A former Cal State L.A. assistant coach with experience in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, Michael Jacobson returns for his fourth season in his second stint with the Golden Eagles. He is the assistant coach for the men’s and women’s soccer teams. Jacobson rejoined the Golden Eagle program prior to the 2007 season.
In Jacobson’s first three seasons since his return to Cal State L.A., the Golden Eagle men are 42-15-9 overall, while the Golden Eagle women are 37-18-9.
Jacobson helped the Golden Eagles to a tremendously successful 2009 season. Cal State L.A.’s men’s team was 18-4-1 overall and reached the NCAA Division II West Region championship match for the second straight season and for the third time in the past four years. The Golden Eagles earned their first-ever No. 1 national ranking and received the No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Region. The 18 wins were the second-most in the program’s history and the most since 1981. Cal State L.A. also captured the CCAA South Division and advanced to the four-team CCAA Championship Tournament for a fourth straight year.
The women’s team enjoyed a historic season and won its first-ever CCAA Championship. The Golden Eagles set new program records for wins (17) and goals scored (53) and also achieved their highest-ever national ranking (No. 6) during the season. Cal State L.A. claimed the No. 1 seed in the West Region and hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA playoffs.
Jacobson also helped the Golden Eagles achieve great success in 2008. Cal State L.A.’s men’s team reached the NCAA Division II playoffs for the second time in three years and advanced to the West Region championship game. The Golden Eagles also qualified for the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament for a third straight year and concluded the season with a national ranking of 14. The women’s team battled through a string of pre-season injuries and a slow start to finish with a 5-1-2 record over its last eight conference matches. Cal State L.A. finished with a 6-6-2 mark in the CCAA, its third straight year of .500 or better.
The Golden Eagles reached unprecedented heights with Jacobson’s assistance in 2007. Cal State L.A.’s women’s team reached the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in the program’s history and also qualified for the CCAA Championship Tournament for the first time. The Golden Eagle women posted a 13-6-4 record and earned a final national ranking of 15. The men’s team also reached the CCAA Championship Tournament and finished the season with an 11-6-4 record.
Jacobson came to Cal State L.A. after a successful run as the Assistant Director of Coaching for South Bay Soccer Club. He was the head coach for various age group teams between the ages of 9-19. With the emphasis on development at the youth level, Jacobson oversaw coaches and players. He also helped guide numerous players to compete in college soccer as well as gave opportunities for placement on Olympic Development teams and participation on age-level U.S. National teams. He has coached numerous players who are currently playing at the professional level who came out of the South Bay Soccer Club.
Jacobson was introduced to the CCAA in 2001-02 when he was the assistant men’s soccer coach at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Jacobson helped put together a season that ended with the Toros finishing as the NCAA Division II National finalist. During that year, Jacobson coached five All-Conference players, the CCAA Player of the Year and three All-Americans.
Jacobson was the assistant men’s and women’s coach at Cal State L.A. in 2002-03 and created the planning, development and administration of all phases with both programs. He also provided training and fitness regimes that included weight training and a spring season running program.
Prior to moving out West, Jacobson was the assistant men’s coach at Division I Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania in 2000-01. Jacobson helped the Bisons beat then-No. 8 ranked South Carolina, the first victory any team from Bucknell had beaten a team nationally-ranked in the Top 10. The team then made the conference playoffs and had the Defender of the Year in Bill Epley. Jacobson started his coaching career at Plattsburg State University in 1998.
He holds an “A” license from the United States Soccer Federation and received his USSF National Goal Keeping license in January of 2010.
Jacobson enjoyed a successful playing career collegiately at Syracuse University, where he was a four-year starter. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in physical education at Syracuse in 1998 and has furthered his education by completing his Master’s degree from Cal State Dominguez Hills in 2008. He was an alternate member of the U.S. Maccabbi team and then played professionally for two years in Albany for the Allycats and the Myrtle Beach Sea Dawgs in South Carolina.
Jacobson and his wife, Nicole, reside in Redondo Beach with their three-year-old son, Jack and daughter Rachel, who was born in March of 2009.