SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State men’s soccer team was picked to finish third in the Pac-12 preseason coaches poll and Carson Ballagh, Jonah Kawamura and Oscar Emilio Trujillo Lizárraga were named to the conference’s preseason Impact List.
The Aztecs are returning to the Pac-12, the league they played in from 2005-2023, after spending the last two years in the WAC as an affiliate member. Oregon State, who has made six consecutive NCAA tournaments, was picked to win the league.
The trio of Aztecs selected to the preseason Impact List will serve as team captain’s this year. Ballagh (Lake Orion, Mich.), who is entering his second year at SDSU after beginning his collegiate career at Oakland, tied for the team lead with four assists last year.
Kawamura (Honolulu, HI.) came to The Mesa last year but missed the entire season with an injury. He was a three-year starter and captain at UC San Diego and led the Tritons in minutes twice.
Trujillo Lizárraga is a San Diego native who played at West Virginia last year and at UC Riverside in 2024. He helped the Mountaineers make the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season and was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team the year prior.
In March, the Pac-12 Conference and The Big West jointly announced a collaborative men’s soccer partnership designed to strengthen and sustain Division I men’s soccer opportunities across the western United States.
“We are excited for the new challenge in the Pac-12,” Head coach Ryan Hopkins said. "There will be some old rivals, a city derby and every match will provide a unique challenge for us.”
As part of this strategic partnership, California Baptist, Cal Poly, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego will compete as affiliate members in Pac-12 men’s soccer beginning with the 2026–27 season. This joint initiative reflects a shared commitment to preserving competitive opportunities for student-athletes and ensuring long-term sustainability for men’s soccer programs across the region.
The Aztecs open the season Thursday evening when they host Liberty at 7 p.m. on the SDSU Sports Deck. Admission is free and the match will be streamed on the Pac-12’s YouTube channel.
Predicted Order of Finish (as voted on by the league's head coaches)
1. Oregon State
2. California Baptist
3. San Diego State
4. Cal Poly
5. Gonzaga
6. UC Riverside
7. UC San Diego
Pac-12 Preseason Impact List
California Baptist
D William Lawson
MF Stavros Charalampous
F Blake D'Agostino
Cal Poly
MF Rylan Firouznam
F Finn Linas
F Colin Pearce
Gonzaga
MF Dylan Cantafio
F Drew Pedersen
GK Chema Preciado
Oregon State
D Jacob Zapien
F Wyatt Borso
F Aidan Marquez
San Diego State
MF Carson Ballagh
MF Jonah Kawamura
D Oscar Emilio Trujillo Lizárraga
UC Riverside
MF Tarek Hamideh
D Matti Richter
F Eric Martinez
UC San Diego
F/W Sean McTague
D/MF Adam Dunbar
MF Sean Ueda