PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University men's soccer program is under new leadership for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic changed the sports landscape as Arick Lassiter was tabbed the next Head Coach, coming out of retirement to be the leader of the Wildcats.
 
Soccer runs in the family bloodline, his older brother, Roy, was one of the premier goal scorers in the debut years of Major League Soccer, claiming the league's first ever Golden Boot Award for top scorer in the regular season (1996) and made a trio of MLS All-Star Teams for the Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996) and D.C. United (1998 and 1999), winning the MLS Cup with the latter.
 
From 2017 to 2019, he served as the spiritual advisor and confidant for his nephew, current Portland Timbers (MLS) and Costa Rican National Team representative Ariel Lassiter as well as for previous professional footballer Tobenna Uzo.
 
Lassiter was last seen roaming the sidelines in familiar territory for LCU, serving as the Head Coach of Holy Savior Menard High School while also assisting at LSU Alexandria, leading the Eagles to a 37-14-9 (69.2%) record.
 
Success in the Red River Athletic Conference is nothing new to the team's 11th coach in 27 seasons, leading Huston-Tillotson University to either first or second place finishes in each of his six years at the helm including a pair of RRAC Tournament Championships, one regular season title, and a 2011 NAIA Tournament berth in which the Rams ended the campaign ranked 14th in the nation.
 
His squad were regulars on the conference's postseason teams, landing over 30 student-athletes on All-RRAC Teams, two Offensive Player of the Year awards, and Lassiter himself nabbed two Coach of the Year honors.
 
He is also no stranger to the highest level of collegiate soccer, helping the NC State Wolfpack to three NCAA Tournaments in five seasons between 2002-06 and played for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte of the Metro Conference, with the 49ers falling to Davidson in the First Round of the 1992 NCAA Tournament.
 
The Raleigh, North Carolina native graduated from Indiana Bible College and UNC-Charlotte with a Bachelor of Art in addition to earning his master's degree at North Carolina State University.
  
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