Iwabuchi led the Sharks in USL League 2 for four seasons
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Nov 21, 2025) – Corpus Christi FC has
announced Manuel Iwabuchi has been named Assistant Coach for the
Sharks.
Iwabuchi, a Rockport, Texas native, brings a proven track record across
youth, high school, and the USL League 2 level. Since taking charge of
Corpus Christi FC in 2022, he has become the club’s winningest head coach
with a 28-8-9 record. His tenure included three straight top-three finishes, a
2024 Lone Star Division title, a run to the USL League 2 national
quarterfinals, and the club’s first-ever berth in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open
Cup. That 2024 squad also led the nation in scoring with 45 goals in 12
matches.
Beyond USL League 2, Iwabuchi has been instrumental in shaping the next
generation of South Texas players. He currently serves as Director of
Coaching for the Corpus Christi FC Academy, overseeing player pathways
and program design while coaching top youth sides. His résumé also
includes a successful spell at Dynamo-Coastal Bend, where he was named
STX Girls Coach of the Year in 2020 and led a team to Presidents Cup state
and regional success in 2022.
From 2019 to 2025, Iwabuchi has also guided the boys program at Incarnate
Word Academy in Corpus Christi. He delivered a district title in 2025, a
program-record 12 wins in 2022, and postseason runs to the TAPPS Round
of 16 (2022) and Elite 8 (2025). His leadership helped 29 players earn
All-District honors, with seven reaching All-State.
Iwabuchi recently served as the interim coach for Coastal Bend College,
leading them to an 11-5 record and finishing second in the South Division of
Region 14. They ended the season 14th in the NJCAA national rankings.
Known for his possession-based, attacking style, Iwabuchi’s coaching
philosophy emphasizes developing technically sharp and tactically intelligent
players while fostering growth-oriented environments.
Head Coach and Sporting Director Éamon Zayed was happy to keep
Iwabuchi home.
“Since I arrived, Manny has been a fantastic resource and has proven
already what a valuable addition to our technical staff he will undoubtedly
be,” Zayed said.
“He has the exact attributes I’d look for in an assistant coach; he has a vast
background in youth soccer and college soccer along with doing a fantastic
job as the USL League 2 head coach here at Corpus Christi. He is extremely
knowledgeable and hard working and shows a very strong appetite to learn
and become the best coach he can be. I’m delighted to have him alongside
me. The relationship between head coach and assistant coach is a two way
street and the perfect combination is one that feeds off each other and
pushes each other just like a teammate would. It is a key aspect in building
a successful team, having good people around that you can trust and feed
off of. So, I’m so happy that Manny will be a part of our team and contribute
massively to our future success.”
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CCFC was established in 2017 by Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo. The club played
their first season in 2018 in the Premier Development League under the
umbrella of the United Soccer League. In 2019, the league rebranded to USL League Two. The Sharks have played in this league since and won their first Lone Star Division title in 2024. In that same season, the Sharks made their longest run in the USL League Two playoffs reaching the third round.
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