TURLOCK, Calif. — The Stanislaus State men's soccer team kicks off its 2025 season this week with back-to-back night games at Warrior Stadium. The Warriors open with a pair of non-conference West Region opponents, hosting Seattle Pacific on Thursday, Sept. 4 at approximately 7:30 p.m., followed by Western Washington on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.

A Look Back at 2024
Stanislaus State closed out the 2024 season with its first winning record since 2015, finishing 7-6-5 overall and 3-4-4 in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. Entering his third season at the helm, head coach John Powell returns 14 letterwinners, including two All-CCAA honorees: Angel Ruiz-Hernandez and Samuel Villanueva.

Ruiz-Hernandez made an immediate impact in his debut season with a 1.19 goals-against average and six shutouts. The senior goalkeeper tallied 58 saves over 17 appearances, posting a .744 save percentage. Villanueva, also entering his senior year, played in all 17 matches last season and scored two goals.

Offensively, the Warriors return key contributors Adrian Yepez and Kenneth Solares. Yepez recorded three goals and one assist, including game-winners at Saint Martin's and Cal State San Marcos. Solares added two goals and two assists, with one of his goals securing a 1-0 victory at Sonoma State.

Promotional Events at Warrior Stadium
Following Thursday's home opener, fans will have an opportunity to meet the team and get autographs on 2025 schedule posters from the players and coaching staff. On Saturday, during halftime, select fans will have a chance to win Warrior gear by participating in the "Kick to Win" contest on the field.

2025 Home Schedule
Stanislaus State will host eight regular season matches at Warrior Stadium this fall. In addition to the upcoming games against Seattle Pacific and Western Washington, the Warriors will play Menlo College on September 18 at 7 p.m. CCAA matchups at home include Cal State East Bay on October 3 at 4:30 p.m., No. 11 Cal State Los Angeles on October 5 at 11:30 a.m., Cal State San Marcos on October 19 at 2 p.m., Chico State on October 24 at 4:30 p.m., and UC Merced on November 6 at 11:30 a.m.

2025 Road Schedule
The Warriors will also compete in eight matches on the road. Their away campaign begins with a trip to Simon Fraser in Burnaby, British Columbia, on September 11 for a 5 p.m. kickoff. They will then travel to Lacey, Washington, for a 1 p.m. match against Saint Martin's on September 13. Their final non-conference road contest is scheduled for September 20 at Dominican (Calif.) in San Rafael, with a 3:30 p.m. start. Conference road matches include visits to Cal State San Bernardino on October 10, No. 18 Cal Poly Pomona on October 12, Cal Poly Humboldt on October 17, Cal State Monterey Bay on October 26, and No. 25 Cal State Dominguez Hills on October 31.

CCAA Preseason Poll
In the 2025 CCAA Men's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll, Stanislaus State was projected to finish in eighth place. The CCAA Men's Soccer Championship begins with the opening round on Sunday, November 9, hosted by the higher seed. The top two seeds will receive first-round byes, with semifinals and finals scheduled for November 14 and 16 at Cardinale Stadium in Seaside, hosted by Cal State Monterey Bay. The winner of the tournament will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Academic Excellence
Stanislaus State continues to excel off the field. In Fall 2024, graduating senior Marco Carbajal was named to the Academic All-District Men's Soccer Team, as selected by the Collegiate Sports Communicators. Nine Warriors were named to the CCAA Fall Academic Honor Roll, including Carbajal, Daniel Avalos, Joey Chavez, Alecxander Cuellar, Luis Flores, Keoni Martin, George Riberal, Ryan Rosas, and Samuel Villanueva.

Several Warriors were also honored in the Spring with CCAA All-Academic Team selections. Those student-athletes included Avalos, Cuellar, Flores, Martin, Leonardo Muniz, Riberal, Anthony Sanchez, Villanueva, and Yepez. Avalos was further recognized as an inaugural member of the Stan State Chapter of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society.

Scouting Seattle Pacific
Seattle Pacific finished the 2024 season with an 8-6-4 record, including a 5-4-3 mark in GNAC play, tying for third place in the conference standings. The Falcons are projected to finish fourth in the 2025 GNAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

They return several key contributors, including first-team all-conference midfielder Connor Tollan, who tied for the GNAC lead with eight assists, added five goals, and ranked fourth in the conference with 1.00 points per game. Midfielder Diego Pena-Salgado returns after scoring two goals and providing one assist across 14 starts last season. JJ Diaz, who posted three goals and three assists for nine total points, also returns following an honorable mention all-conference nod.

Head coach Kevin Sakuda enters his fifth season leading the program, holding an overall record of 32-25-16 (.548) and a conference record of 20-15-11 (.554). Sakuda led Seattle Pacific to a GNAC title in his first season in 2021. This week's game marks the second all-time meeting between Stan State and Seattle Pacific. The previous matchup ended in a scoreless draw in 2007 in Turlock.

Western Washington Returns to Turlock for First Time Since 2010
Western Washington completed the 2024 season with a 10-5-3 overall record and went 8-3-1 in GNAC play, finishing second in the regular-season standings. The Vikings were picked to finish second again in the 2025 GNAC Preseason Coaches' Poll after winning eight of their final ten matches last fall.

Leading the Vikings this year is two-time first-team all-GNAC defender Sebastiano Silvetti, who started 16 of 18 matches in 2024, logged 1,287 minutes, and contributed a goal from the back line. He also earned first-team honors as a freshman in 2023. Silvetti is joined by fellow returners Albin Jonsson, who has scored 16 goals and added 12 assists over 54 matches since 2022, and Edgar Serrano, who tallied three goals and two assists in 17 starts last year. Defender Joar Tidblom started all 18 games in 2024, playing a team-high 1,515 minutes while contributing two goals and two assists. Goalkeeper Charlie Dyer returns after playing every minute in goal last season, posting a 1.06 goals-against average, four shutouts, and 51 saves.

This will be the fifth all-time meeting between Stan State and Western Washington, and the first since 2010. The Vikings lead the series 2-1-1. The most recent meeting ended in a 4-4 double-overtime draw in Turlock, while the Warriors earned their lone win over WWU in 2007 with a 1-0 victory at home.

Watch Live on FloCollege
All Stanislaus State home matches, along with CCAA contests and select non-conference games, will be streamed live and available on demand via FloCollege. This includes CCAA-hosted tournament games. Fans can subscribe and follow the Warriors by visiting goccaa.org/flocollege.

Coming Up Next
After opening weekend, Stan State heads north for a two-match road trip in the Pacific Northwest. The Warriors will take on Simon Fraser on Wednesday, September 11 at 5 p.m. in Burnaby, British Columbia, and then face Saint Martin's on Friday, September 13 at 1 p.m. in Lacey, Washington. They return to Warrior Stadium on Thursday, September 18 for a non-conference match against Menlo College at 7 p.m.