Lady Sharks Hire Two Assistant Soccer Coaches
Miami Dade College’s fledgling soccer program, which will officially take the field for the first time this fall, has added two assistant coaches to its women’s squad.
Mario Concha, who has served as an assistant coach for various Major League Soccer academy teams, and Bianca Mandrini, who played at Campbell University in North Carolina, have joined head coach Romiro Vengoechea’s inaugural staff.
Concha, 45, will focus on the defensive side of the ball and help with scouting. Mandrini, 23, will assist with field setup and demonstrations during practice.
Mario Concha
Concha’s life has always revolved around soccer. His dad, Mario Concha Sr., was a professional soccer player for more than 15 years, representing teams from Argentina, Bolivia and the United States.
“He gave me the passion to play,” Concha said.
As a kid, Concha moved from Argentina to New York, playing in recreational leagues until he moved to Miami when he was 12. He started playing organized soccer in west Kendall for the Miami Rush.
Concha was a defender at Miami Killian Senior High School, St. Thomas University and for the Miami Breakers and the Strike Force Premiere League Developmental teams. He was also on trial with two Bolivian Clubs—Aurora and The Strongest.
As a coach, he served stints at Christopher Columbus High School, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, St. Thomas University , the Pinecrest Premier Soccer Club and MLS academy teams like the New York Red Bulls and the Miami Rush.
Concha is excited about starting MDC’s program from scratch.
“I had a few offers from other teams but I didn’t take them for a reason,” Concha said. “I think this was the best opportunity for me because it was completely different from what I was doing.”
Bianca Mandrini
Mandrini started her soccer career with the Kendall Hammocks Lightning when she was 5 and had pit stops with the Pinecrest Premier soccer club—where she played for Vengoechea for two years—and the Sunrise Sting.
She continued her career at Coral Reef Senior High as a defender before moving on to Campbell University in North Carolina in 2018. In college, Mandrini suffered three anterior cruciate ligament injuries before graduating in 2022.
“Spending a lot of time on the sidelines injured is where a lot of my coaching came from,” Mandrini said. “I gained interest in it by being more vocal on the field because I couldn’t play.”
After graduation, she stayed in North Carolina for six months, coaching a soccer club in the area. This past August, Mandrini moved back to Miami and started coaching with the Pinecrest Premier before Vengoechea offered her the gig at MDC.
“Something that drew me to the position was the fact that we were starting a program from nothing,” Mandrini said. “Starting from scratch, putting your mark on it and being able to mold it into the program you want was something that really sold me.”
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