Paul Lekics begins his second year this season as an assistant coach on the Cal State Stanislaus men’s soccer coaching staff. Lekics brings a wealth of experience to the team, , having played at the NCAA Division I level and professional level, as well as training with top European teams during his career and playing on the US Under-23 team, from which the US Olympic team is formed
Lekics spent eight years playing professional soccer in the USL with the Richmond Kickers after being drafted out of Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. As part of team policy, Lekics coached club teams when he was not on the pitch playing, amounting to six years of coaching experience during his Richmond years.
During college Lekics trained with a Division I German team over the summer, and after graduating, he trained in England with West Hamm United and South Hampton United, both being members of the Premier League, one of the world’s most competitive professional soccer leagues.
Lekics spent time with the Under-23 US national team, which works as the Olympic development team for the United States. He participated in two Olympic sports festivals in 1994 and ’95, and had the opportunity to play in numerous international matches.
Lekics played as a defensive midfielder at Creighton from 1992-96. Lekics, a four-year starter, and the Bluejays made the NCAA Tournament all four years he was at the school, and the team has continued to make the tournament since, having qualified for the tournament 17 consecutive years since ‘92.
A first-generation American, Lekics learned about the game of soccer from his Hungarian father, who played club soccer in Hungary. His mother is from Yugoslavia.
