With the start of the new season just days away, the California State University, Northridge Men and Women’s Soccer coaches are looking forward to their season openers this weekend following a busy summer running the Northridge Soccer Academy Camps.

Led by soccer staff members, the Northridge Soccer Academy consisted of eight weeks of training camps that served more than 500 youth soccer players. The recreational camps provided an opportunity for young players to learn the basics of soccer and the advanced camps catered to more experienced players, with a tactical approach to the game that included film sessions and individual assessments. The men’s and women’s college identification camps provided the players opportunities to be identified and potentially play for CSUN or other colleges in the area.

“We try to show them passion and love of the game” said Terry Davila, head coach of the CSUN Men’s Soccer Team.

The Matador Women’s Soccer Team is looking to bounce back from a difficult season last year that resulted in a record of 7-11-2 overall and 4-3-1 in Big West Conference games. This year’s team has five returning seniors, including goalkeeper Cynthia Tafoya, midfielder Tabatha Dickson, defender Kendall Moskal and midfielder Taylor Hobson.

Joining the women’s soccer team staff this season is former CSUN Men’s Soccer standout Derek Hanks in his second stint as assistant coach.

“He knows exactly what I want and exactly what we do here,” said Keith West, the CSUN Women’s Soccer head coach. “He was a former player here and was on my staff at one point. He’s very well versed in the expectations that we have here and the teaching methodology that we use, and I’m excited to have him back on the staff.”

After opening the season at Pepperdine on Aug. 21, the Matador Women’s Soccer Team will open up the home portion of the schedule against Portland State at 1 p.m. on Aug. 23 at Matador Soccer Field.

“We’re going to be a pretty balanced team this year,” West said. “I’m really excited to start the year. We’re going to have some exciting soccer on the field.”

In 2014, the CSUN Men’s Soccer Team finished with a record of 7-9-3 overall and 3-5-2 in Big West Conference games and two players from the 2014 team, Sagi Lev-Ari and Edwin Rivas, were selected in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The seven seniors returning to this year’s team include goalkeeper Adam Hobbs, defender Trevor Morley, defender Benjamin Asor, defender Tanner Snedigar, midfielder Carlos Gonzalez, midfielder David Turcios and defender Victor Vasquez.

The Matadors will face Loyola Marymount University and Cal Poly Pomona at home for exhibition games on Aug. 22 and 27 at 7 p.m. at Matador Soccer Field before facing Loyola-Chicago at home at 6 p.m. on Aug 30. This is a doublehead with the Matador Women playing at 1 p.m. at Matador Soccer Field (separate tickets are necessary for each game).

“We’re going to be an exciting team to watch,” Davila said. “We’re going to try to show our capabilities of going to goal and hopefully that will attract fans to help us be successful on the field.”

CSUN Women's Soccer, Events, Matador Soccer Academy, Men's Soccer, Summer Programs