SAN DIEGO – The Aztec men's soccer team (6-2-4, 0-2-2 Pac-12) plays at UCLA (5-3-3, 2-0-2) Friday evening at 7 p.m.
Aztec Tidbits
- San Diego State is coming off a 1-1 draw vs. San Diego (8-3-2) at Snapdragon Stadium.
- 3,632 fans were in attendance, a new program record.
- SDSU finished their non-conference schedule undefeated (6-0-2). It's the second time in the last three years the Aztecs have gone undefeated in non-conference play.
- The Aztecs are ranked No. 32 in the nation by College Soccer News, No. 43 in the RPI, and No. 5 in the United Soccer Coaches Far West Region.
- SDSU is top 10 in the nation in seven statistical categories including shutout percentage (2nd, 0.667), assists per game (5th, 2,92), goal differential (7th, +21), and goals allowed average (7th, .583).
- The Aztecs are allowing just 3.2 shots on goal per game.
- SDSU is undefeated (10-0-3) in their last 13 non-conference matches.
- Under head coach Ryan Hopkins (4th season), the Aztecs are 15-1-1 in non-conference home matches.
- SDSU is 18-8-3 at home over the last three years.
- The Aztecs didn't allow a goal for the first 650 minutes of the season and were the last team in the nation that hadn't conceded a goal.
- The Aztecs played No. 6 Stanford to a 0-0 draw Oct. 1st. This was the second time in the last two years that SDSU has played the Cardinal to a 0-0 draw while Stanford was ranked in the top 10.
- SDSU was the first team to shutout Stanford since Washington did it Oct. 6, 2022, a span of 18 matches. Stanford has been shutout just three times in its last 24 matches with two of those coming against SDSU.
- This is the second year in a row that the Aztecs have earned a draw at Oregon State. Prior to last season, SDSU hadn't won or tied at OSU since 2013.
- This is the second time in the last three years that SDSU allowed two goals or less through their first nine matches.
- This is the second time in the last three years that the Aztecs won each of their first six home games.
- 16 different Aztecs have started a match this season. Of that group, nine were making their first career start for SDSU.
- 15 of the 18 field players who have appeared in a match this season have recorded a point.
- All six Pac-12 teams are inside the top 43 in RPI.
- The Aztecs have 10 newcomers in 2023 with six transfers and four freshmen. Top Drawer Soccer ranked SDSU as having the 14th best incoming class in the country. SDSU was rated as the best incoming class in the nation a year ago.
- Of the six transfers new to SDSU in 2023, four are fifth-year seniors, one is a fourth-year senior and the other is a junior. In total, the Aztecs have 10 players in their fourth or fifth year of college.
- The Aztecs also have eight players who are true or redshirt freshmen and four of them already have made a start this season.
- SDSU had 15 players playing in the USL League Two over the summer. Nine of them played for clubs that made the playoffs including Christian Engmann, a transfer from Saint Mary's, who won the championship with Ballard FC.
- Following last season five Aztecs signed professional contracts, believed to be the most in program history. CJ Fodrey, the Top Drawer National Freshman of the Year, became the highest selection in the MLS SuperDraft in school history when Austin FC drafted him No. 13 overall. Blake Bowen (Seattle Sounders), Jacob Castro (Seattle Sounders), Kyle Colonna (New Mexico United) and Elias Katsaros (Tacoma Defiance) also moved to the professional ranks.
Player Notes
- Sophomore Tristan Viviani (Redwood City, Calif.) was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week after scoring against San Diego. It was Viviani's first start and first goal of the year.
- This is the first time since 2016, when SDSU last made the NCAA tournament, that they have won two Pac-12 Players of the Week. Austin Brummett won the weekly honor last month.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Logan Erb (Houston, Texas) is tied for ninth in the nation and leads the Pac-12 with six shutouts. He also leads the Pac-12 in save percentage (0.788).
- Erb didn't allow a goal for the first 572 minutes to start his college career.
- Alexander Levengood (Richmond, Va.) has a Pac-12 high seven assists. His 0.58 assists per game is 19th in the nation.
- Levengood's seven assists are the most by an Aztec since Abraham Villon had seven in 2013.
- Austin Brummett (Bow, N.H.) is third in the Pac-12 with 17 points and seven goals. In September, he had a stretch where he recorded a point in six straight matches.
- Terence Okoeguale (Cologne, Germany) is tied with Rommee Jaridly (Chino Hills, Calif.) for third on the team in points with 10. Okoeguale, an Akron transfer, has scored five goals while Jaridly has three goals and four assists. In September, Jairdly had a five-match stretch of recording at least one point.
- Jaridly, Seth Clark (Christchurch, New Zealand) and Jules Anderson (Ocean, N.J.) are tied for second on the team in assists with four each.
- Three Aztecs have played every minute against D1 competition: Reid Sproat (Auburn, Ind.), Beto Apolinar (Los Angeles) and Reid Fisher (Huntington Beach, Calif.). Those three plus Noah Crétier (Nice, France) are averaging at least 80 minutes per game.
- Fifth-year senior midfielder Henry Smith-Hastie (Los Angeles) was tabbed team captain for the 2023 campaign.
Coach Hopkins' Take on UCLA
"UCLA always presents challenges with their ball retention and how they can make you chase the game. We will need to be organized and tuned into the details and then execute our moments offensively to secure the three points."
Opponent Notebook (UCLA)
The Bruins are 5-3-3 overall and 2-0-2 in Pac-12 play… They have wins vs. Cal and at Washington and tied Stanford and Oregon State… They are 2-1-2 at home… They are coming off a 1-0 home loss to LMU…They lead the Pac-12 in shots per game (15.5) and shots on goal per game (7.3) and are second in goals per game (2.2)…Jack Sarkos is second in the Pac-12 in points (18) and goals (8)… Goalkeeper Sam Joseph has a goals allowed average of 1.4 and a save percentage of 69.7… Head coach Ryan Jorden (5th season) has taken teams to the postseason in eight of his 14 seasons… The Aztecs are 7-48-15 all-time vs. UCLA.
Aztecs Play at UCLA Friday Evening
