SAN DIEGO – The No. 17 Aztec men's soccer team (6-1-1 0-1-0) continues their opening weekend of Pac-12 play when they host No. 6 Stanford at 3 p.m. on the SDSU Sports Deck. The SDSU women's team hosts Colorado College at noon.
Aztec Tidbits
- SDSU was ranked No. 6 in the initial NCAA RPI rankings. They are ranked No. 17 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, and No. 14 by Top Drawer Soccer.
- The Aztecs fell to Cal 1-0 in their Pac-12 opener Thursday night. It was SDSU's first loss of the year and the first goal they had conceded.
- SDSU was the last team in the nation that hadn't conceded a goal.
- The Aztecs outshot Cal 14-11 and had 69% of their possession on Cal's defensive side of the field.
- SDSU leads the nation in three stat categories: save percentage (0.955), assists per game (3.62) and points per game (9.62).
- The Aztecs are also top three in the country in goals allowed average (.125), goal differential (+23), goals per game (3.00) and shutout percentage (.875)
- This was the first time in school history that SDSU hadn't allowed a goal through seven matches.
- The Aztecs' .812 win percentage is the tenth best in the nation.
- Under head coach Ryan Hopkins (4th season), the Aztecs are 15-1-0 in non-conference home matches.
- The Aztecs are undefeated (10-0-2) in their last 12 non-conference matches.
- SDSU is 18-7-1 in home matches over the last three years.
- This is the second time in the last three years that SDSU has won their first six home matches.
- SDSU is allowing just 2.75 shots on goal per game.
- The Aztecs have attempted nearly double the shots as their opponent (125-67) and over double the shots on goal (49-22). SDSU is 17th in the nation in shots per game.
- SDSU has attempted more corner kicks than their opponent in every match except for one (Utah Tech). The Aztecs average 7.0 corners per game which leads the Pac-12 and is eighth in the nation.
- This is the second time in the last three years that SDSU has been ranked. They rose as high as No. 13 in 2021.
- The Aztecs are in a stretch where they will play eight straight at home, which is the longest streak of consecutive home games in the program's 56-year history. Seven games in, they are 6-1-0.
- This is the second time in the last three years that the Aztecs have won each of their first six home games.
- SDSU is 18-8-1 at home over the last three years.
- Sunday will be the Aztecs' first day game of the season.
- 15 different Aztecs have started a match this season. Of that group, nine were making their first career start for SDSU.
- 15 of the 18 field players who have appeared in a match this season have recorded a point.
- The Pac-12 is rated as the top conference in the initial RPI rankings. The conference has had the best RPI in each of the last two seasons.
- The Aztecs have 10 newcomers in 2023 with six transfers and four freshmen. Top Drawer Soccer ranked SDSU as having the 14th best incoming class in the country. SDSU was rated as the best incoming class in the nation a year ago.
- Of the six transfers new to SDSU in 2023, four are fifth-year seniors, one is a fourth-year senior and the other is a junior. In total, the Aztecs have 10 players in their fourth or fifth year of college.
- The Aztecs also have eight players who are true or redshirt freshmen and four of them already have made a start this season.
- SDSU had 15 players playing in the USL League Two over the summer. Nine of them played for clubs that made the playoffs including Christian Engmann, a transfer from Saint Mary's, who won the championship with Ballard FC.
- Following last season five Aztecs signed professional contracts, believed to be the most in program history. CJ Fodrey, the Top Drawer National Freshman of the Year, became the highest selection in the MLS SuperDraft in school history when Austin FC drafted him No. 13 overall. Blake Bowen (Seattle Sounders), Jacob Castro (Seattle Sounders), Kyle Colonna (New Mexico United) and Elias Katsaros (Tacoma Defiance) also moved to the professional ranks.
Player Notes
- Austin Brummett (Bow, N.H.) has a team-high 15 points, and averages 2.14 per game, which is 16th in the nation. Before Thursday, he had recorded a point in six straight matches.
- Alexander Levengood (Richmond, Va.) has a Pac-12 high six assists. His 0.75 assists per game is seventh in the nation.
- Prior to Thursday, Rommee Jaridly (Chino Hills, Calif.) had tallied a point in each of SDSU's last five matches, including two game-winning goals.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Logan Erb (Houston, Texas) allowed his first career goal Thursday, snapping a streak of 572 minutes to start his college career. He leads the nation in save percentage (0.944) and is second in goals against average (0.162)
- Terence Okoeguale (Cologne, Germany) is second on the team in points (10) and goals (5). He has scored four goals in the past three matches. His .357 shot on goal percentage leads the team (minimum 10 shots attempted).
- Lorenzo Hernandez (San Mateo, Calif.) has eight points, which he has accumulated in just 285 minutes (1 point per 35.6 minutes).
- Brummett, Jaridly, Jules Anderson (Ocean, N.J.) and Seth Clark (Christchurch, New Zealand) are all tied for second on the team in assists with three each.
- Four Aztecs have played every minute against D1 competition: Reid Sproat, Beto Apolinar, Reid Fisher and Noah Crétier. Those four plus Rommee Jaridly have started every match.
- Fifth-year senior midfielder Henry Smith-Hastie (Los Angeles) was tabbed team captain for the 2023 campaign.
Coach Hopkins' Take on No. 6 Stanford
"Stanford has been the measuring stick in the conference for the last decade or so. It's a great opportunity for us to prove we belong in the conversation of being among the nation's elite programs.
Opponent Notebook (No. 6 Stanford)
The Cardinal are 5-1-2 overall and 0-1-2 in Pac-12 play…They tied UCLA 2-2 in Los Angeles Thursday night… In their opening weekend of Pac-12 play, they tied Washington and lost to Oregon State 2-1. Both matches were at home… They are 2-0-1 on the road… They are 2-0-0 against ranked teams this year, beating No. 8 Creighton and No. 17 Georgetown by a combined score of 8-2 to begin the season… They are right behind the Aztecs in a handful of offensive stats: goals per game (2.5), assists per game (3.38), goal differential (12) and points per game (8.38)…They are allowing just one goal per game and have outscored their opponents 107-63… Zach Bohane has a team-high 15 points (5 goals and 5 assists)… Shane de Flores has 11 points on five assists and three goals… Stanford has started two different goalkeepers. Jack Morris has made five starts and has a goals allowed average of 1.18 while Rowan Schnebly started at UCLA Thursday and has allowed two goals in three starts… Head coach Jeremy Gunn (12th season) led Stanford to three straight national championships from 2015-17… The Aztecs are 13-23-9 all-time against Stanford. Over the last two years, SDSU is 1-2-1 against them. Last year the Aztecs played them to a 0-0 draw on the road when the Cardinal were ranked No. 2 in the country.
No. 17 Aztecs Host No.6 Stanford Sunday Afternoon
