D.C. United have announced the hiring of Victor Lonchuk as the First Team Performance Director ahead of the 2022 MLS season. Lonchuk has been working with the first team since the start of the 2022 preseason. Lonchuk joins the Black-and-Red after previously holding the position of assistant coach and head of sports performance for Comunicaciones F.C. in the top division of Guatemalan professional soccer in 2021. He spent the 2020 season as the assistant coach with USL Championship affiliate Loudoun United FC.
“Victor brings experience to the performance department and will work closely with our medical, technical and analysis staff to strategize how best to maximize our player’s performance and health in 2022,” Lucy Rushton, D.C. United General Manager, said. “Victor served as Performance Coach for Loudoun United FC and we were impressed by his expertise and knowledge in the performance field, as well as his drive and hunger for success as a practitioner. Victor also brings a wealth of experience in managing and analyzing data, which will further develop our analytical approach to performance as a club. This is another example of how Loudoun United is being used as a pathway program for not only players but for staff to make the step up to the first team with D.C. United.”
Lonchuk has a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education from Lindenwood University and a Master’s Degree in Sports and Exercise Science with a focus in biomechanics and physiology from Middlesex University. Lonchuk has worked in various roles within soccer with experience as an analyst and scout for teams competing in the NASL league, as well as in the CONCACAF Champions League and as a Sports Science Advisor for national teams within CONCACAF. He holds USSF and UEFA Licenses in addition to being a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
“With Victor stepping into this role, our Head of Performance, Mateus Manoel, will shift his focus to the D.C. United Academy and Loudoun United to oversee and support our staff there in preparing our young players for the physical demands of Major League Soccer,” Rushton said. “This is a critical role which will assist us further in promoting and seeing success in MLS from our Homegrown and Loudoun United players”
Lonchuk was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and has lived in the United States for the last 14 years. During this time, Lonchuk has worked at every level of the soccer hierarchy in the United States, offering his expertise in soccer-specific strength and conditioning. He also has experience at the collegiate level after working as an assistant coach at Iona College (NCAA Division One), winning their first conference championship in the history of the University in 2019.
