Salcedo Is Named Bruin Coach

UCLA filled its men’s soccer coaching vacancy by promoting former player and assistant Jorge Salcedo to replace Tom Fitzgerald, who resigned last month.

Salcedo, 31, was selected over Paul Krumpe, men’s coach at Loyola Marymount, and Ralph Perez, who was an assistant for six years with the Galaxy and is in the team’s front office as director of youth development. Former UCLA player and current Cal Poly Pomona Coach Paul Caligiuri also was thought to be a candidate.

“Obviously it’s a tremendous honor to be the UCLA head coach.... I want to continue the tradition that has been set here,” said Salcedo, who was once the team’s ball boy.

Salcedo, who scored the winning goal in the 1990 NCAA title match, has been an assistant the last three years after playing five years in Major League Soccer with the Galaxy and three other teams. He also was a U.S. national team scout.

Salcedo credited the Bruins’ previous two coaches, Todd Saldana and Fitzgerald, with allowing him to have a role in all aspects of the program.

In two years with Fitzgerald, UCLA won its fourth national title in 2002 and spent much of last season ranked No. 1 before losing to Indiana in the quarterfinals.

-- Eric Stephens