Fred Locario arrives at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with more than two decades of coaching experience, a passion for player development, and a bold vision for the future of Golden Lions women’s soccer. A proven program builder at every stop in his career, Locario brings a championship-minded approach and an unwavering commitment to the total student-athlete experience.
Locario launched his coaching career in 1996 as the women’s goalkeeper coach at Howard University before expanding his footprint across multiple levels of the game. His early work included coaching basketball and soccer at Stone Ridge Middle School and serving DC Scores a celebrated non-profit that combines soccer, poetry, and service learning to empower thousands of youth across the nation’s capital.
His collegiate breakthrough came at Trinity College in Washington, D.C., where he quickly transformed the Lady Tigers program. In just his second season, Locario guided Trinity to the conference finals for the first time in school history. Under his leadership, the program posted its highest win totals ever, produced multiple All-Conference honorees, and earned Locario the prestigious AWCC Coach of the Year award.
Before arriving at UAPB, Locario deepened his community ties in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where he founded Lil’ Kickers – DFW, a non-competitive child development program using soccer to teach life skills to children ages 18 months to 12 years. His coaching stops in the Metroplex included Brighter Horizons Academy, Bethesda Christian School, and Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU), where he recruited All-American and All-Conference recognized athletes.
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