Dominguez Hills’ Cano Is Front-Runner for UC Irvine Job : Colleges: The men’s and women’s soccer coach would become the third member of Toro athletic department to leave for Irvine since 1992.

Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s and women’s soccer Coach Marine Cano leads a list of six finalists selected by a UC Irvine search committee designed to find a new director of soccer and head women’s coach.

According to Irvine Athletic Director Dan Guerrero, an appointment to the dual post is expected to be made “later this week or early next week” after background checks of the candidates.

Cano, a friend of Guerrero who has spent the past 10 seasons at Dominguez Hills, is considered the front-runner.

Guerrero was Dominguez Hills’ associate athletic director from 1982 to 1988 and was named the school’s athletic director in 1988.

Guerrero went to Irvine in December of 1992 and was soon followed by Dominguez Hills associate athletic director and interim athletic director Greg Bistline.

Under Cano, the Toro women’s team won the 1991 NCAA Division II national championship, three California Collegiate Athletic Assn. titles and two Division II West Region titles.

Last season, the Toros finished 11-8 and were ranked 18th in the country. It was the sixth consecutive season Dominguez Hills finished in the top 20.

Cano, 38, played professional soccer for nine years in such leagues as the American Soccer League, North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League, World Soccer League and American Professional Soccer League. Cano was also a member of the 1976 U.S. National team.

Cano’s coaching career began in 1978 as an assistant at El Camino College. He was goalie coach at UCLA in 1980, then spent two seasons at Cal as assistant women’s coach.

In 1984, Cano coached Dominguez Hills’ first-year women’s program to a 2-9-2 record. Since 1985, the Toros have a 121-44-10 record.

In eight seasons as men’s coach, Cano has led the Toros to an 83-72-17 record.

Ray Smith, a part-time coach, guided the Division I Irvine women to a 12-8 record last season. Smith has been the coach for the past four seasons and is a candidate for the new position. Other candidates include former Stanford Coach Berhane Andeberhan, a member of the U.S. Soccer federation since 1976; Larry Draluck, a former coach at U.S. International who coaches the Southern California Blues club team; Don Ebert, who coaches the Irvine Strikers club team, and Mt. San Antonio College women’s Coach Debbie Cavion.

Cano was not available for comment.