MIAMI (March 19, 2020) - FIU men's soccer head coach Kyle Russell has announced the hiring of Dannie Merida as his first assistant coach.

"I am very excited to have Dannie join the vision here [at FIU]," said Coach Russell. "He is a man of high character, high work ethic, and someone who our players are going to love being around. Having good people around me is something I'm passionate about and Dannie does things the right way all the time. Our players, as well as the South Florida area as a whole, will be better with Dannie and his family here."

Merida, who brings 11 years of collegiate coaching experience, lands at FIU after spending the last nine seasons with the Stony Brook University men's soccer program of the America East Conference. Raised in Miami Dade County, Merida now returns home to where his coaching career initially began, and where he once graced the pitch as a Panther with the FIU men's soccer team.

"I am extremely excited to be back at FIU," said Merida. "I want to thank FIU and Kyle Russell for this great opportunity. I look forward to having a positive impact on our student-athletes as well as the soccer community in Miami."

Merida served as the associate head coach of SBU men's soccer from 2017-19, helping guide the Seawolves to an AE regular-season title in 2018, while garnering SBU the honor of 2018 AE Coaching Staff of the Year. Prior to earning his promotion with SBU, Merida acted as the top assistant coach for the Seawolves from 2011-2016. In the 2016 campaign, Merida guided the Seawolves to a No. 1 seed in the AE Tournament, posting a 9-6-3 record (5-1-1 AE) during a season in which the AE Conference ranked No. 3 nationally in RPI behind only the ACC and the PAC-12. In 2011, Merida helped the Seawolves capture an AE Tournament crown, propelling SBU to its third-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
 
During his nine years at SBU, Merida saw the Seawolves qualify for the AE Conference Tournament in seven different seasons. Overall, Merida coached 30 AE All-Conference players, 10 All-Region players, SBU's first-ever men's soccer All-American, one MLS draftee, three AE Rookies of the Year, two AE Midfielders of the Year, one AE Striker of the Year and one AE Man of the Year.

Prior to coaching at SBU, Merida served as a top assistant coach at Lewis University (Chicago) in 2010, where he helped the Flyers become the Great Lake Valley Conference regular-season champs, earning as high as a No. 3 Division II national ranking by the NSCAA. Merida's first collegiate coaching job was at Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois, where he spent the 2009 campaign as the associate head coach for the Lynx and guided the program to an NJCAA top-15 national ranking.

Before heading north to Illinois, Merida began his coaching career in Miami, previously serving as the associate head soccer coach of both Miami Palmetto Senior High School and Miami Killian Senior High School. In 2008, Merida's Killian squad earned a No. 2 ranking in Florida and a No. 8 national ranking by ESPN. Merida also acted as head coach of South Kendall Soccer Club from 2006-2009.

Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Merida spent two seasons on the pitch as a student-athlete for FIU men's soccer from 2004-05, where he helped a top-25 ranked Panther squad secure a 2004 Atlantic Soccer Conference Championship, as well as a berth to the NCAA Tournament. Merida transferred to FIU following his freshman season at Elon University in 2003.

In 2008, Merida earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from FIU.

Merida's journey now comes full circle, as he finds himself back home in the place where things all began for him, wearing Blue & Gold as an FIU Panther.

Dannie is joined in Miami by his wife Nicole, daughter Gabriella (4 years old), and son Daniel, Jr. (4 months).

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