Aug. 19, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Head men's soccer coach Bryan Cunningham recently made the third new addition to his staff since the end of the 2007 season, naming former UCF player Mauricio Ruiz as a Volunteer Assistant Coach. Ruiz played for the Knights from 2001-2003 under former head coach Bob Winch.
"I am pleased to add a coach of Mauricio's stature to our staff," Cunningham said. "He has an excellent playing and coaching background and his knowledge of the game will be invaluable to our players. "
Most recently, Ruiz played for the inaugural Orlando Sharks team of the Major Indoor Soccer League. Ruiz played in 27 of 30 games, scoring seven goals and tallying four assists as a rookie.
Prior to joining the Sharks, Ruiz played for Ajax Orlando in the United States League Premier Development League. During his time with Ajax Orlando, he also served at the club level as the Director of Coaches and Director of Operations for Florida Soccer Alliance. He also was the head junior varsity coach at Winter Springs High School.
"I am excited about the opportunity Coach Cunningham has given me," Ruiz said. "I feel that I have a lot to offer the men's soccer program. I am passionate about the game of soccer as I am about UCF. Having spent time here as a player and now as a coach, it's encouraging to see the strides the athletic department has taken to enrich the experience for student-athletes."
Ruiz is a local soccer standout at Cypress Creek High School, holding the record for most points in school history. The Central Florida Player of the Year, he was a two-time All-State player. Ruiz also played club soccer for the Seminole Ice, helping the squad to the state final four two years in a row.
After high school, he played for UCF from 2001-03 and was a member of the first-ever conference championship team and NCAA Tournament participant. In two seasons as a Knight, Ruiz scored scored eight goals and dished out four assists.
Ruiz transferred to Stetson after two years, serving as the team captain as a senior. During his senior season, he led the Hatters to their first-ever NCAA appearance and conference championship.
Ruiz is a 2005 graduate of Stetson University, where he earned a Bachelor of Electronic Business Technology. He played in two NCAA tournaments as a collegian. Between UCF and Stetson, he claimed two Atlantic Sun conference titles.
Born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Ruiz moved to the United States in 1996 with his parents and two older sisters.
UCF gets the 2008 season underway with five consecutive games away from their home field. The Knights open the season against two Big Ten opponents at the Ohio State Bert and Iris Wolstein Classic in Columbus, Ohio. The squad begins with a 5:00 p.m. tilt against Penn State on Friday, August 29. Two days later, UCF will square off against the host Buckeyes at 2:30 p.m.
All home matches at the UCF Soccer Complex are free to the public this season. The Knights will have a total of seven games on their home field, including the opener against Memphis on Saturday, September 20, at 7:00 p.m.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.