Tobias Esche - Men's Soccer Coach - Quinnipiac University Athletics

Tobias Esche

Title:
Men's Soccer Assistant Coach
Email:
tobias.esche@qu.edu

Former Quinnipiac men's soccer student-athlete Tobias Esche '16 returned to the Bobcats as a volunteer assistant coach in the fall of 2020 and was promoted to assistant coach in April 2021. He will enter his fourth campaign on Eric Da Costa's staff in 2022.

The Bobcats won nine games in the fall 2021 campaign, going 6-3 at the QU Soccer Stadium in Hamden. QU won five consecutive games to begin the season, defeating Boston College (first time since 2007), UMass Lowell, Sacred Heart, CCSU and Harvard.

QU received votes twice in the fall of 2021 for the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll – which recognizes the top Division I programs in the nation. Esche helped three Bobcats claim All-MAAC awards at the end of the regular season: Brage Aasen: All-MAAC First Team, Paulo Soares: All-MAAC Second Team, Sam McCann: MAAC All-Rookie Team.

The spring 2021 season was another benchmark year for the Bobcats. With the help of Esche, Quinnipiac went 5-1 in regular season MAAC play to earn the No. 1 seed in the postseason conference tournament. The Bobcats defeated Siena in the MAAC Quarterfinals, and Fairfield in the Semifinals to earn their fourth championship appearance since joining the league in 2013.

Following a pair of MAAC Tournament wins to advance to another MAAC title contest, the Bobcats received national recognition for their spring success. QU received National Top 25 votes in the United Soccer Coaches’ Poll on April 13 – a poll that recognizes the most elite programs in the country.

Quinnipiac outscored opponents 18-9 over nine games during the spring 2021 season. Esche helped keeper Jarred Mazzola earn MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year honors, as Mazzola allowed just four goals over six games. Quinnipiac’s defense as a whole allowed just nine goals over nine games, the lowest total in the MAAC. Braage Aasen led the team in scoring (five goals, four assists, 14 points) during the abbreviated season, earning United Soccer Coaches All-East Region honors. Mazzola, Aasen, Henry Weigand, Luke Allen and Paulo Soares were all selected to the All-MAAC Squad under Da Costa, and the Bobcats led all schools with 19 total All-Academic honorees.

He played three full seasons at Quinnipiac from 2013-15 after spending his freshman year with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Esche made 57 total starts for the Bobcats in a three-year span, and was a key member of Quinnipiac's 2013 MAAC championship team. Esche started in all 20 games for QU in 2013, helping anchor a defensive unit that led the Bobcats to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.

Esche is a two-time All-MAAC First Team selection (2013, 2014), and a two-time NSCAA All North Atlantic Region Second Team choice. He recorded three goals and four assists for 10 total points during his time at Quinnipiac.

Esche graduated from Quinnipiac in 2016 with a Bachelors in Business Management. He then joined Southern New Hampshire for a graduate season, serving as a captain for SNHU and earning Northeast-10 All-Conference First Team honors.

Esche signed a semi-professional contract with BSV Rehden in Germany following his collegiate career in the United States, becoming the program's captain after just one season. While in Germany, he also began furthering his coaching knowledge by leading the U-11 Boys of the Youth Development Academy of BSV Rehden. Esche obtained a UEFA B License in 2018 for coaching, while also assisting in scouting local players for the "Fussball Project" in Germany.

He moved back to Connecticut after recently signing a professional contract with New Amsterdam FC, and American professional club based in upstate New York. The club – which was established in April of 2020 – competes in the National Independent Soccer Association.