A talented coach who has been a valuable asset to the Golden Eagles’ award-winning program, Erick Lemus returns for his fourth season as an assistant coach on the Cal State LA men’s soccer coaching staff. Lemus has had a major role for the Golden Eagles since he joined the program and been a big reason for the Golden Eagles’ incredible success.
Lemus helped the Golden Eagles to another outstanding season in 2024. Cal State LA was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation and stretched its unbeaten streak to a program-record 30 games in a row during another winning campaign. Cal State LA finished the season ranked 11th in the country after compiling a 12-3-6 record that included a 5-1-5 mark in conference play.
The Golden Eagles hosted a Super Region 4 second-round match for a fifth consecutive season and reached the Super Region 4 semifinals for the fourth time in five seasons. Cal State LA was the furthest advancing team from the West, also for the fourth time in five seasons.
In his first three seasons with the program, Lemus has helped the Golden Eagles to an overall record of 45-6-12 record with one California Collegiate Athletic Association regular-season and two CCAA Tournament titles.
Lemus was a big part of the Golden Eagles’ success in 2023 when they captured CCAA regular-season and tournament titles.
Lemus helped the Golden Eagles to an overall record of 18-1-3 and a 10-1 mark in conference play. Cal State LA was ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division II Super Region 4 and hosted the first rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Eagles advanced to the Super Region 4 championship match for the third time in four seasons before falling to Colorado State-Pueblo on penalty kicks to end the season in the national quarterfinals.
Lemus was part of Cal State LA’s NCAA Division II West Region Coaching Staff of the Year named by the United Soccer Coaches.
Lemus was a big reason for the Golden Eagles’ success in 2022 in his first season with the program. Cal State LA recorded a 15-2-3 overall record and won its second straight CCAA Tournament title. The Golden Eagles finished second in the CCAA with a 7-1-3 conference record and hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA playoffs as the Super Region 4’s No. 1 seed.
Lemus joined Cal State LA from the University of Illinois, Springfield, where he was an assistant coach for two seasons.
Lemus helped Illinois Springfield to its best season in program history in 2021. The Prairie Stars qualified for the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament both years he was there and had a goals against average of just 1.10. The team recorded its first-ever postseason win, its first-ever appearance in the conference championship game, its first-ever NCAA playoff appearance and its first-ever NCAA playoff win. The program also picked up its first All-Region and All-America awards.
In his first season with the program, Lemus helped UIS go 4-4-3 during its shortened 2021 spring campaign. UIS had one of the top defenses in the nation, allowing just seven goals in 11 games. It reached the GLVC postseason tournament, and had one player named to the all-conference squad.
Before he coached at Illinois Springfield, Lemus was an assistant coach at Marymount University in 2019. He helped that team go 12-7-1 and reach the conference tournament championship game. The Mariners ranked in the upper half of the league by allowing 1.74 goals per game, and goalie Ramon Garcia was named second-team all-conference.
Before Marymount, Lemus was an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s soccer teams at the University of Hawaii at Hilo from 2015-18. In 2018, he helped the women’s squad accomplish the best record in program history at 10-4-2, and a second-place finish in the Pacific West Conference. He helped the team record the second-best goals against average in program history with a 0.60 mark.
On the men’s side, Lemus helped the team set a program record for saves. In his four seasons coaching at Hawaii Hilo, his goalies earned five Women’s PacWest Defender of the Week awards and three Men’s PacWest Defender of the Week honors.
Lemus is currently the Elite Boys Director at FRAM Soccer Club and he has club coaching experience from the Hawaii Rush, SASA Spirits, Central Illinois United and the Impact Goalkeeper Academy. He also had previous coaching stops at Mary Star of the Sea and Waiakea high schools.
Lemus played for one season at Franklin Pierce before transferring to Hawaii Hilo. In 2014, he recorded a 1.41 goals against average and had 24 saves in 12 matches. In high school, he played at Junipero Serra in Gardena. He was named the league’s MVP goalkeeper, and led the team to two league titles.
Lemus is certified with a US Soccer “B” License. He attended the International Goalkeeper Coaches Conference in Los Angeles in December 2019.
