Omaha's Dominic Casciato voted 2023 USL League One Coach of the Year

By USLLeagueOne.com Staff, 11/08/23, 2:30PM EST

Casciato's Owls set new league record for points, became first club to win Players' Shield twice

TAMPA, Fla. – USL League One today announced that first-year Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato was voted the 2023 USL League One Coach of the Year after guiding his Owls to the club's second USL League One Players' Shield.

Filling the shoes of 2021 USL League One Coach of the Year Jay Mims was always going to be a tall task, but all Casciato did was come in and set a new league record for points in a single season - in his first season as a head coach, no less. Casciato guided Omaha to a second Players' Shield with a first-place, 19-5-8 finish. Casciato's Owls set single-season league records for points (65), goals (61), goals per match (1.91) and finished with the second-most points per match in league history (2.03).

Omaha's special 2023 campaign was highlighted by a remarkable turnaround in the second half of the season. Following a 2-3-7 record and 10th-place start to the season, Casciato and Omaha finished the season with a 17-2-1 record which included new league records for consecutive wins (10). Omaha dropped just two of its possible 42 points through its final 14 fixtures of the regular season to finish atop the table for the second time in club history.

"I'm both humbled and honored to win this award, especially given how competitive the league is and how many talented coaches there are within it," Casciato said. "Everyone in our organization is responsible for this accolade, so I'd like to start by expressing my gratitude to our players for all of their hard work and dedication over the course of the season. I feel blessed to have worked with each and every one of them and look forward to building on this year's success in 2024 with our returning players while wishing those moving on to new challenges the very best of luck.

"I'd also like to congratulate our staff - from our team of coaches to our analyst Mykel Nayeri, our medical team led by Justin Annin, and everyone in our front office. Without their commitment and sacrifice, our success this season just wouldn’t have been possible. Finally, a big thank you to Peter Marlette, Martie Cordero, Gary Green and Larry Botel for taking a chance on a guy who hadn't been a head coach at the professional level before. I hope I have repaid some of the faith you showed in appointing me and that we can go on to enjoy even more success together next season."

Following a decorated, four-year playing career at NCAA Division II Limestone University, the Tower Hamlets, England native began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at St. John's University in 2010. From there, Casciato spent time within the technical staffs or front offices of a number of clubs including Jersey Express SC, the Brooklyn Italians, RCD Espanyol, the New York Cosmos, El Paso Locomotive and FC Midtjylland, among others.

Among five coaches receiving votes, Casciato finished first with 57% of the ballot to earn the award. North Carolina's John Bradford finished second on 24% by leading NCFC to the best finish in its 17-year history, while Northern Colorado's Éamon Zayed finished third on 10% by finishing with the third-most points (62) in league history and matching an all-time single-season goal differential record (+22).

The 2023 USL League One Awards were voted on by club technical staffs and executives.