Aug. 22, 2011
LONG BEACH, Calif. - San Diego State junior Jose Altamirano (San Diego/Southwest HS) has been named to the Top Drawer Soccer's preseason Men's National Top-100 list, the website announced today. The midfielder is ranked 67th on the initial list and only three players in the Pac-12 Conference have a better ranking.
Last season, Altamirano had 11 points on one goal and nine assists en route to being named a second-team all-Pac-10 selection. The nine assists led the Aztecs and ranked third in the league (second in assists per game (0.47)). One of five SDSU players to start all 19 games in 2010, Altamirano logged 1,549 minutes (81:32 per game), the most of all midfielders and forwards. A U.S. Under-20 National Team member and 2009 honorable mention all-Pac-10 pick, Altamirano also garnered first-team Pac-10 All-Academic Team honors last year.
In all, 10 players from the Pac-12 were named to the preseason list.
Altamirano is one of eight starters and 16 letterwinners to return from San Diego State's 2010 team that went 10-7-2, the program's first 10-win season since 1994 (10-9-0). The Aztecs were picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12 in a preseason poll released last week.
SDSU, which tied UNLV, 1-1, yesterday (Aug. 21) in a friendly, kicks off its regular season Sunday (Aug. 28) with a home match against Canisius (3 p.m. PT).
The following weekend is Alumni, Family and Friends Weekend, highlighted by the annual Alumni Game on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. PT on SDSU Sports Deck. Also on the weekend will be a San Diego State home match against Long Island (Friday, Sept. 2 at 1:30 p.m. PT) and a trip across town to play San Diego (Sunday, Sept. 4 at 8 p.m. PT) in the Battle of San Diego. Last year, the Aztecs downed USD, 3-2, before 3,143 fans at Torero Stadium. Interestingly, the road team has won each of the past five meetings in the series.
Tickets to all of SDSU's home matches this season are free.
Upcoming Schedule For Men's Soccer (admission is free to all home games)
Sunday, Aug. 28 -- Canisius -- SDSU Sports Deck -- 3 p.m. PT
Friday, Sept. 2 -- ~ Long Island -- SDSU Sports Deck -- 1:30 p.m. PT
Saturday, Sept. 3 -- ~ Alumni (Exhibition) -- SDSU Sports Deck -- 1 p.m. PT
Sunday, Sept. 4 -- ~ at San Diego (USD) -- San Diego, Calif. -- 8 p.m. PT
~ Alumni, Family and Friends Weekend