September 16, 2024
The UC Riverside men’s soccer team is preparing for its upcoming season, following a 3-9-5 record last year. The team made big strides in 2022, winning the Big West Championship, and looks to build on that success.
The men’s first preseason game began on Aug 9. Since then they’ve taken on Hope International, Irvine Zeta FC, Cal State LA, San Diego State, Utah Tech, Pacific University, and LMU. Some challenging opponents they’ll face before beginning in the conference season will include Stanford and Cal Baptist University.
Some key player statistics from last season include: Luka Lukic, a senior forward, has 4 goals, 9 shots on goal, and 1 assist; AJ Meade-Tatum, a senior, with 1 goal, 2 shots on goal, and 1 assist; Carlos Gonzalez, a senior goalkeeper, had 82 allowed goals, made 65 saves, and faced 229 shots.
Coach Tim Cupello said the team’s goal this season is to "take it one game at a time, be as good as we can be, and strive for excellence."
New additions to the roster include Mika Sebastian Kosch, Grant Miller, Oscar Emilio, Trujillo Lizárraga, Brady Elliot, Tarek Hamideh, Ethan Gonzalez, Ace Tendale, Wyatt Ponting, Kevin Meza, Keegan O’Brien, Jason Moreno, Noa Wada, and Ermias Yohannes.
The team also welcomes two new assistant coaches, Romario Lomeli, who played on the soccer team for UC Riverside from 2013 to 2016, and Tony Huerta, a Riverside native with a strong passion for soccer.
The UC Riverside Highlanders women's soccer team is preparing for its upcoming fall season with a strong emphasis on teamwork and elevating the team’s competitive spirit. Last season, the team had a record of 2-10-7, and this year, the team is anticipating one of its most challenging seasons yet.
Having begun preseason on Aug. 12, the team has faced Idaho, UCLA, New Mexico, UTEP, Boise State and UNLV. Some pre-season matchups include Cal Baptist, and University of San Diego before starting in-conference play.
To strengthen team dynamics, interim head coach Gerardo Hidalgo introduced a pod system last year, which involved the players practicing in smaller groups to build strong bonds.
“This season will be a great opportunity to practice working through adversity and building a stronger bond as a team,” said Hidalgo.
Key additions to the team this season include Christina Sidoti, KaMia Elliott, Jayla Justice, Mimi Dominguez, Kyleigh Sekulich, Paige Gartner, Audrey Stewart, Vianca Sanchez, and Nikki Velasco.
Some leading returning players include: Braelynn Llamoca, a senior midfielder with 3 goals, 8 shots on goal, and 3 assists and Emma Gonzalez, a junior defender who had the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico’s national team.
