SAN DIEGO – Head coach Ryan Hopkins has announced changes to his coaching staff ahead of the 2025 season. Adrian Dubois has been elevated to associate head coach and David Diaz has been promoted to assistant coach.
“Adrian’s defensive strategies, recruiting pipeline and development mindset have been instrumental in helping develop SDSU into a resilient, nationally ranked program during his time. His continued influence is a cornerstone of our trajectory and championship aspirations.”
Since Dubois arrived on The Mesa, SDSU has been one of the best defensive teams on the West Coast and has been ranked nationally in each of Dubois’ two years seasons on the Aztec staff. Last year, he was instrumental in helping San Diego State win the WAC regular season championship last season. The Aztecs went 7-0-1 in conference play and shutout their opponents in six of their eight matches. In total, the Aztecs won 10 matches, their most since 2011. Individually, four Aztecs made the WAC first team and two more made the second team, which set a school record for first team selections and total honorees.
In 2023, SDSU rose as high as No. 17 in the national rankings after going undefeated in non-conference play (6-0-2). Individually, the Aztecs had four players earn All-Pac-12 honors, highlighted by Reid Fisher winning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.
Dubois came from the University of Vermont, where as an associate head coach, he helped lead the Catamounts to a 16-4-2 record and an Elite Eight in 2022. The Catamounts also made the NCAA Tournament in 2021 after going 13-5-2 and winning the American East Tournament championship. In the shortened 2020 season they went 5-2-1 and were runners-up in the American East tournament and in 2019 they won the conference regular season championship.
While at Vermont, Dubois was tabbed as one of the top 12 assistant coaches in the country by College Soccer News after helping establish the Catamounts as one of the top programs in the nation.
Prior to his five years at Vermont, Dubois was the head coach at Saint Joseph's College of Maine (DIII) from 2014-18 where he won three conference championships and set numerous NCAA records. Dubois also has had coaching stops at UMass Boston (2013-14) and UC San Diego (2011-13).
Dubois has also has extensive experience working with youth clubs. In Vermont, he was a Senior Staff Coach for the Far Post Soccer Club, where he was the head coach for the club's oldest age group and won the 2021 Vermont Soccer Association Boys Competitive Coach of The Year Award. In Maine, he was a coach for the Seacoast United Soccer Club, serving as the head coach of their U-19 Academy Team in 2018 and 19 also won the 2017 U.S. Club National Championship.
Dubois was a three-year starting midfielder at the University of New Hampshire from 2005-09 and was a high school All-American and the New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year. He went on to play professionally for the Western Mass Pioneers (USL League One) and the Los Angeles Blues (USL Championship).
Diaz spent the past two seasons on SDSU’s staff as a goalkeeper coach, helping Djibril Doumbia win WAC Goalkeeper of the Year in 2024 and Logan Erb make the All Pac-12 Second Team in 2023.
“We are very excited to promote David to a full-time position. He has a great tactical brain and is very inquisitive in his thirst to grow as a coach in the game. We look forward to seeing his influence grow in this new position and the impact he will have on the program.”
Diaz’s influence was critical in the Aztecs’ defensive prowess in WAC play in 2024 where they shutout their opponent in six of their eight matches. In addition to Doumbia’s accolades, defenders Reid Fisher and André Puente were All-WAC First Team selections and All-Region picks and Fisher went on to be a first round pick in the MLS SuperDraft.
In 2023, the Aztecs were the last team in the nation to concede their first goal, a school record stretch of 651 minutes to begin the season.
Diaz is also a head coach with the Albion Soccer Club and holds a USSF C Coaching License.
Diaz was most recently at Cal State San Marcos where he was an integral part of the coaching staff for two seasons. At CSUSM, he helped to produce five all-conference selections and acted as the program’s assistant/goalkeeper coach and ID camp director.
In addition to Cal State San Marcos, Diaz has held various roles at the DI, DII, DII and NAIA levels. He has made stops at the following universities, working with both men’s and women’s programs: Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal Poly Pomona, Whittier College, and Hope International University.
Diaz has also worked with youth players as a director and head coach with numerous clubs in Southern California since 2010. Prior to joining the Albion Soccer Club, he had similar roles at East County Surf, DMCV Sharks, Legends FC and Fullerton Rangers Soccer Club. Diaz has earned the Premier Diploma and Goalkeeper Level Three Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches (USC).
As a collegiate student-athlete, Diaz started his career as a walk on redshirt at SDSU, before transferring to Rio Hondo College, and eventually Whittier College where he played his final three seasons. At Whittier he was a three-year starter and helped lead his team to three consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament appearances. In his three seasons he played in 56 matches and compiled 11 shutouts with 248 saves. In his senior season alone, he posted 117 saves and a save percentage of .812.