BURBANK, IL - St. Laurence High School has named Manny Cerritos as its new head girls soccer coach. Cerritos succeeds Coach Jaime Alonso, who will remain the head boys soccer coach while pursuing his master’s degree.

Cerritos has served as a top varsity assistant for both the boys and girls programs since 2023, contributing to the most successful seasons in each program’s history. On the boys side, he was part of the coaching staff that led the team to a third-place finish at the IHSA state tournament in 2023. On the girls side, he helped guide the Vikings to their first-ever sectional final appearance in 2025.

“From both a playing and coaching perspective, Coach Cerritos has an excellent soccer pedigree,” said Tim Chandler, vice president of athletics at St. Laurence. “When this position opened, he was our first choice. In just two years on the sidelines with Viking Soccer, he has made a tremendous impact on our student-athletes. I look forward to seeing him continue to build on the strong foundation Coach Alonso has established.”

A standout player himself, Cerritos competed at the Division I level for the University of Illinois Chicago and played for the Chicago Fire Academy. Outside of St. Laurence, he has coached at Raiders FC, one of the top youth soccer clubs in the nation, and currently works alongside the head coach of the Puerto Rican national team and UIC’s assistant coach in private training sessions.

“The opportunity to lead this program was one I couldn’t pass up,” Cerritos said. “The soccer culture at St. Laurence is incredibly strong, and the girls program has come a long way in a short time. I truly believe we’re in a prime position to bring even more success to Viking Soccer.”

Cerritos will continue as an assistant with the boys program, while Alonso will transition into an assistant role with the girls team.