THE SCHEDULE
San José State will look to get the 2020-21 season started off on the right foot when it meets Dixie State on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. (MT) at Greater Zion Stadium.
FOLLOW ALONG
Saturday's match will be televised on the WAC Digital Network. Live stats will be available and you can follow every San José State men's soccer game live on Twitter, @SanJoseStateMS.
FIRST TOUCHES:
- This will be the first meeting all-time between San José State and Dixie State.
- The Spartans were the nation's only Division I team last season to start 11 Northern California products in a match (at Incarnate Word).
- Rudi Castro led the team in goals (9), points (20), shots (59) and shots on goal (31) in 18 appearances. The San Jose product is back for his senior season this year.
CORNER KICKS:
- San Jose State has advanced to the postseason in each of the last three seasons (have qualified for the WAC title match in two of those trips).
- Seven newcomers have been added to the roster for the 2020-21 campaign. The group consists of a trio of forwards, two defenders, one midfielder and one goalkeeper.
- Both of 2019's top minute-earners are back for SJSU this season. Seniors Carlos Gomez-Zavala (1574 minutes) and Max Allen (1555) paced the team a year ago while dominating in the midfield.
PRESEASON PUB IS ALWAYS NICE
San José State was one of just two WAC programs with multiple selections to the preseason all-conference team. Seniors Rudi Castro and Max Allen were both named to the 11-man team.
(NORTHERN) CALIFORNIA LOVE
The Spartans have 22 in-state products on their 2020-21 roster. All 22 student-athletes hail from Northern California.
CONFERENCE OPENERS UNDER HEAD COACH SIMON TOBIN
The Spartans have earned a result in five of the six conference openers played since Tobin took over at the helm in San José. In addition, all but last season's opener were played away from home.
Season Opponent Result
2019 CSU Bakersfield W, 3-2
2018 at CSU Bakersfield W, 2-1
2017 at Utah Valley T, 1-1 (2OT)
2016 at Grand Canyon T, 1-1 (2OT)
2015 at Incarnate Word W, 2-1
2014 at CSU Bakersfield L, 5-1
SENIORITIS
SJSU returns to the pitch this season with one of the nation's most experienced rosters. The Spartans boast 12 seniors on this year's side, which is the second-most in all of Division I soccer (Cal Poly - 15).
GO, GO USA
In one of the final international sporting events held before the world shut down in the spring of 2020, senior Eduardo Buenfil was called up to the U.S. Futsal Men's National Team last March. Competing in the Futsal Week Winter Cup, Buenfil tallied four goals to help lead the United States to a third-place finish in the tournament.
PURE CLASS
Six Spartans received All-Academic honors from the WAC for their spectacular work in the classroom on the 2019 season. Defender Jeff Dukes and midfielders Eduardo Buenfil, Jered Mariani and Willy Miranda were named to the WAC All-Academic Team, while defender Josh Redfield and goalkeeper David Sweeney received WAC Freshmen All-Academic honors.
DISSECTING DIXIE STATE
- Saturday's match will mark the first meeting between the two programs.
- Trailblazers head coach Jonny Broadhead is in his third season at the helm in St. George. In his debut season, he led the Trailblazers to a 12-5-0 overall record, which included a fifth-place 8-5-0 finish in Pacific West Conference play.
- This is Dixie State's first season as a Division I member.
- The Trailblazers currently hold a record of 0-1, falling by a tally of 4-0 against Air Force in its opening match.
TOBIN'S TEAM
- 2020-21 marks the seventh season at the helm in San José for Tobin, who joined the Spartans after spending the previous 27 seasons as the head coach at CSU Bakersfield. Tobin is a native of London, England, graduating from Nonington College in 1983.
- His 343 career victories entering the 2020-21 season ranked No. 10 in all of Division I among active coaches.
- Postseason success has been a staple of Tobin's time in San José as the Spartans have made the Western Athletic Conference title match in both the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The men's soccer program can be found on both Twitter (@SanJoseStateMS) and Instagram (@sanjosestatems). Be sure to follow for a behind the scenes look at the team!