BREVARD, N.C. – Veteran soccer coach Helio D'Anna has been named Head Men's Soccer Coach and Juan Mascaro Jr. has been elevated to Associate Head Coach at Brevard College, announced Director of Athletics Myranda Nash. D'Anna will begin his duties as Head Coach on June 1 with Mascaro Jr. in place as BC's Associate Head Coach immediately. The moves correspond with the departure of Coach Bradley Morrison who has accepted a position with the Charlotte Independence Soccer Club Development Academy in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.
"We are honored to have Coach D'Anna lead our Men's Soccer program," said Nash. "The Tornados are in very good hands with Helio's deep and wide ranging experience. Moreover, Coach Juan Mascaro Jr. has been a tremendous asset to our program who has earned his promotion to Associate Head Coach."
D'Anna, simply known as "Coach L" by the soccer community, comes to Brevard College following 16 seasons as the Head Men's Soccer Coach at NCAA Division II Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. At Lincoln Memorial, D'Anna compiled a 175-84-32 record with three NCAA tournament appearances. In his overall head coaching career, D'Anna has won 403 games with 274 wins as collegiate men's coach to go along with 129 wins as a women's coach. Over his entire career, he has coached 22 All-Americans, seven conference players of the year, and a national player of the year. In addition, three of his former players have moved on to join Major League Soccer (MLS) teams.
"I am thrilled to come to Brevard and want to thank Myranda Nash, Juan Mascaro (Vice President of Finance and Operations/Head Women's Soccer Coach) and Dr. David Joyce (Brevard College President) for this opportunity," said Coach D'Anna. "I have always held Brevard in high regard from all the people I have met and the times we have played here over the years. I am confident we will make some noise with men's soccer and look forward to it."
While the Head Coach at Lincoln Memorial from 2003-18, D'Anna led the Railsplitters to three NCAA tournament appearances including trips to the 2007 national championship game and the 2006 national semifinals. As Head Coach of the men's program at LMU, D'Anna coached four first-team All-Americans, a National Player of the Year, two South Atlantic Conference Players of the Year and 14 different All-South Atlantic Conference First-Team selections.
From 2003-16, D'Anna also served as LMU's Head Women's Soccer Coach where he guided the Railsplitters to three NCAA tournament appearances as well as a two conference titles.
At Lincoln Memorial, D'Anna was named the Appalachian Region Men's Soccer Coach of the Year in 2007 and an NCAA National Coach of the Year finalist in 2006.
Prior to his tenure at Lincoln Memorial, D'Anna held the positions of Head Men's Soccer Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Union College (Ky.) from 1995-2002. At Union College, D'Anna led the Bulldogs to four Mid-South Conference titles and was named conference coach of the year four times. Additionally, he was named NCAA South Region Coach of the Year in 2004.
Additional experience for D'Anna includes a stint as Head Coach for the Professional Development League's Baton Rouge Capitals, Head Coach for the Kentucky Olympic Development Program as well as work as a columnist and talent recruiter for the Site University of Soccer.
A native of Campinas, Brazil, D'Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education from the University of Campinas in Sao Paulo and a Master's degree in Physical Education and Health from Union College.
Mascaro Jr. is entering his second season on the Brevard College Men's Soccer staff and his third season overall coaching. Following a successful playing career for the Tornados, Mascaro Jr. began his coaching career as the Assistant Men's Soccer Coach at Emory & Henry College. He then returned to Brevard College as Women's Soccer Goalkeeping Coach for the 2017 season before joining the Men's Soccer program as an assistant for the 2018 season.
Mascaro Jr. is a graduate of Brevard College with a Bachelor's degree in Business and Organizational Leadership to go along with a Master's degree in Sports Management from Georgia Southern University. He holds a United States Federation coaching license (E, F levels), a National Goalkeeper certification and is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
The Brevard College Men's Soccer team will open its 2019 season with a home exhibition vs. Milligan on August 19 at Ives-Lemel Family Field. The regular season will kick off for the Tornados with a neutral site match vs. Sewanee on August 31 in Mount Berry, Georgia.
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