Eric Eichmann
Encyclopedia
Eric Eichmann is a retired American soccer player. He played professionally in Germany and the United States and later served as an assistant coach with the Miami Fusion
of Major League Soccer
. He also earned twenty-nine caps and scored four goals, for the United States national team
.
Clemson University
of the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC). His freshman year, he earned All-ACC honors. In 1984, the team won the NCAA national championship
. His most successful individual year came as a junior when he set a school record of nineteen assists while helping his team to the ACC championship. As a senior, Eichmann earned First-Team All-American
honors. In 1986, he also played for Atlanta Datagraphic
, a top level amateur club.
team Werder Bremen II
. The next year he returned to the United States where he played with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the ASL/APSL from 1988 to 1993. His time with the team saw them win the 1989 APSL Championship. In 1992, he began a career as an itinerant indoor soccer
player. He began with the Wichita Wings
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) for one season, before moving on to the Washington Warthogs
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
(CISL) in 1993-1994 and finally the St. Louis Ambush
of the NPSL from 1994 to 1996. In 1995, the Ambush won the league championship. In 1996, the Kansas City Wiz
of the Major League Soccer
(MLS) took Eichmann as the thirty-sixthth pick (fourth round) of the league's inaugural draft
. He would play one season and retire as a full time soccer player.
. He went on to play a total of twenty-eight games with the senior team, scoring four goals. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team
at the 1988 Summer Olympics
as well as the U.S. team at the 1990 FIFA World Cup
. His last game with the national team came against Honduras
on March 25, 1993.
team between 1986 and 1992. During that period, he played on the U.S. team which took third at the 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship
and second at the 1992 championship. He ended his futsal career with seven goals.
of the MLS from 2000 to 2002. He is the Director of Coaching and Player Development for the Boca United, a youth team in Florida.
Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion F.C. was a professional soccer club located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that participated in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2001. The club played in Lockhart Stadium, which was a former high school stadium converted into a soccer-specific stadium...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. He also earned twenty-nine caps and scored four goals, for the United States national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
.
College
Eichmann grew up in Florida where St. Thomas Aquinas High School and played for the Key Biscayne Gunners youth club. Eichmann played college soccerCollege soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC). His freshman year, he earned All-ACC honors. In 1984, the team won the NCAA national championship
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
. His most successful individual year came as a junior when he set a school record of nineteen assists while helping his team to the ACC championship. As a senior, Eichmann earned First-Team All-American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
honors. In 1986, he also played for Atlanta Datagraphic
Atlanta Datagraphic
Atlanta Datagraphic was an amateur U.S. soccer club sponsored by the Datagraphic firm of Atlanta, Georgia. It won the 1979 National Amateur Cup.-History:...
, a top level amateur club.
Professional career
After graduation, he played a single season with German Third DivisionOberliga (football)
The Oberliga is currently the name of the fifth tier of the German football leagues. Before the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the fourth tier...
team Werder Bremen II
SV Werder Bremen II
SV Werder Bremen II is the reserve team of Werder Bremen. It currently plays in the 3. Liga and has been a regular fixture at 3rd level football in Germany...
. The next year he returned to the United States where he played with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the ASL/APSL from 1988 to 1993. His time with the team saw them win the 1989 APSL Championship. In 1992, he began a career as an itinerant indoor soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
player. He began with the Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) for one season, before moving on to the Washington Warthogs
Washington Warthogs
The Washington Warthogs were a professional indoor soccer team in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1994-1997. They played their home games in the US Airways Arena in Landover, Maryland, an arena they shared with the Washington Capitals and Washington Bullets.The Warthogs featured the...
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
(CISL) in 1993-1994 and finally the St. Louis Ambush
St. Louis Ambush
The St. Louis Ambush was a professional indoor soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri. Originally located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the team played one season at the Tulsas Pavilion Expo Square. Vernon Riggs was the General Manager. Keith Dial was the Managing General Partner. Former Tulsa Roughneck...
of the NPSL from 1994 to 1996. In 1995, the Ambush won the league championship. In 1996, the Kansas City Wiz
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
of the Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) took Eichmann as the thirty-sixthth pick (fourth round) of the league's inaugural draft
1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer's initial 1996 season, distributed players who had already graduated from college to the league's ten inaugural teams. The draft occurred on February 6 and 7, 1996...
. He would play one season and retire as a full time soccer player.
World Cup and Olympics
Eichmann earned his first cap on February 5, 1986, against CanadaCanada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
. He went on to play a total of twenty-eight games with the senior team, scoring four goals. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team
United States at the 1988 Summer Olympics
The United States competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. 527 competitors, 332 men and 195 women, took part in 230 events in 27 sports.- Gold:* Jay Barrs — Archery, Men's Individual Competition...
at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
as well as the U.S. team at the 1990 FIFA World Cup
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
. His last game with the national team came against Honduras
Honduras national football team
The Honduran national football team, nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor or La H, is the national team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras...
on March 25, 1993.
Futsal
Eichmann also earned seventeen caps with the U.S. futsalUnited States national futsal team
The United States national futsal team is the futsal team that represents that United States at international competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and affiliated with CONCACAF. The U.S. Futsal Federation was founded in 1981 and the first international futsal match...
team between 1986 and 1992. During that period, he played on the U.S. team which took third at the 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship
FIFA Futsal World Championship
The FIFA Futsal World Cup is the international championship for futsal, an indoor version of association football.The world championship tournament is held every four years, on the even year between two FIFA World Cups. The first event was held in 1989, the year FIFA became the world governing body...
and second at the 1992 championship. He ended his futsal career with seven goals.
Coaching
After retiring as a player, Eichmann served as an assistant coach of the Miami FusionMiami Fusion
Miami Fusion F.C. was a professional soccer club located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that participated in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2001. The club played in Lockhart Stadium, which was a former high school stadium converted into a soccer-specific stadium...
of the MLS from 2000 to 2002. He is the Director of Coaching and Player Development for the Boca United, a youth team in Florida.