Marc Bucci enters his sixth season as Head Coach of the Men’s Soccer program entering the 2024 season.
Bucci has continued to grow the program since taking the reins prior to the 2019 season. A continued upward trend, Bucci guided the 2023 Bobcats to their first 10-win season since 2014 while making the AMCC Semifinals back to back years; the program’s best two year spell since the 2003 and 2004 campaigns. Another ECAC selection saw the Bobcats lose in the first round to end the season. Bucci coached four representatives on the All-Conference team as well as the AMCC Newcomer of the Year, Matt Armenio. Under Bucci’s leadership, Zander Plizga was named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Men's All-Region VII team.
He led the Bobcats in the 2022 season when they hosted the first home playoff game since 2014 and captured their first playoff victory with a 2-0 victory against Penn State Altoona since that same season. The team followed up this success with a run to the 2022 ECAC Quarterfinals, the program's first selection since 2002. Bucci coached five representatives on the All-Conference team as well as the 2022 Newcomer of the Year in Caleb Yuricha. He was named AMCC Coach of the Year following the 2022 campaign after leading the Bobcats to their most successful season in nearly a decade.
After a canceled COVID season in 2020, Bucci led the Bobcats in 2021 to the first playoff appearance since 2014. This was after a 3-14 season in 2019. The Bobcats earned #6 seed in the conference and a Quarterfinal appearance against Mt. Aloysius College. After a 0-0 halftime score, the Bobcats fell to the eventually conference tournament champions and NCAA qualifier from the AMCC. Bucci coached two representatives on the All-Conference team.
In total, Bucci has coached one United Soccer Coaches All-Region player, two ECAC Rookies of the Year, two All-ECAC players, 11 AMCC All-Conference players, and six AMCC players of the week
Bucci returned to familiar territory, having served as assistant coach for the Bobcats during the 2017 season under previous head coach Dan Keefe. During this season, the Bobcats finished with their most points in three years. Bucci then spent the 2018 season as the assistant coach for the Pitt-Johnstown men’s soccer team before returning to lead the Bobcat Men’s Soccer program as head coach in April 2019.
Bucci previously served as head coach at Gateway High School from 2015-2016, leading the Gators to their first playoff berth in nine years during the 2016 season. He also has extensive experience coaching at the club level, having spent a decade on the staffs of Allegheny Force FC and Century United. Bucci helped coach AFFC teams that reached the PA West State Cup, including winning the U-16 Championship in 2017. Under his guidance at Century United, his U-18 and U-19 teams won PA West State Cup titles in 2020, and his 2021-2022 U-19 team received a Youth National Championship bid.
Bucci played his collegiate soccer at Pitt-Johnstown from 2009-2012 where he was a four-year starter at center midfield and was also a three-time team captain. Bucci garnered WVIAC honorable mention honors for the 2009 and 2012 seasons and served as a student assistant coach for the Mountain Cats.
A 2009 graduate of Plum High School, Bucci was a four-year varsity letter winner. He won a WPIAL championship as a freshman and received All-Section honors as both a junior and senior. As a senior, Bucci was named team captain and was selected to the All-WPIAL team.
Bucci is certified through the United State Soccer Federation and holds his "D" license.
