997

When Northern Illinois University head men's soccer coach Steve Simmons began his search to fill an assistant coaching vacancy, his criteria included experience, goalkeeping expertise, solid recruiting skills, a great work ethic, and familiarity with Midwest soccer.

He found all of those and more in Eric Luzzi, the former head coach of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.

As the goalkeepers coach for the Huskies, Luzzi helped guide the 2006 group to 14 shutouts, the most in school history. Under his leadership, Joe Zimka set the NCAA Division I record for goals against average in a season, allowing just 0.21 shots per match to reach the net. As a team, NIU allowed only 15 total goals on the season, half what the team scored.

"Eric's coaching has been a key asset for our defense," Simmons said. "Additionally, his experience in the Midwest greatly expands our recruiting networks."

A Chicago native, Luzzi followed up a stellar prep goalkeeping career at St. Ignatius High School as a four-year letterman and starting keeper at Saint Mary's. His résumé includes two campaigns as head coach for Schaumburg High School prior to his return to his alma mater, where he spent five seasons guiding the Division III Cardinals, who were 26-48-9 during that timespan.

The son of Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association (IHSSCA) Hall of Famer and long-time St. Ignatius head coach Jim Luzzi, the NIU assistant has also logged seven summers working with the Olympic Development Program (ODP), including the United States Soccer Federation's Region II camp which has been held at NIU. In the winter of 2006, Luzzi was named head goalkeepers coach for USSF Region II ODP. During the summer of 2007, Luzzi travelled to France with the U-18 ODP squad as an assistant coach.

Luzzi holds a USSF National "A" License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and Level III National Goalkeeping License, a USSF Youth License and a Dutch Soccer Federation Youth Coaching Certificate. A 1997 graduate of Saint Mary's, Luzzi earned a bachelor of arts in social science education and is pursuing a master's in human development from SMU.