SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Former NCAA All-American and two-time Major League Soccer (MLS) Champion Ryan Cochrane has been named assistant men's soccer coach at his alma mater, Santa Clara University. Cochrane capped off an outstanding collegiate career at SCU by helping the Broncos reach the 2003 NCAA College Cup Final Four. He went on to enjoy nine-years playing professional soccer, which included winning a pair of MLS titles with the Houston Dynamo.

"There is no doubt Ryan is going to help this program grow and become better," said Santa Clara men's soccer head coach and Bronco Hall of Famer Cameron Rast. "First and foremost, his background as a player is exceptional. He just finished up his professional career and was already transitioning into coaching, so it's a natural fit.

"I think his ability to pass on some of his experiences - not all of them as rosy as they may seem when you have a guy that played in the MLS and won MLS Cups, because there are some great challenges to being a pro - but his perspective as a young coach will help our student-athletes gain insight on why school and soccer can be important parts of our lives," added Rast. "Ryan will be a great mentor for them, particularly on the soccer side, but beyond that as well."

A native of Portland, Ore., Cochrane became one of the most accomplished players in school history during his three years on SCU's Mission Campus (2001-03). Cochrane started every game he was available for, serving as the team's central defender. He earned Soccer America Freshman All-America honors in 2001 and All-America Honorable Mention recognition in 2002. 

In 2003, Cochrane anchored a Bronco defense that posted 12 shutouts, went 16-4-4, won the West Coast Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA College Cup Final Four in Columbus, Ohio. He was named an NSCAA/adidas Second Team All-American in 2003 and a M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist.

More recently, during his last two years playing professionally, Cochrane served as an assistant coach at the collegiate level with San Antonio's Trinity University in 2012 and at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass. in 2011. 

"I had been looking to move into coaching full time, and when I found out there was an opportunity here, it was an opportunity I could not pass up," said Cochrane. "I came to Santa Clara in 2001 and it was the best experience in my life in terms of growth as a person and player. Without the years here at Santa Clara I would not have gone on to such a successful professional career. I owe a lot of that to Cam (Rast) and Yamo (SCU Associate Head Coach Eric Yamamoto)."

"To be able to come back and share my experiences with the guys, sharing my pride of being a player here and what this program has meant to me, how it has shaped who I am now and influenced what I did after I left Santa Clara, that's exciting to me. I am thankful for Cam and Yamo and the staff for giving me that opportunity," said Cochrane.

Throughout Cochrane's three years at Santa Clara, he also started for the U.S. Under-20 National Team (2001-2003), representing the U.S. in the 2003 U-20 World Cup in Dubai, U.A.E. Cochrane and SCU teammate at the time, goalkeeper Steve Cronin, led the U.S. to a fifth-place finish among 25-plus countries at the World Cup.

Cochrane was selected fifth overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft by the San Jose Earthquakes and stayed with the team when it relocated to Houston in 2006. As the team's starting center defender, Cochrane led Houston to a pair of MLS titles in 2006 and 2007. His nine-year professional career was also highlighted by claiming a pair of MLS Western Conference Championships with Houston, earning an MLS Supporters Shield trophy with San Jose in 2005, and being named one of the North American Soccer League's (NASL) Best XI Players in 2012.

In all, Cochrane played in 145 MLS games spanning three different organizations (San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and New England Revolution). He started in 120 of those 145 games played, logged over 10,500 minutes and totaled five goals and five assists. 

Cochrane's Playing/Coaching File
1998 U.S. Under-16 National Team
1999-2000 U.S. Under-18 National Team
2001-2003 U.S. Under-20 National Team
2001-2003 Santa Clara University
2004 San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
2005 San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
2006 Houston Dynamo (MLS)*
2007 Houston Dynamo (MLS)*
2008 San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
2009 San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
2009 Houston Dynamo (MLS)
2010 Houston Dynamo (MLS)
2011 New England Revolution (MLS)
2011 Assistant Coach Wheaton College
2012 San Antonio Scorpions (NASL)
2012 Assistant Coach Trinity University
*MLS Cup Champions

FOR TRANSACTIONS:
SANTA CLARA – Named Ryan Cochrane Assistant Men's Soccer Coach.