Former Scarlet Knights DiCuollo, Rammel Named to MLS Posts
Dec 20 | Men's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, NJ - A pair of the cornerstones of the 1989 and 1990 men’s soccer Final Four squads - Lino DiCuollo and Steve Rammel - have recently been hired by Major League Soccer. Rammel will be an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy while DiCuollo will serve as an executive in the leagues front office as Player Personnel/International Business Director. DiCuollo and Rammel are two of eight players to have their jersey numbers retired.
“I’m very happy for both Steve and Lino,” said head coach Bob Reasso. “They were both wonderful players during their time at Rutgers and have gone on to achieve great success personally and professionally. I know they’ll both do a great job and wish them nothing but the best.”
As Player Personnel/International Business Director, DiCuollo will be responsible for assisting in the negotiation of player contracts and international relations between the MLS and professional leagues overseas. For the past two years, he worked for as lead counsel for Champions World, a promoter of international soccer that brought, among others, Manchester United and Juventas to the United States.
“I’m very excited to join the head office of the MLS and work with the outstanding executives,” said DiCuollo. “They’re all great people and I’m looking forward to promoting the game of soccer. It’s an outstanding opportunity both personally and professionally, and I can’t wait to get started. When you look around the league and see all the people who have Rutgers ties, I think it’s a tribute to Coach Reasso and the kind of people he helps produce.”
After playing professionally in Germany, DiCuollo enrolled in law school and practiced at the private law firm in Newark before being hired by Champions World. As a high school standout at nearby Scotch Plains-Fanwood, DiCuollo was the first three-time member of the Star-Ledger All-State First Team and led his team to the 1987 Group III title. Chosen as one of the Players of the Decade by The Star-Ledger, DiCuollo’s 105 career goals ranks 16th in state history.
DiCuollo was recognized as one of the nation’s premier forward’s during his career “on the Banks.” He was a 1989 All-America choice following a year where he was also named Atlantic 10 East Division Player of the Year. In his four years, he led Rutgers to a 71-15-8 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances. He stands third on the Rutgers career points list with 122, fourth on the goals scored list with 48 and fourth on the assist list with 26.
Rammel was the head coach at Saint Mary’s (CA) for the past six years, leading the Gaels to 37 victories, including nine in 2005, which tied the school record for single-season wins. He recruited 20 players that earned All-West Coast Conference honors, including a 2004 Freshman All-American. Rammel took the helm at Saint Mary’s following a three-year stint as the top assistant coach at UCLA where he helped guide the Bruins to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four appearance in 1999.
One of Major League Soccer’s top players in 1996, Rammel was an All-Star with DC United which won the MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup. He scored 14 goals and had four assists to rank eighth in the league in scoring (32 points). Rammel led the league with six game-winning goals, before being traded the following year to the Colorado Rapids. Rammel was also the first player in MLS history to ever record a hat trick. In addition to his playing experience in the MLS, Rammel played with the U.S. National Team in 1991, and also participated in the 1991 World University Games.
As an All-American at Rutgers, Rammel was a runner-up for the 1990 Hermann Trophy that goes to the top college soccer player in America after leading RU to the National Championship match against UCLA. In 1990, he scored 17 goals and assisted on nine others. In two years at Rutgers, he scored 34 career goals and 16 assists for 84 points. He is currently the Scarlet Knights eight ranked all-time scorer.
The Galaxy is coming off its most successful season in franchise history, capped by the MLS Cup title against the New England Revolution. Los Angeles completed its improbable rise from the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 2-0 win over Denver in the conference finals behind two goals from Landon Donovan.
“For me personally, I am very pleased to be back in MLS, this time on the coaching side, but also to be joining the current MLS and Open Cup champions, Steve Sampson, Doug Hamilton, and AEG is tremendous,” said Rammel. “The players may have changed a little bit, but I can still relate to the veterans and pass on a lot of stuff to the younger guys as well. I am also looking forward to the challenge of working with the reserves and finding a few more players that can contribute to this team.”
