FC DALLAS PRESS RELEASE / INTERVIEW
FC DALLAS GONZALEZ PHOTO GALLERY  

FRISCO, Texas (SMU) – Mustang Hall of Famer Luchi Gonzalez has been named head coach of FC Dallas, the team formally announced on Monday at his introductory press conference.

Gonzalez was a standout striker for SMU from 1998-2001, leading the Mustangs to the College Cup in 2000 and sweeping National Player of the Year honors during his senior season. Gonzalez has been an FC Dallas Academy coach since 2012, growing the Academy to one of the tops in the league.

The club announced his signing on Sunday, and FC Dallas Chairman Clark Hunt introduced Gonzalez at the facility on Monday. Hunt graduated from SMU in 1987 and captained the soccer team. SMU head coach Kevin Hudson was in attendance at the press conference. Hudson played with Gonzalez on The Hilltop, where they were both a part of the Mustangs' 2000 College Cup team.

"I'm thrilled that Luchi Gonzalez, one of SMU's all-time greats, has been named the new head coach at FCD," Hudson said. "He is a great friend, fantastic coach and sharp soccer mind. We know he'll be very successful in MLS."

In his first year on the Hilltop, Gonzalez was Freshman of the Year in the WAC and helped the Mustangs win the conference, which included a 13-match unbeaten streak. In 1999, Gonzalez and the Mustangs repeated as conference champions and returned to the NCAA Tournament.

The Mustangs had a special season in 2000, beginning by taking the conference title in their first season in the Missouri Valley. The Mustangs knocked off IUPUI and Kentucky in their first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, too, setting up a road matchup with Stanford with a trip to the College Cup on the line. Gonzalez assisted on Mohamed Fahim's 81^st minute goal that broke the 1-1 tie and sent SMU to its first College Cup in program history.

In his senior year, Gonzalez had a historic season for a Mustang squad that was the top-ranked team in the country throughout the season. Gonzalez scored 21 goals and 12 assists on the season, winning conference Player of the Year, as the Mustangs went undefeated during the regular season and won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament title. Gonzalez took home every major collegiate soccer award for his performance, earning the MAC Player of the Year, the Hermann Trophy and Soccer American Player of the Year, joining Claidio Reyna and Mike Fisher as the only players to sweep the three awards. Gonzalez added being named to the College Soccer Team of the Decade to his honors, as well. Additionally, he was the first men's soccer player selected to the SMU Hall of Fame, with his induction in the Class of 2011.

Gonzalez graduated from SMU with a degree in finance and was selected sixth overall in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft by the San Jose Earthquakes. He spent the next seven seasons playing professionally in the MLS, as well as in Sweden and Peru.

Gonzalez joined FC Dallas as the U-18 Academy coach in 2012. Since joining the club, FC Dallas U-17 Academy teams have won their division six consecutive years and have won four USSDA National Championships. Under Gonzalez's leadership, the U-19s won the 2017 Dallas Cup Super Group Championship. With Gonzalez as Academy Director, FC Dallas has signed 15 Homegrown players and developed the Academy into a premier youth system in the MLS. He will become the second youngest coach in the MLS and the seventh head coach of FC Dallas.

Gonzalez will begin the process of finalizing his coach staff over the coming weeks and preparing for the MLS SuperDraft on January 11. FC Dallas will begin play in its 24^th MLS regular season in March of 2019.