Cal State L.A. Athletics

2010 Season Prospectus

WALNUT CREEK – Cal State L.A.’s men’s soccer team, coming off a tremendous 2009 season, will kick off its 2010 season Thursday at 4 p.m. in a home match against Biola at Jesse Owens Track.

 

The Golden Eagles, who finished the 2009 season with an 18-4-1 record and a national ranking of 12, will have plenty of new faces in 2010. Cal State L.A. returns just three starters and eight players overall from last year’s team. A ninth player, Marvin Sandoval, returns after a two-year absence.

 

Cal State L.A. has a whopping 21 newcomers to its program, several of whom will be expected to make immediate and significant contributions.

 

Cal State L.A. is ranked 12^th in the nation in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s preseason poll. Biola, meanwhile, is ranked eighth in the nation in the NAIA’s national preseason poll. The Eagles are also coming off a strong 2009 campaign. Biola reached the national quarterfinals last season and had a 13-5-3 overall record.

 

Cal State L.A. Head Coach Chris Chamides, who earned his second conference Coach of the Year award in men’s soccer last season, welcomes back four key players with starting experience. Leading the list is junior defender Simon Volk, who earned All-CCAA second-team honors in 2009. Anton Gunnarsson, who is a two-time All-CCAA selection and was the conference Freshman of the Year in 2007, also returns for his senior season. Junior Brennan Brodersen, who started 21 matches in 2009 and senior Tony Hernandez, who started 20 matches last season, are also back.

 

The Golden Eagles also have sophomore Erik Vargas and seniors Hector Macias and Chris Rangel back from last year’s squad. Cal State L.A. also welcomes back Joe Davis, who missed the 2009 season because of injury and junior Marvin Sandoval, who has been out the past two seasons.

 

Cal State L.A. will be looking to continue its recent string of success. The Golden Eagles have won 55 matches over the past four seasons, which is the best four-year stretch since 1980-83. Cal State L.A. achieved a No. 1 national ranking during the season in 2009 and, after winning the CCAA South Division, ended up as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division II West Region.

 

Cal State L.A. hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA playoffs and beat Cal State San Bernardino, 5-3, in an exciting first-round match before falling to Cal State Dominguez Hills, 1-0, in a tight defensive battle in the regional championship match. The Golden Eagles have reached the regional championship match in three of the past four seasons.

 

After Thursday’s non-conference contest against Biola, Cal State L.A.’s next game will be its conference opener at UC San Diego on Friday, Sept. 10. The Golden Eagles won’t be back home for a game until Friday, Sept. 17, against San Francisco State.