Sept. 10, 2002
The San Diego State men's soccer program boasts one of the most storied collegiate soccer histories in the west. From the team's 15 consecutive winning seasons streak dating to its 1968 inception to the NCAA championship runner-up team in 1987, and from talented SDSU products/U.S. World Cup standouts Marcelo Balboa and Eric Wynalda to recent goalkeeper standouts Matt Hall, Tim Edwards and Brian Barnes, the Aztec program is rich with tradition and success. A look back at the program year-by-year yields a glimpse into this impressive and proud history.
1968
San Diego State's first year of Division I soccer. George Logan was the first head coach. The Aztecs defeated UC San Diego, 5-1, in the school's first match. SDSU finished with a 6-2 record.
1969
SDSU defeated CSU Los Angeles, CSU Fullerton and UCLA on its way to a 9-1-1 season. Jim Tollerton and Oscar Gonzalez shared the goal-scoring leadership with 12 apiece. The Aztecs played three overtime NCAA playoff games, defeating CSU Fullerton and UCLA 2-1 before battling San Francisco to a 2-2 tie in four OTs. The game was decided by which team had taken more corner kicks, making USF the winner.
1970
Al Limahelu tallied 26 points and Choo Chowana-Bandu scored 12 goals to lead the team. The largest margin of victory in Aztec soccer history came when SDSU defeated Chapman College, 13-0. The Aztecs outscored opponents 55-9 on the way to an 8-1-1 mark.
1971
SDSU posted a 10-3-1 record with the help of Jim Tollerton's 11 goals and Choo Chowana-Bandhu's 10 scores. The Aztecs made their second appearance in the NCAAs, losing to San Jose State in the first round, 2-1.
1972
After starting the season 1-4, SDSU goes unbeaten in its last six games to boost its season record to 6-4-1. Chowana-Bandu leads the scoring with nine goals.
1973
The season began with a 12-0 whitewash of Arizona State and a 9-1 victory over Loyola. The team struggled at mid-season but regrouped to win six of its last seven to finish 11-6-3. The schedule included games with international teams from Mexico and Germany.
1974
Goal-scoring machine Steve Robertson arrived on Montezuma Mesa. He netted 14 goals in 13 games, including one in nine different contests. The only loss in a 10-1-2 season came against CSU Fullerton in the second match of the season.
1975
Steve Robertson again averaged more than one goal per game as the Aztecs put together a 10-4-1 season. Such future stars as Alan Kelly and Jan Norby arrived at SDSU and made an immediate impact. Kelly scored eight goals and Norby provided strength on defense.
1976
Three players score seven goals each on the year, leading the Aztecs to a 10-5-1 record. Alan Kelly, Carlos Sainz and Lauri Somersalmi stood out in the Aztecs' ninth straight winning season, including wins over San Francisco State and USIU on the way to the championship of the USIU Invitational.
1977
Vidal Fernandez burst onto the scene at SDSU, leading the Aztecs to a 13-4-1 record. The future New York Cosmos and San Diego Sockers star tallied 13 goals to lead the team. Alan Kelly and Carlos Sainz each had nine goals. Four-year letterman Chuck Clegg finished his first year as Logan's assistant coach.
1978
Playing its largest schedule ever, SDSU went 13-7. The Aztecs posted an 8-2 mark at home, but were 5-5 on the road. Fernandez again led the team in scoring with nine goals. Chris Hull and Jan Norby each tallied five goals. During a three-game stretch early in the year, Fernandez scored five times to pace three Aztec victories. Gordon Dallas wore the scarlet and black for the first time, scoring four goals to go along with eight assists.
1979
The golden era of SDSU soccer begins with the arrival of several outstanding players. Micael Holmstedt, Dida Menders, Vince Bucelli, and Kevin Crow all make their initial appearances for the Aztecs. In his final campaign, Fernandez scored 12 goals and had 10 assists, leading the team to a 14-3-2 mark. For the first time in Aztec soccer history, three players scored in double figures as Fernandez and Holmstedt had 12 goals each and Mendes added 10.
1980
Micael Holmstedt set the school's single-season scoring mark, netting 17 goals in 18 games. His 42 points also set a standard for SDSU. The team went on to compile a record of 12-4-2.
1981
The Aztecs returned to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in 10 years, compiling a 16-3-1 overall record. SDSU trounced California, 4-0, in the first round of the playoffs. In the second round the Aztecs again met San Francisco. After regulation and four 15-minute overtimes failed to produce a winner, SDSU won on penalty kicks, 2-1. Following the win, a player was declared ineligible for the Aztecs, forcing them out of further competition.
1982
Chuck Clegg took over as the head coach and guided the Aztecs to their best record in history, winning 20 games for the first time. Clegg inherited a talented group that included seniors Holmstedt, Bucelli, Mendes, and Crow. The Aztecs won their first 11 games as they finished 20-3 and went to the NCAAs again. SDSU eliminated Fresno State in the first round, 1-0, before falling to USF, 2-0. Holmstedt led the team with 33 points, while Bucelli paced the squad with 13 goals.
1983
With heavy graduation losses, the team struggled to a 9-9-4 record. Goal scoring was the problem most of the year, with the exception being a 13-0 win over Loyola Marymount. In the game against the Lions, Jeff Ryder scored three goals. Nineteen different players scored at least one point during the season.
1984
Kyle Whittemore arrived on Montezuma Mesa to set single-season scoring and points marks. The Seattle product beat opposing keepers 21 times during the course of the season, tallying 45 points. Eric Drabb was the team's second-leading scorer with six goals and six assists. The team tied the school record for goals in a game with a 13-0 drubbing of Cal State Bakersfield. Their final record was 14-6.
1985
With Whittemore gone for the year with a broken leg, SDSU had trouble scoring. Steve Boardman and Steve Guillot shared the team lead with five goals. Boardman set a single-season record for assists with 12. The team averted a losing record with a late goal against cross-town rival USD to win 1-0 in the next-to-last contest of the year to finish 8-8-4.
1986
Whittemore returned from his injury to break his own point-scoring record, earning a point in 17 different contests. His 20 goals and 10 assists led the team to a 14-3-4 record. Goalkeeper Felipe Hernandez posted a 0.71 goals-against average and six shutouts. The season ended on a sour note with a loss to Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the final game. SDSU did not get the win it needed to advance to the NCAAs.
1987
With teams keying more and more on Whittemore, freshman Eric Wynalda was a welcomed addition to the Aztecs scoring punch. As the last seed in the NCAA playoffs, SDSU made a storybook run all the way to the NCAA finals. The Aztecs' finish included playoff victories against St. Louis, SMU and UCLA before beating undefeated Harvard in the semi-finals. In the national championship game, SDSU lost to Clemson on the Tigers' home field, 2-0. Whittemore had 17 goals to lead the way and Wynalda had 11 goals and 11 assists. Goalkeepers Bryan Finnerty and Felipe Hernandez combined for a school-record 13 shutouts. A key to the Aztec season was the play of Chris Keenan and Gerardo Jimenez, both of whom had transferred to SDSU for their senior years.
1988
The Aztecs made their second consecutive trip to the NCAA playoffs, losing to UCLA in the first round. Defender Marcelo Balboa was named first-team All American. Wynalda (14), Whittemore (10), and Betts (10) finished in double figures for goal scoring. Junior Bryan Finnerty set a pair of goalkeeping records as he helped the Aztecs establish a school record of 14 shutouts in a season. Finishing the season 15-3-4, the Aztecs continue to establish themselves as one of the premier programs in the nation. Senior Kyle Whittemore capped his career as the MVP of the Senior Bowl in St. Louis at Budweiser Soccer Park, leading the West to a 2-0 victory and scoring the game-winning goal.
1989
Continuing to solidify their role as national contender, the Aztecs appeared in the NCAA playoffs for the third straight year. In the playoff game, UCLA defeated the Aztecs 2-1, with a penalty kick shootout deciding the game. Senior goalkeeper Bryan Finnerty recorded the third-best single-season goals-against average (0.66), and became the Aztecs' career leader in GAA (0.69) and shutouts (26.5). Jeff Betts led Aztec scorers with 32 points, and U.S. National Team members Eric Wynalda and Marcelo Balboa finished with 24 and 23 points, respectively. SDSU finished the decade with the 15th best winning percentage (.722) among Division I programs. The Aztecs finished the season 14-5-3.
1990
The Aztecs began the season basking in the accomplishments of three former players, Marcelo Balboa, Chris Sullivan and Eric Wynalda. All represented the United States on the National Team in Italy for World Cup '90. The Aztecs had more players compete for the National Team than any university in the United States. On Montezuma Mesa, Patrick Merrell and company recorded an 11-6-3 record, barely missing the NCAA playoffs. The defense was anchored by Dain DeForest but speedsters Jason French, Bill Demke and Chris Stephens combined with Brian Craft-Negrete and Merrell for 31 goals and 28 assists. Goalkeeper Curtis McAllister recorded an 0.916 GAA.
1991
Posting a 10-4-4 record, Brian Craft-Negrete led the team with nine goals and eight assists. Captain Patrick Merrell directed the attack from the midfield, scoring two goals and adding six assists. Goalkeepers Dan Dalzochio, Chris Volk and Shannon Storey amassed 59 saves.
1992
Despite an injury- plagued season, SDSU's final tally of 10-8-1 was impressive. From the midfield, senior Andy Morrone scored seven goals and seven assists. The season saw 15 players score at least one goal. The year marked the Aztecs' entry into league play with the creation of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The MPSF will prove to be one of the strongest soccer conferences in the nation.
1993
As predicted, the MPSF's strength was evidenced by four teams qualifying for the NCAA tournament. The Aztecs struggled, posting their first losing season in 25 years, going 7-9-1. Injuries again played a major role with nine of the starting 11 sidelined for part of the season. Senior Bill Demke led the Aztec attack, scoring 11 goals and two assists on the season.
1994
The strongest freshmen recruiting class in recent history arrived on Montezuma Mesa. The rollercoaster season ended up 10-9, but six freshmen broke into the starting lineup. Senior Willie Franklin's career ended with four goals and three assists. The freshmen gained valuable Division I experience against top-20 teams. Sophomore Aaron Susi led the team with 22 points and began maturing into a top forward. The team recorded 241 shots on goal.
1995
Junior Aaron Susi led the Aztecs with 10 goals and 10 assists for a total of 30 points. The Aztecs posted a less than stellar record of 6-10-4, for only the second losing season in 27 years. Eleven different players scored for a total of 38 goals. Senior Pablo Nunnally recorded two assists from the defense. The freshman class contributed seven players who put the ball in the net. The year also marked the end of defender Jeff Baxter's stellar career. The MPSF again proved to be a powerhouse in the ratings.
1996
Darren and Derek Drago and Mark Rogondino joined the team for their final year of eligibility. Those three plus transfers Juan Velasco and John Browne added maturity to the squad. Aztec soccer followed other SDSU sports into the Western Athletic Conference as did fellow MPSF schools, Air Force, Fresno State, New Mexico, San Jose State, SMU, TCU, Tulsa and UNLV. The WAC certainly rivaled the MPSF in strength. Six freshmen again found playing time. The Aztecs finished with a 7-9-3 record.
1997
Coach Chuck Clegg was pleased to announce the addition of his first salaried men's assistant coach, Lev Kirshner. A northern California native, Lev played his college career for Rutgers University. Sophomore goalkeeper Matt Hall came into his own, posting a 1.248 GAA, recording 80 saves and four shutouts. The overall record of 7-8-3 did not reflect the intensity of play that returned to the team. Four of the losses were by one goal and the team took four opponents to overtime. Again freshmen made an impact with six consistently in the starting lineup. Senior Raja Hawa led the team in scoring but 13 different Aztecs scored. The team remained somewhat young with only three seniors graduating.
1998
A rebuilding Aztec squad held its own throughout a competitive season, finishing with a record of 8-11-3. Junior David Beltran and Darren Parker shared goal-scoring honors with five apiece, while freshman Mike Bradbury led the team with five goals and four assists in his inaugural campaign at SDSU. Goalie Matt Hall was stellar in the nets, fashioning a 1.42 goals-against average while performing brilliantly between the posts. The Aztecs posted impressive WAC wins over UNLV and TCU at home, and finished the season narrowly losing to 16th-ranked Southern Methodist (4-3 in overtime), a team that went on to the NCAA quarterfinals.
1999
With the creation of the Mountain West Conference, SDSU returned to the MPSF. A still young Aztec team finished with a disappointing 4-15-0 record. Three of the team's wins came in the form of shutouts, including an impressive 6-0 season-opening victory over Concordia. Junior goalkeeper Adam Deitz recorded 2.5 shutouts playing 410:40 minutes recording 20 saves. Freshman keeper Brian Barnes was the team's primary starter seeing action in 16 of 19 matches, earning 64 saves. Junior midfielder/forward Milton Economy lead the team with four goals and two assists (10 points) with two of those goals being game-winners. Senior Darren Parker trailed Economy in the scoring category carding three goals and two assists (eight points).
2000
Assistant coach Lev Kirshner took over the head coaching reins and with it the job of returning the program to the success it once knew. Junior midfielder Enrique Tovar led the team in goals (4), assists (6) and points (14). Tovar, who came to Montezuma Mesa from De Anza Junior College, also led the team in shots with 55. The story of the campaign was sophomore goalkeeper Brian Barnes, who finished the year with an MPSF Pacific Division-leading 90 saves. Combined with 64 saves from his rookie season, his total of 154 saves in his career place him third on SDSU's career top-10 list. The team finished the year with a 6-12-1 record, and was 2-4-1 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation-Pacific Division after an injury-plagued campaign in which seven players underwent surgery.
2001
San Diego State completed one of the program's most successful campaigns in recent years with a 7-9-4 overall mark and a 3-2-2 MPSF record. The Aztecs entered the final weekend of regular season play in contention for their first MPSF title. Sophomore Kevin Sapanli's earned all-conference and all-tournament honors. He also was a third-team slecetion on the Verizon Academic All-America team. Seniors Enrique Tovar and Tim Edwards also earnd all-conference accolades.
SDSU's NCAA Tournament AppearancesSeason Coach Record1969 George Logan 9-1-1Opponent Round ResultSan Francisco First T, 2-2 (ot)** - USF advanced on corner kicks
Season Coach Record1981 George Logan 16-3-1Opponent Round Resultat California First W, 4-0at San Francisco Second L, 2-1 (ot)## - USF advanced on corner kicks
Season Coach Record1982 Chuck Clegg 20-3-0Opponent Round ResultFresno State First W, 1-0San Francisco Second L, 2-0
Season Coach Record1987 Chuck Clegg 20-6-0Opponent Round Resultat Saint Louis First W, 2-1at S. Methodist Second W, 2-1 (ot)at UCLA Third W, 2-1vs. Harvard Semis W, 2-1at Clemson Final L, 2-0
Season Coach Record1988 Chuck Clegg 15-3-4Opponent Round Resultat UCLA First L, 2-1
Season Coach Record1989 Chuck Clegg 14-5-3Opponent Round ResultUCLA First L, 2-1 (ot)^^ - UCLA advanced on penalty kicks