Former All-American Eddie Soto Named Boy's Technical Director of Long Beach Soccer Club Staff

Eddie Soto has been hired to be the Boy's Techinical Director and work with the Long Beach Soccer Club staff. Soto begins his third season as UCLA men’s assistant coach and his eighth season overall as a NCAA Division I coach. In his first season at UCLA, he helped guide the Bruins to the NCAA College Cup finals.

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 state championship. Soto also has vast experience coaching at the club level, totaling 14 years as a coach in the prestigious Coast Soccer League. Soto club coaching experience includes the Irvine Strikers and NHBFC.
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 also 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 selected 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 Metro Stars 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 H.S. He was also a member of the NHB Futbol Club that won the 1991 National Championship. Soto was also a member of the U.S. U-18 and U-20 National Teams. While with the U20’s, Soto participated in the World Youth Cup Qualification held in Guatemala.

Soto, who has a U.S. Soccer Federation "A" Coaching License, resides in Long Beach with his wife, Stephanie, and his three children