July 30, 2014
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State women's soccer head coach Mike Friesen announced Wednesday that the program has added a pair of transfers in Meggie Gulczynski and Zsuria Phare. The duo is eligible to compete immediately.
Gulczynski comes east to Montezuma Mesa from nearby USD. The San Diego native and Westview High graduate played two seasons for the Toreros and begins her Aztec career as a junior. In her first season in Linda Vista, Gulczynski was named to the 2012 all-West Coast Conference freshman team after tallying five points (1 g, 3 a) as a defender, while playing in 19 games and earning 13 starts. Last year as a sophomore, Gulczynski scored a pair of goals, one of which was a game-winner, in eight games.
Phare, meanwhile, heads west to America's Finest City from Denver, Colorado, and Division II Metro State where she played one season. As a freshman in 2013, Phare started all 22 games along the backline and tallied three points (1 g, 1 a) for a Roadrunner team that advanced to the NCAA Division II South Central Region title game. At season's end, the Cherry Creek (Colo.) High graduate, who will be a sophomore in 2014, had picked up NSCAA second-team all-South Central Region accolades, was named to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) all-tournament squad, voted to the all-RMAC third team, and tabbed the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 22.
Gulczynski and Phare join a San Diego State team that has won back-to-back Mountain West regular-season and tournament championships, and earned a berth in the NCAA tournament in consecutive seasons, including 2012's run to the Sweet 16. The Aztecs return in 2014, seven starters and 16 letterwinners off a squad that finished with a 13-7-2 record (9-1 MW).
SDSU opens practice next week and will face Cal State Fullerton in an exhibition contest at SDSU Sports Deck on Friday, Aug. 15. The Aztecs will officially open the campaign at home on Friday, Aug. 22, Michigan State. Both dates are set for 7 p.m. PT starts and admission is free.