Lucas Piccioli - Field Hockey Coach - University of Louisville Athletic

Lucas Piccioli

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
lucas@GoCards.com
Phone:
852-8153

Associate head coach Lucas Piccioli recently completed his eighth season at the University of Louisville.

   During his time a Louisville, he has been instrumental in the program’s success, helping direct the Cardinals to 113 wins, five NCAA appearances and several top 10 rankings, reaching as high as No. 5 in the nation - all while UofL made a successful transition into the powerful Atlantic Coast Conference. Individually, the Cardinals have earned 11 NFHCA All-America honors, garnered 32 All-Region and 17 all-conference selections.

   Most recently, Piccioli helped guide the Cardinals as they achieved numerous milestones in the 2019 campaign. The squad produced a 16-6 overall record, tying a program mark for wins and earned the overall No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament, serving as a host site for the first time in program history. Louisville also made its first foray into the NCAA quarterfinals after defeating Michigan 2-1 in double-overtime in its first-round matchup.
• UofL finished the season at No. 5 in the NFHCA Coaches poll – the best final ranking in program history. The Cardinals spent 10 weeks of the season among the top 10 in the nation reaching as high as No. 5.
• The 2019 NCAA berth marked Louisville’s eighth NCAA tournament appearance and its fifth at-large bid in the last six years - it was also the first time the Cardinals earned a national seed.
• The Cardinals advanced to the semifinals of the ACC Championship where they fell 3-1 to top- ranked, and eventual champion North Carolina.
• Mercedes Pastor was named a finalist for the Class of 2020 Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey.
• For the third straight year, three UofL players earned NFHCA All-America honors: Pastor was named to the first team, Alli Bitting was a second team selection and Carter Ayars garnered third team honors.
• Louisville placed a program-record seven players on the NFHCA All-West Region teams. Seniors Carter Ayars and Bethany Russ and juniors Bitting and Pastor earned first team honors while juniors Meghan Schneider and Madison Walsh and sophomore Erica Cooper were named to the second team.

The success of the 2019 Cardinals came on the heels of a 2018 season which produced a 13-6 overall record and a 3-3 mark in the ACC, finishing third in the regular season standings. Louisville spent seven weeks in the NFHCA top 10, reaching as high as No. 8 and finished the year at No. 14. The Cards tied a program high with six All-Region selections and three All-Americans.

   The Cards finished the 2017 campaign with a 14-8 overall record after earning their fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance and posting a runner-up finish in the ACC championship. UofL also posted a 4-2 record in ACC play - the most wins since joining the conference in 2014 - and finished tied for second in the regular season standings. Louisville was ranked No. 8 in the final National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association (NFHCA) poll after being ranked in the top 10 for six weeks in 2017.

Louisville placed a program-record three players: Ayeisha McFerran, Nicole Woods and Taylor Stone on the NFHCA All-America teams after garnering five NFHCA All-West Region selections and four All-ACC picks.

   In March, 2016, he was named the program’s first associate head coach after spending four seasons as an assistant coach. Piccioli initially joined Sowry’s staff as an assistant coach prior to the 2012.

    The 2016 Cardinals registered a 15-6 overall record and their third-straight NCAA appearance. UofL also posted 3-3 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to finish in a four-way tie for third. Louisville was ranked ninth in the final NFHCA Coaches’ poll after spending 10 weeks in the top 10, reaching as high as No. 6.

   Along with the season’s team accomplishments, a then-program-best six players earned NFHCA All-West Region honors while a school-record five were named to the All-ACC teams. Additionally, for the second straight season, two Cardinals (Erin McCrudden and Ayeisha McFerran) were named NFHCA All-Americans.

   Louisville posted a 13-7 overall record and earned its second-straight NCAA appearance in 2015. The Cards spent seven weeks ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation. Victoria Stratton and Ayeisha McFerran earned NFHCA All-America honors while sophomore Nicole Woods was selected to USA Field Hockey’s Under 21 team.

   In 2014 Louisville posted a 15-6 overall record and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The Cards finished their inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference season with a 3-3 mark in league play and tied for third in league standings. Louisville’s conference victories included upsets of No. 4 Duke and No. 1 North Carolina - marking the first win over a top-ranked team in program history. Alyssa Voelmle earned first team NFHCA All-America honors.

    The 2013 Cardinals registered a 15-5 record - the most wins since 2001. Louisville also posted a 6-1 mark in BIG EAST play, earning a share of the league’s regular season title. Additionally, Louisville registered a perfect 10-0 record at Trager Stadium for the first time in program history.

   In his first season at UofL, the 2012 Cardinals posted a 12-8 overall record and a semifinal appearance in the BIG EAST Championship.

   Piccioli made the journey to Louisville from Dublin, Ireland, where was an assistant coach for the Irish Women’s National Team which reached its first Olympic Qualifier final in 2011. Additionally, he served the Irish Hockey Association Eastern Development Officer from 2007-12 and was the Chair of the Irish Hockey Association’s Coaching Development Panel from 2010-12. In that position, he was responsible for regional youth development and established the Transition Year Program and the Youth Leader Program. He was the head coach of the Corinthian Hockey Club from 2010-12.

   In 2010, he was a selector and specialist coach for the U-21 Men’s Irish National Team. While working with the Irish men’s team, he served as a head coach consultant, focusing specifically on forwards.

   Prior to his time in Ireland, Piccioli was the head coach of the Venezuelan National Men’s and Women’s team from 2003-06 and served as the Venezuelan Field Hockey Federation Development Program Technical Director. He was also the head coach of the U16 Venezuelan National Team.

   The Caracas, Venezuela native was a member of the Venezuelan National team from 1989-2006. He competed in the World Cup Qualifier (Canada,2004) and two Indoor World Cup Qualifiers (Canada, 2005 and USA, 2002). His other international tournaments included: the 1991 Pan American Games, the Central American and Caribbean Games, the South American Games, the U21 Pan American Games and the U21 Central Caribbean Games.

   Piccioli played professionally from 1996-2004. He began his professional career in Italy where he suited up for the Sicily Division A1Club Team Giardina Naxos Hockey Club in from 1996-97. He went to spend the 2003 season in South Africa with the University of Durban Varsity Team in the Premiership League Club. Piccioli also played for the Honigvogel Hockey Club in Zaragoza Spain in 2004. He completed his playing career in the Corinthian Hockey Club in Leinster, Ireland.

   He is a Qualified II level coach completed the IHA Tutor’s Training course in 2008 and the High Performance Coaching course in 2007 – both in Dublin, Ireland.