Roberto Giannini
Head Soccer Coach

Office phone: 765 • 361 • 6208
email: gianninr@wabash.edu

Roberto Giannini enters his fourth season as the head soccer coach at Wabash. 

Giannini’s 2008 squad was a very young team, with seven freshmen among the starting eleven. The program posted a 5-10-4 record, established a 4-2-2 home advantage, scored 12 more goals than the previous year, and started the season with two shutouts. The two highlights of the year came against historical rival DePauw when Wabash held the Tigers scoreless in a 0-0 tie in Greencastle. Wabash also grabbed a 3-1 home victory against Transylvania University, a 2007 NCAA Regional Finalist. Sophomore captain Mark Babcock earned All-NCAC Second Team Honors, and freshmen Allan Swan and Austin Jennings were Honorable Mention All-NCAC selections.

During 2007 season, Coach Giannini started a turnaround in the program. While the turnaround might not be reflected in the season record (4-14 overall, 1-7 NCAC), Wabash put together a number of building blocks to place the program into a good position for the future. With nine newcomers among the team’s 23 players, the Soccer Little Giants came together quickly, especially on the defensive end of the field, where the team allowed 12 goals less than the previous year and six games were lost with a goal differential and in the last minutes/second of regulation or overtime. The biggest satisfaction of a season rigged with injuries and heart breaks, came in the last game of the season against Oberlin. The Little Giants won a thrilling 2-1 overtime away game to give the departing seniors a match to remember and to set the tone for the future of the Wabash Soccer Program. Freshmen Mark Babcock and Diego Aliaga earned All-NCAC Honors, .

In his first season at the helm of Wabash soccer, Giannini guided the Little Giants to their first home victory in two years, defeating Hiram College 3 -1 on Homecoming weekend, and to a second place finish in the Haverford, PA Tournament, after defeating the hosting school 4-1 in the semifinals. Four of Wabash 2006 roster players earned conference honors. Junior Gary Simkus and sophomore George Padgitt received Second Team All-NCAC awards and freshmen Jon Funston and Luis Quiroga were Honorable Mention selections.

A native of Italy, Giannini played and coached soccer at different levels in his home country, including youth, national amateur, and professional teams, during a career that spanned across more than three decades. He also was involved in scouting for the youth programs of pro clubs. He continues to maintain ties with Italy with frequent trips to his native country to attend coaching seminars, meetings, and participate in field instructions.

He moved to Northwest Indiana in 1998, and in the spring of 1999 he started training and coaching for the NWI United F.C., bringing its U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18 & U-19 boys to the State Finals seven years in a row and one regional appearance in 2002, compiling a cumulative 103 – 35 – 11 record. In the spring of 2008, Giannini coached the Carmel United, a U-18 team, as part of the newly formed United States Soccer Federation Academy — a program that is comprised of 64 of the best youth clubs in the country. The highlight of the season came last May against the U-18 Men National Team, where Carmel United led 1–0 until the middle of the second half before relinquishing two quick goals and losing a very well played game by a final score of 2-1. Four Carmel United players were part of the 2008 Wabash recruiting class, and one player will be a freshman in 2009.
Coach Giannini has been involved with the Indiana Youth Soccer Association ODP program as a boys State Coach since 2000, and as a Coaching Education Instructor since 2001. Additionally, in 2004 he was called up to join the coaching staff of the US Youth Soccer Region II ODP. In 2005, Giannini was nominated the Region II ODP ‘94s Boys Team assistant coach, a position that he held until the spring of 2008.

In the spring of 2004, Giannini joined Valparaiso University as the assistant coach of the men’s soccer team. In that capacity, Giannini assisted with all of the NCAA Division I program’s day-to-day matters, along with recruiting, on-field instruction, summer camp preparation, and team travel arrangements.Giannini helped the program to go from a 2-13-3 in 2003 to a 6-9-2 record in 2005 and qualify for the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament for the first time in three years. Giannini was instrumental in coaching a defense that allowed only 25 goals against in regular season, best performance since becoming a Division I program, and posting seven shutouts, four of which in Conference play. The team 1.47 GAA was the best ever and contributed to post a zero goal differential during regular season games with 25 goals in favor vs. 25 against. Eight of Giannini’s recruits, who were members of Valparaiso starting eleven in 2006, contributed to the best start in school history by going 3 – 0 and pushed Valpo to its first ever NCAA Regional ranking, occupying the 6th spot on the weekend of September 6, 2006. The same week, Paul Leitelt, a Munster, IN resident and Giannini’s first pick in his 2005 recruiting class, was nominated to the NCAA Div I Weekly National Team.

Giannini holds several coaching licenses including the USSF “A” and Youth National; the NSCAA “Premier” and State Goal Keeping Diploma; the UEFA “B” and the Italian FA “Youth” National. Giannini received a Master of Science Degree with Highest Distinction in Sports Administration from Valparaiso University.

Giannini and his wife, Marcela - a Northwestern Indiana native - have been married for nineteen years.

Ben Esbaum ’07
Assistant Soccer Coach

Office phone: 765 • 361 • 6131
email: esbaumb@wabash.edu

Esbaum begins his first season as an assistant coach for the Wabash soccer team. He played four seasons for the Little Giants, earning four varsity letters before graduating in 2007. He played in 67 matches for Wabash as a defender, scoring one goal and five assists in his career with a season-high three assists as a junior. Esbaum received the Most Improved Player Award in 2003.

An economics major, Esbaum received the Warren Wright Shearer Prize in 2006 and 2007. He spent the summer of 2006 working as an intern for Wabash alumnus Pat East ’00 at Hanapin Marketing. Esbaum was also a Peer Tutor for three years, and served as editor for Horizon Magazine on campus. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

A native of Cicero, Indiana, Esbaum played both soccer and basketball at Hamilton Heights High School. He was a two-year team captain and MVP in soccer for the Huskies, earning All-Conference honors in addition to being selected to the All-Metro North Team. 

Esbaum worked as an investment banking analyst in Chicago for two years before returning to Wabash as an assistant coach. He started with Lehman Brothers before moving to Barclays Capital in September of 2008. While working in Chicago, Esbaum continued to play in various soccer leagues in the area.