EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE women's soccer Head Coach Derek Burton finalized his coaching staff for the 2025 season with the addition of Nick Luciani as an assistant coach.

Luciani will be working with the SIUE goalkeepers as he makes the transition from being a volunteer men's assistant coach last season at Lindenwood.

"We are thrilled to add Nick to the staff," said Burton. "He's ready to hit the ground running with our goalkeepers and jump on board with everything we have going on this spring semester with our entire team, building towards the fall season."

Luciani has worked with Lou Fusz Athletics as the girl's goalkeeping director and academy assistant since 2022. In 2023 and 2024, he served as an assistant coach and goalkeeper coach for Saint Charles FC of the USL W league, a pre-professional women's soccer league. 

"I am very excited to be joining the SIUE women's program," said Luciani. "There is a great history of success here, and it was something that attracted me a lot to the position. I want to thank Coach Burton and Coach Krause for bringing me on as a member of their staff and can't wait to get started with the players."

Luciani began coaching as a graduate assistant at Missouri Baptist, where he worked with Spartan women's soccer goalkeepers. While at Missouri Baptist, the Spartans made two conference tournament semifinal appearances. He helped coach five first team All-Conference players and 12 All-Conference selections overall, including a first team All-Conference goalkeeper each season.

As a collegiate player, Luciani was a three-year starter and two-time captain for Culver-Stockton. He made 70 appearances and holds school records for single-season shutouts, career shutouts and fewest goals conceded in a career.

After leaving Culver-Stockton, Luciani played one season with the South Bend Lions (USL), collecting 10 starting assignments. He also played professionally on an international level playing for the SV Vatanspor Aschaffenburg in Germany and the Finland Kasko IK.

He earned a bachelor of arts in sports management from Culver-Stockton in 2020 and later earned a master of science in sports management in 2024.

Luciana holds a USSF D license and a USSF grassroots license (2023) as well as a United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeping Level 1 Diploma (2024).