El Paso Locomotive FC Welcome Gerson Echeverry as New Assistant Coach
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso Locomotive FC announced today that it has brought on Gerson Echeverry as its new Assistant Coach effective immediately. Echeverry will be on the sidelines for the Locos home match vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday, September 21.
Echeverry, 53, joins the Locos from Las Vegas Lights FC where he has been an assistant coach since the start of the year and played a major role in revitalizing Las Vegas into a competitive team intent on clinching a historic first-ever playoff berth.
Prior to his time with the Lights, Echeverry was with Rio Grande Valley FC for six years, serving as the Toros Head Coach from 2018-20 then working under current Locomotive Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera as Assistant Coach and Director of Scouting between 2021-23. His time with RGV is highlighted by the Toros’ run to the Western Conference Semifinal in 2021 and Western Conference Quarterfinal in 2022.
"I’m very happy and proud to be here in El Paso,” Echeverry said. “It’s a pleasure to reunite with Wilmer, someone who I’ve worked very well and achieved success with in the past. The ambition of the club is high and I look forward to working towards achieving those ambitions.”
Echeverry’s coaching career began in 2002 as an assistant coach for Seton Hall University under legendary head coach Manfred Schellscheidt, helping the Pirates advance to the 2004 BIG EAST Championship game and consecutive NCAA Tournament berths from 2003-05. He took over as Head Coach between 2012-17 and in his inaugural season, led the Pirates to their first BIG EAST appearance since 2007.
In between his stints at Seton Hall, Echeverry worked under Cabrera as an assistant coach for the United States U-17 Youth National Team from 2008-11, where helped the team reach the Round of 16 at the 2009 and 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup, as well as a first-place finish in the 2011 CONCACAF U-17 Championship.
As a player, Echeverry established himself as one of the best players in Seton Hall history. A member of the Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Fame, he ranks third in school history with 32 assists and sixth with 41 goals. Echeverry was a member of the 1991 team that raised the BIG EAST Championship and was named Most Outstanding Player of the BIG EAST Championship, BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and a Third-Team All-American.
At the professional level, Echeverry played as a forward in Major League Soccer for the NY/NJ MetroStars and D.C. United, as well as for Cortuluá in Colombia’s top tier. He spent significant time between 1997 and 1999 playing for several teams within the USL ecosystem, including the Richmond Kickers and South Jersey Barons (now the Ocean City Nor’easters).
UPCOMING MATCHES
El Paso Locomotive FC return to Southwest University Park to host Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday, September 21 with kickoff on ESPN+ and KVIA.com – as well as the KVIA News App – set for 7 p.m. MT. Tickets can be purchased online now at eplocomotivefc.com/tickets.
