ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Saint Louis FC announced the appointment of Steve Trittschuh as the club’s new head coach for the 2020 USL Championship season.

Trittschuh joins Saint Louis FC after managing Colorado Switchbacks FC during the 2015-2019 seasons. He was appointed the club’s first head coach in 2015 and led the team to a 14-10-4 record and league second-best 53 goals scored as they finished third in the USL Championship Western Conference. Trittschuh’s second year in charge would be similar as the team finished third in the USL Championship Western Conference with a 14-9-7 record in 2016. The team would barely miss out on the playoffs in 2017 as they finished 12-12-8. In his last two seasons with Colorado Springs, Trittschuh compiled a record of 15-28-8.

“As a club, we could not be more excited to name Steve Trittschuh as our Head Coach,” said STLFC President Patrick Barry. “Steve is someone we have wanted to bring into the organization for several years and the timing on both sides finally aligned. He is someone who knows our city, being born and raised here, and is excellently qualified to lead Saint Louis FC in the USL Championship. Given the resources of our club, we believe he is the right person to lead this team in 2020 and beyond.”

Trittschuh was born in Granite City, Illinois and attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where he was inducted into the SIUE Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011. He began his professional career for the St. Louis Steamers in 1987 and would represent the United States in the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics before signing with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Trittschuh played for the U.S. Men’s National Team in the 1990 FIFA World Cup and then signed with Czechoslovakia club Sparta Prague where he made 13 appearances and scored one goal in a season culminating with a league championship. He would also become the first American to play in the European Cup, the predecessor to the UEFA Champions League. Stints with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, St. Louis Ambush, and Montreal Impact would follow before Trittschuh signed with the Colorado Rapids in 1996. He would make 98 appearances and score 11 goals for the club before finishing his playing career at the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 2001. In total, Trittschuh made 317 club appearances and scored 39 goals while also making 37 international appearances with two goals scored before starting a coaching career as an assistant with the Colorado Rapids in 2002.

“Steve’s experience as a player and coach in the USL Championship, MLS and the U.S. National Team is difficult to find,” added Barry. “He brings intensity, discipline and a commitment to success in everything he does. We are excited to see what he can do with our rebuilt roster in 2020.”