Mark Pulisic
{{short description|American former soccer forward (born 1968)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Mark Pulisic
| image = CINvPGH 2018-04-21 - Mark Pulisic (41819192402) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Pulisic in 2018
| fullname = Mark Pulisic
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|9|20}}
| birth_place = Centereach, New York, United States
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| position = Forward
| collegeyears1 = 1986–1989
| college1 = George Mason Patriots
| collegecaps1 = 73
| collegegoals1 = 35
| years1 = 1991–1999
| clubs1 = Harrisburg Heat (indoor)
| caps1 =
| goals1 = 296
| manageryears1 = 1993–2005
| manageryears2 = 1996–2005
| manageryears3 = 2003–2004
| manageryears4 = 2006–2007
| manageryears5 = 2015–2017
| manageryears6 = 2017
| manageryears7 = 2018
| managerclubs1 = Lebanon Valley College (men)
| managerclubs2 = Lebanon Valley College (women)
| managerclubs3 = Harrisburg City Islanders (assistant)
| managerclubs4 = Detroit Ignition
| managerclubs5 = Borussia Dortmund (academy)
| managerclubs6 = Rochester Rhinos (assistant)
| managerclubs7 = Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (assistant)
}}
Mark Pulisic (born September 20, 1968) is an American former soccer player and coach of Croatian descent. He played for the Harrisburg Heat for his entire professional career. He is the father of Christian Pulisic, who plays for AC Milan and the United States men's national team.
College
Pulisic attended George Mason University, where he played soccer from 1986 to 1989. He finished with thirty-five career goals in 73 appearances.{{cite web|title=Men's Soccer Announces 2012 Hall of Fame Class|url=http://www.gomason.com/news/2012/10/18/205713265.aspx|website=George Mason Patriots men's soccer|publisher=GoMason.com|accessdate=October 6, 2017|date=October 18, 2012}} In 2012, he was voted into the George Mason Men's Soccer Hall of Fame.
Harrisburg Heat
In 1991, Pulisic turned professional with the Harrisburg Heat of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL).{{Cite web |last=Beauchamp |first=Christopher |date=2022-01-28 |title=Heat Flashback: A Trip For The Storybooks |url=https://harrisburgheat.com/heat-flashback-a-trip-for-the-storybooks/ |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=Harrisburg Heat |language=en-US}} He remained with the Heat throughout his career, retiring from playing professionally in 1999. When he retired, the Heat honored him with a Mark Pulisic Night at the Farm Show Arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was then inducted into the team's Hall of Fame, joining Bob Lilley, Richard Chinapoo, and Todd Smith.
Coaching
In 1993, Lebanon Valley College hired Pulisic to begin a new chapter of the men's soccer program, where he coached until 2005, finishing with a record of 88-124-13.{{Cite web|title=Year-by-Year Results|url=https://godutchmen.com/sports/2020/5/19/msoc-year-by-year-results.aspx?id=300|access-date=2025-01-25|website=Lebanon Valley College Athletics|language=en}} In 1996, Pulisic began coaching a new women's team program at the school as well. While with Lebanon Valley College, Pulisic also served as an assistant coach for the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL in 2003 and 2004.
On April 19, 2006, the expansion Detroit Ignition of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) hired Pulisic as the team's first coach. In April 2007, he was named the MISL Coach of the Year. On November 6, 2007, former Heat teammate Bob Lilley replaced Pulisic as head coach of the Ignition, moving Pulisic to the front office as director of soccer operations.
Pulisic relocated to Germany in 2015 after his son Christian was signed by Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, and was hired as a coach for Dortmund's U10 academy team.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/may/31/christian-pulisic-usa-soccer-copa-america-2016|title=Christian Pulisic: the making of a young man ready to step up|last=Ames|first=Nick|date=2016-05-31|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=2017-02-23|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} In early 2017, Pulisic returned to the United States, joining second division club Rochester Rhinos as an assistant coach under his former teammate and colleague Bob Lilley.{{Cite news|url=http://www.espnfc.us/united-soccer-leagues/story/3067420/christian-pulisics-father-leaves-dortmund-to-join-rochester-rhinos-coaching-staff|title=Christian Pulisic's father leaves Dortmund, joins Rochester Rhinos staff|newspaper=ESPNFC.com|access-date=2017-02-23}}
Personal life
Mark Pulisic's father is originally from the island of Olib in Croatia.{{cite web |url=http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10920/1/Christian-Pulisic-rising-USA-soccer-star-in-Germany-has-Croatian-roots.html |title=Christian Pulisic rising USA soccer star in Germany has Croatian roots |website=www.croatia.org |access-date=February 23, 2019}}
Mark Pulisic is the father of AC Milan and U.S. men's national team player Christian Pulisic. In addition to Christian, he and his wife have two other children, a son and a daughter.{{Cite web |title=Christian Pulisic {{!}} USMNT {{!}} Official U.S. Soccer Website |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/players/p/christian-pulisic |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=www.ussoccer.com |language=en}} His nephew Will Pulisic plays for MLS Next Pro club Minnesota United FC 2.{{cite web |last1=Bullock |first1=Michael |date=6 August 2014 |title=Hershey teen Christian Pulisic heading for German soccer club Borussia Dortmund ... as soon as all the paperwork is completed |url=http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/08/borussia_dortmund_christian_pulisic_transfer.html |accessdate=1 February 2016 |website=PennLive |publisher=PA Media Group}}
In a 2023 interview for ESPN, his son Christian Pulisic added that his paternal grandmother Johanna DiStefano was Sicilian, noting that "My dad, her son, has an Italian flag tattooed on his forearm."{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/38006000/after-chelsea-pulisic-embraces-ac-milan-italian-roots |title=After Chelsea, Pulisic embraces AC Milan and Italian roots |first=Graham |last=Hunter |website=ESPN.com |date=July 13, 2023 |access-date=July 13, 2023}}
Honors
Individual
- MISL Coach of the Year: 2007
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.riverhounds.com/news_article/show/872401 "Mark Pulisic Named Assistant Coach"] (Pittsburgh Riverhounds, January 5, 2018)
- {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008035915/http://www.detroitignition.com/staff/index.php?zone=staff&staff_id=6|date=October 8, 2007|title=Mark Pulisic at Detroit Ignition}}
- {{Twitter}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pulisic, Mark}}
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001) players
Category:Harrisburg Heat players
Category:American people of Croatian descent
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:American soccer coaches
Category:George Mason Patriots men's soccer players
Category:Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008) coaches
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC coaches