Stephen Negoesco (Romanian: Ștefan Negoescu; September 12, 1925 – February 3, 2019) was a Romanian-Americansoccer player and coach.
Considered one of college soccer's all-time greatest coaches,[1] he led the University of San Francisco to more than 544 victories, five NCAA championships (the 1978 championship was later vacated because of an ineligible player), and the U.S. Open Cup.[2]
Negoesco was the first coach in college soccer history to reach 500 career wins.[3] He also coached several junior teams and won numerous championships.
Born in New Jersey, the son of a sea captain.[6] Negoesco returned with his father to Romania after his mother's death to live with his aunt and uncle, where he discovered and took up soccer. His skills would later help him survive and escape imprisonment by the Nazis during their occupation of Romania during World War II;[7] he was sent to a Nazi camp at 15 after the Germans discovered his American roots.[8] Negoesco played in the Romanian League, then returned to his birthplace in New Jersey in 1945.
Settling in California, Negoesco enrolled at the University of San Francisco in 1947 where he studied biology.[9] He also resumed playing soccer, coached by Gus Donoghue. Negoesco led the Dons to the 1949 California collegiate title and the 1950 Soccer Bowl co-championship with Penn State, and he also earned two All-American honors during this period.
After graduating in 1951, Negoesco taught in the San Francisco Unified School District for twenty-five years. During that period he was also hired as USF's men's soccer coach in 1962, a post he would hold until his retirement in 2000.[10] Negoesco would go on to coach the Dons to 544 victories, 22 conference titles, and five NCAA titles (1966, 1975, 1976, 1978, and 1980), the 1978 championship was later vacated because of an ineligible player.[11]
He made history when he won the US Open Cup championship in 1976 with the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club. It was the first time that a Northern California club lifted the US Open Cup trophy and he became the first coach in history to win a US Open Cup and an NCAA title.[4][2]
Negoesco died on February 3, 2019, at the age of 93.[15] He was predeceased by his wife Mercedes Coronado. Negoesco is survived by his children Stefan, Sandra, Sonia, Stuart, Sylvana, Sergio, 17 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Honors and awards
"USF was the team and Steve was the Coach when I was growing up. It would have been great to have the opportunity to learn from him."
Allaway, Roger; Jose, Colin; Litterer, David (2001). The Encyclopedia of American Soccer History. Scarecrow Press. ISBN978-0-810-83980-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
