Men's Soccer
Cepero, Danny
Danny Cepero
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- danny@GoCards.com
- Phone:
- 852-3936
• 5 Seasons at Louisville
• Education: University of Pennsylvania
Danny Cepero completed his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Louisville men's soccer program in 2017 where his primary responsibility on the field is working with the Cardinals' goalkeepers. He is also responsible for the equipment needs of the team.
Louisville made its fifth NCAA Championship quarterfinal appearance in eight seasons, including the second straight. The Cardinals ranked sixth in the nation in shutout percentage (.600) registering 12 shutouts in their 20 matches in 2017 as redshirt freshmen Will Meyer and Jake Gelnovatch shared the goalkeeping duties. Meyer earned seven of the 12 shutouts and was in goal for six wins, while Gelnovatch had five shutouts and earned seven victories. Louisville was 12th in the NCAA in goals against average (.661).
As the Cardinals advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in seven seasons in 2016, Cepero coached goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland, who played every minute in goal starting all 22 matches for Louisville. He registered 10 shutouts overall, the most for a Louisville goalkeeper since 2011 and ranked 14th in the nation and No. 4 in the ACC in goals against average at 0.710. Cleveland was twice named ACC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 20 & Oct. 11) and was a CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team selection.
During the 2014 season, Cepero helped guide senior goalkeeper Joachim Ball to CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America honors as a Second Team selection. Overall, the Cardinals finished with seven shutouts while advancing to the third round of the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in five seasons.
During his first season in Louisville in 2013, the Cardinals won the inaugural American Conference regular season championship, hosted an NCAA Championship match for the 10th time and advanced to the second round before falling at Michigan State. Louisville goalkeeper Joachim Ball earned eight shutouts and a key stopper as the Cardinals set school records for consecutive shutouts with five from Sept. 21 to Oct. 6 and for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal at 560.
Cepero arrived in Louisville after two seasons at Florida Gulf Coast as the goalkeeper coach. In his first season FGCU in 2011, Cepero worked closely with team's goalkeepers, which included an Atlantic Sun All-Conference first team and a Lowe's Senior CLASS finalist and All-America first team selection in senior Adam Glick and A-Sun Tournament MVP, freshman Nathan Ingham. Under his direction, the goalkeeping tandem combined for a 12-6-2 overall record in net, recording a 1.11 goals against average and a .772 save percentage to go with four shutouts.
During the 2011 season, Cepero helped coach the Eagles into postseason competition in the program's first year of eligibility. The Green and Blue secured the program's second consecutive A-Sun Conference regular season crown with a 7-1 league mark while clinching the A-Sun Tournament No. 1 overall seed. The Eagles earned the A-Sun's automatic NCAA Championship berth after clinching the league tournament title with a pair of one-goal victories over No. 4 Mercer (2-1) and No. 6 ETSU (1-0), becoming the first team since 2004 to claim both the regular season and tournament titles in the same year.
Penn's all-time leader in shutouts with 23, Cepero was a three-year starter for the Quakers from 2004-06, before being selected in the fourth round of the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft. Cepero made 51 starts over his four years in Philadelphia, accumulating an 18-10-3 record over the final two seasons, highlighted back-to-back campaigns with eight shutouts. As a senior in 2006, he posted a 0.76 goals against average (GAA) en route to being a unanimous All-Ivy first team choice and NSCAA All-Northeast Region third team selection.
Cepero's professional career began on the New York Red Bulls reserves for the 2007 campaign before making his first career MLS start on Oct. 18, 2008 against the Columbus Crew. In that game, Cepero picked up the win in net and became the first goalie in MLS history to score a goal when he drilled home a free kick from 81-yards out. Cepero went on to start all four of New York's playoff games, posting back-to-back shutout wins at Houston and Real Salt Lake before starting the franchise's first-ever MLS Cup Final.
In 2008, Cepero was loaned out to the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Second Division, and while with the City Islanders Cepero established himself as one of the top keepers in USL-2. Following his successful loan stint he was recalled by the Red Bulls.
Cepero earned his bachelor's degree in History at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Education: University of Pennsylvania
Danny Cepero completed his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Louisville men's soccer program in 2017 where his primary responsibility on the field is working with the Cardinals' goalkeepers. He is also responsible for the equipment needs of the team.
Louisville made its fifth NCAA Championship quarterfinal appearance in eight seasons, including the second straight. The Cardinals ranked sixth in the nation in shutout percentage (.600) registering 12 shutouts in their 20 matches in 2017 as redshirt freshmen Will Meyer and Jake Gelnovatch shared the goalkeeping duties. Meyer earned seven of the 12 shutouts and was in goal for six wins, while Gelnovatch had five shutouts and earned seven victories. Louisville was 12th in the NCAA in goals against average (.661).
As the Cardinals advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in seven seasons in 2016, Cepero coached goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland, who played every minute in goal starting all 22 matches for Louisville. He registered 10 shutouts overall, the most for a Louisville goalkeeper since 2011 and ranked 14th in the nation and No. 4 in the ACC in goals against average at 0.710. Cleveland was twice named ACC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 20 & Oct. 11) and was a CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team selection.
During the 2014 season, Cepero helped guide senior goalkeeper Joachim Ball to CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America honors as a Second Team selection. Overall, the Cardinals finished with seven shutouts while advancing to the third round of the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in five seasons.
During his first season in Louisville in 2013, the Cardinals won the inaugural American Conference regular season championship, hosted an NCAA Championship match for the 10th time and advanced to the second round before falling at Michigan State. Louisville goalkeeper Joachim Ball earned eight shutouts and a key stopper as the Cardinals set school records for consecutive shutouts with five from Sept. 21 to Oct. 6 and for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal at 560.
Cepero arrived in Louisville after two seasons at Florida Gulf Coast as the goalkeeper coach. In his first season FGCU in 2011, Cepero worked closely with team's goalkeepers, which included an Atlantic Sun All-Conference first team and a Lowe's Senior CLASS finalist and All-America first team selection in senior Adam Glick and A-Sun Tournament MVP, freshman Nathan Ingham. Under his direction, the goalkeeping tandem combined for a 12-6-2 overall record in net, recording a 1.11 goals against average and a .772 save percentage to go with four shutouts.
During the 2011 season, Cepero helped coach the Eagles into postseason competition in the program's first year of eligibility. The Green and Blue secured the program's second consecutive A-Sun Conference regular season crown with a 7-1 league mark while clinching the A-Sun Tournament No. 1 overall seed. The Eagles earned the A-Sun's automatic NCAA Championship berth after clinching the league tournament title with a pair of one-goal victories over No. 4 Mercer (2-1) and No. 6 ETSU (1-0), becoming the first team since 2004 to claim both the regular season and tournament titles in the same year.
Penn's all-time leader in shutouts with 23, Cepero was a three-year starter for the Quakers from 2004-06, before being selected in the fourth round of the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft. Cepero made 51 starts over his four years in Philadelphia, accumulating an 18-10-3 record over the final two seasons, highlighted back-to-back campaigns with eight shutouts. As a senior in 2006, he posted a 0.76 goals against average (GAA) en route to being a unanimous All-Ivy first team choice and NSCAA All-Northeast Region third team selection.
Cepero's professional career began on the New York Red Bulls reserves for the 2007 campaign before making his first career MLS start on Oct. 18, 2008 against the Columbus Crew. In that game, Cepero picked up the win in net and became the first goalie in MLS history to score a goal when he drilled home a free kick from 81-yards out. Cepero went on to start all four of New York's playoff games, posting back-to-back shutout wins at Houston and Real Salt Lake before starting the franchise's first-ever MLS Cup Final.
In 2008, Cepero was loaned out to the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Second Division, and while with the City Islanders Cepero established himself as one of the top keepers in USL-2. Following his successful loan stint he was recalled by the Red Bulls.
Cepero earned his bachelor's degree in History at the University of Pennsylvania.
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