LaCasto, a Huntington Beach, California native, joins the Bears’ program following a successful three-year tenure as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at UNC Asheville.
During his time at UNC Asheville, LaCasto played a pivotal role in two of the most successful seasons in the program’s Division I history. The Bulldogs qualified for the Big South Conference Championships in back-to-back years—marking a first in the program’s D-1 era.
In 2023, Asheville achieved a milestone season, winning 10 matches for the first time in its Division I history. The team also earned a program-record seven All-Conference selections and made its first-ever appearance in the Big South Conference Championship match.
LaCasto coached numerous All-Conference and All-Academic student-athletes at UNC Asheville, including the back-to-back Big South Conference Goalkeeper of the Year and a two-time Academic All-American.
Prior to his return to UNC Asheville as a coach, LaCasto served as an assistant coach for the men’s soccer team at Mars Hill University while earning his Master of Management degree. Over two seasons, he helped guide the program from the bottom of the South Atlantic Conference standings to an appearance in the SAC Championship final in 2021. During his tenure, Mars Hill posted a combined record of 14-9-5.
As a player, LaCasto was a standout midfielder at UNC Asheville from 2015–2019. He earned Big South All-Academic honors twice and served as team captain for three of his four years with the Bulldogs.
