CCAA Coaches Preseason Poll

LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's men's soccer team has been picked second in a California Collegiate Athletic Association preseason poll released by the conference on Tuesday.

The Golden Eagles finished second with three first-place votes and 105 points to rank in between Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Dominguez Hills in an extremely close poll of conference head coaches. Cal Poly Pomona had four first-place votes and 112 points and Cal State Dominguez Hills had two first-place votes and 104 points. 

Cal State East Bay and Cal State Monterey Bay are tied for fourth with 75 points and Cal State San Bernardino is sixth with one first-place vote and 64 points.

Chico State is seventh with 61 points and was followed by Stanislaus State (51), Cal State San Marcos (29), UC Merced (27) and Cal Poly Humboldt (23).

Cal State LA, which is ranked No. 11 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, was the last team standing in the West once again in 2024. After finishing in a tie for third in the CCAA last season with a 5-1-5 record and 20 points, the Golden Eagles overwhelmed CCAA co-champion Cal State Dominguez Hills, 4-1, in the second round of the NCAA playoffs in University Stadium. Cal State LA ended its season with a loss at national runner-up Colorado State Pueblo in the Super Region 4 semi-finals, its fourth trip to that round in the past five seasons.

Over that span, Cal State LA has a 2021 national championship, a Super Region 4 title and national runner-up finish in 2019 and a Super Region 4 title match appearance in 2023, three CCAA regular-season titles and four CCAA Tournament titles.

The Golden Eagles stretched a program-record unbeaten streak to 30 games in a row before a loss to the Toros in Carson on the final day of the regular-season that dropped them out of first place. Cal State LA finished the season with a 12-3-6 overall record and completed its 13th straight season with 10 or more wins.

Emil Kischka, who earned second-team All-Region and All-CCAA honorable mention last year after an outstanding debut, returns for his second year with the program and leads a talented group of returning players. Cal State LA has 11 returners who saw playing time last season, including eight who started games.

Goalkeepers Diego Bravo and Ricardo Cabrera, who combined to start all 21 games last season, are both back and so is Sergio Vega, who appeared in 22 games in 2023 as a forward but was limited to just two games in 2024 due to injury.

Geovanni Antuna, who appeared in all 21 games and started nine in 2024, is back for his third season with the program and senior Joel Green, who made a big impact with 20 games played and 12 starts last season, returns for his second season with the Golden Eagles.

Sophomore Felix Alverdale, one of nine players to see playing time in all 21 games, returns for his second season and Erick Alamo (18 games played, one start), Hunter Devlin (17 games, one start and Ignacio Moreno (15 games played) also bring experience to the Golden Eagles.

Michael Erush, who has guided the Golden Eagles to a 45-6-12 record in his first three seasons as the head coach, will welcome 16 newcomers who are expected to play big minutes for the team in 2025.

Cal State LA will open its 2025 season with a home game against Fresno Pacific on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 4:30 p.m.