Ercoli is one of the most successful coaches at the professional club level, winning three league championships in five appearances and claiming the 1999 U.S. Open Cup championship. In a period of seven years, his Rochester Raging Rhinos have never missed the postseason and have reached the A-League Championship match five times.

A native of Toronto, Ercoli is no stranger to Rochester soccer fans. Ercoli starred for the Rochester Lancers of the NASL for three seasons (1978-80), where his hard work and tenacious play made him a fan favorite.

Ercoli was selected as a coach for the All-Star Game twice (1997 and 1998) and was honored as the A-League Coach of the Year in 1998 for leading the club to the best record in A-League history at 24-4. In addition, Ercoli was selected as coach of the USL Select team that toured Portugal in December of 2001.

Ercoli began his professional soccer career with Toronto Italia (NSL) in 1976 before moving to the Toronto Castors the following season where he won a championship. While playing the next three seasons with the Lancers, Ercoli began playing indoor soccer for the New York Arrows of the MISL; he also spent time playing with Buffalo, Baltimore (where he captured three MISL divisional championships and one league title), and Detroit in the MISL before ending his ten-year professional career with the Cleveland Force.

Prior to joining up with the Rhinos, he ventured into private business and kept active in soccer by coaching youth leagues, and working as an assistant at Finger Lakes Community College and Monroe Community College.