UCLA
No. 18 James Madison
No. 21 UCLA Hosts No. 18 JMU on Sunday
August 23, 2024 | Men's Soccer
No. 21 UCLA (1-0-0) vs. No. 18 JMU (0-0-1 )
Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024 – 7 p.m. PT
Los Angeles, Calif. (Wallis Annenberg Stadium)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Broadcast: B1G+
Talent: Nick Koop
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets: uclabruins.com/tickets
Price: $9-17 (UCLA students free with BruinCard)
Seating: General Admission
Parking: purchase in advance on Park Mobile app
UCLA Continues Opening Homestand Against No. 18 James Madison University
The UCLA men's soccer team returns to Wallis Annenberg Stadium for their second match of the season on Sunday, welcoming No. 18 James Madison University for a second consecutive top-25 matchup to begin the year. The Dukes head to Westwood having drawn 0-0 with CSUN on Thursday, August 22, to begin their season.
Opening Night Win
UCLA opened the 2024 season with a win over No. 11 LMU on Thursday night. Edrey Caceres provided both the goals for the Bruins, scoring two beautifully take nfree kicks from just outside the 18 yard box. The Bruins doubled up the Lions in the shots category, taking 14 to LMU's seven on the night. UCLA found the opening goal in the 27th minute. After a handball just outside the 18 yard box on LMU, Caceres stood over the ball to take the ensuing free kick. Caceres lined up the shot and lifted the ball over the LMU wall, past the outstretched arms of the keeper, and put the Bruins up 1-0. As for the second goal, just five seconds before the end of the first half, the Bruins had a free kick in almost the same spot where Caceres scored from the first time. It was almost a déjà vu moment as Caceres placed his second free kick of the game perfectly, directing it over the LMU wall, past the diving keeper, and into the back of the net, making it 2-0 UCLA going into halftime, and that's how the game would finish.
Caceres Cooking
Graduate transfer Edrey Caceres opened his account for the Bruins on Thursday, scoring both goals in UCLA's 2-0 win over No. 11 LMU. It makred the third time in his career that Caceres has scored a brace (two goals) in his career, and was his first brace as a Bruin. The goals were the 12th and 13th of his career.
Bruin Debuts
Eight Bruins made either their collegiate debut or UCLA debut on Thursday night. Freshman Shakir Nixon and Tamir Ratoviz, and internsatioanl graduate student Sveinn Hauksson all made their NCAA debuts. Additionally, Caceres, Nico Cavallo, Oshea Foster, Nikolai Rojel, and Youri Senden all made their UCLA debuts.
Last time out against JMU
UCLA and JMU last squared off on August 27, 2023, a game that JMU won 1-0 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as part of the Fairfield by Marriott Invitational at Sentara Park. JMU's Balint Kocso was the lone goalscorer on the day, as he found the back of the net in the 73rd minute with a strong header from just above the box that got over UCLA keeper Sam Joseph's head. Joseph was strong overall for the Bruins that day, making four saves. Most notably, he made a pair of close-range saves in the 70th minute that temporarily kept the game deadlocked at nil-nil.
Tough Slate to Start
UCLA will host four opponents who are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll this season, with the first three matches of the 2024 season coming against ranked opposition. The Bruins welcome No. 11 LMU on opening night on Aug. 22, followed by No. 18 James Madison University on Aug. 25, and No. 22 University of Portland on Aug. 30. Other ranked opponents the Bruins will face include No. 7 Indiana on Oct. 25. That marks three of UCLA's six nonconference opponents are ranked to begin the season, while a fourth, Denver, is receiving votes.
Ranked to Start the Season
UCLA appeared in a pair of national preseason polls, coming in at No. 21 in both the United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer preseason polls. The Bruins were the only Big Ten team ranked in the polls outside of No. 7/5 Indiana.
2023 In Review
· The Bruins won the Pac-12 title for the first time since 2012
· UCLA went 9-4-5 overall on the year, and 6-0-4 in conference play
· The undefeated mark in conference play was the third time in the Pac-12 era that the Bruins had finished undefeated in conference play
· The Bruins advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row
· UCLA allowed one goal or fewer in 14 of their 18 games during the 2023 season
· The Bruins' 1.06 goals against average in 2023 was their third lowest average in the last 10 seasons, only the 2022 team (1.00 GAA) and 2014 (0.92 GAA) were lower
· Tucker Lepley became the first Bruin to earn All-America honors since Milan Illoski did in 2019. Lepley earned third-team All-American honors from United Soccer Coaches, Top Drawer Soccer, and College Soccer News
· Four Bruins earned All-Far-West Region honors. Lepley and Tommy Silva earned first-team honors, while Andre Ochoa and Jack Sarkos earned third-team honors
· Lepley (1st Team), Jose Contell (2nd Team), Sarkos (2nd Team), Silva (2nd Team), Ochoa (HM), Sean Karani (HM) all were named to the Pac-12 All-Conference teams
· 16 different players recorded a point for UCLA, including nine separate goal scorers
Contell, Greenlee, Ochoa Selected to Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List
· Jose Contell enters his fifth season in Westwood in 2024. The redshirt senior has been a consistent contributor for the Bruins during his three years in the lineup, netting at least 12 points in all three seasons. The Valencia, Spain, native scored a career-high five goals in 2021 and has tallied six assist seasons twice, in 2021 and 2023. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Contell was named to the All-Far West Region Second Team and was a 2023 Pac-12 Second Team selection.
· Pablo Greenlee also enters his fifth season at UCLA. The Hollywood, California native has played 40 times for the Bruins over four seasons, making 14 starts. During the 2023 season, in which the Bruins earned the Pac-12 title, Greenlee made 11 appearances, with 10 starts.
· Andre Ochoa embarks on his third season at UCLA, having transferred from San Diego State after his sophomore season. The senior from Anaheim, California, started all 18 of UCLA's games in 2023, and earned third-team all-Far West region honors and Pac-12 honorable mention accolades after tallying 15 points (4G, 7A) on the season. For his career in Westwood, Ochoa has seven goals and 11 assists over 39 appearances (36 starts).
UCLA Picked Third in Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll
UCLA was tabbed to finish third in a preseason poll of the Big Ten coaches.
1. Indiana (unanimous)
2. Penn State
3. UCLA
4. Washington
5. Michigan State
6. Ohio State
7. Maryland
8. Northwestern
9. Rutgers
10. Michigan
11. Wisconsin
New Blood
The Bruins brought in 10 newcomers to augment the roster for the 2024 season:
· Lucca Adams, GK (LA Galaxy Academy) - Led the U-17 LA Galaxy team to the MLS Next National Championship
· Edrey Caceres, MF (Marquette) – All-Big East Second Team selection in 2021, 2022, 2023
· Nico Cavallo, D (Davidson) – All-Region selection in 2021, 2022, 2023
· Sveinn Hauksson, MF/F (University of Iceland) – Hauksson comes to UCLA having played for club KA Akureyri in the Icelandic Premier League
· Allan Legaspi, D (LA Galaxy Academy) - Captained the U-17 LA Galaxy team that won the MLS Next U-17 championship this past season
· Shakir Nixon, D (LAFC Academy) - Part of the US U-17 National Team pool in preparation for the 2023 U-17 World Cup. Has made multiple appearances for LAFC2 in MLS Next competition
· Tamir Ratoviz, MF (LAFC Academy) - Central midfielder for the LAFC U-17 team who has played regularly for his MLS NextPro team. Has been called into both the US U-17 National Team as well as the Israeli U-17 National Team.
· Nikolai Rojel, F (Wofford) - SoCon Player of the Year (2023), All-Southern Conference First Team (2022, 2023), SoCon Freshman of the Year (2022)
· Youri Senden, D (Drexel) - Spent three seasons at Drexel, earned All-CAA honors, three times, including defender of the year and first-team All-CAA honors as a senior in 2023.
· Artem Vovk, F (Elk Grove Sporting) - Named to the TopDrawerSoccer Best 11 at U-19 at the Elite Academy Level. Scored over 100 goals and added over 30 assists during his time at the club level.
International Flair
UCLA's current crop of players boasts eight student-athletes who were born or have lived abroad. UCLA's roster features two from Denmark (Philip Naef, Nikoai Rojel), and one from Iceland (Sveinn Hauksson), Italy (Pietro Grassi), Netherlands (Youri Senden), Spain (Jose Contell), while Lucca Adams (Brazil) and Artem Vovk (Ukraine) both were born abroad before coming to the United States as kids.
Bring on the B1G Ten
UCLA men's soccer begins its first season as a member of the Big Ten Conference on Thursday evening. The Bruins boast winning records against five current Big Ten schools. Additionally, the Bruins have never faced Michigan or Michigan State. UCLA's first conference match as a member of the conference will be on Sept. 13 at Northwestern.
Bruins on B1G+
All but two of UCLA's games will be broadcast on B1G+ ($) in 2024. The other two games will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. UCLA will play at Wisconsin on the Big Ten Network on Sept. 16, and will also host Indiana on Oct. 25 on the network.
Robles Added to the Staff
Jose Robles joined the UCLA men's soccer coaching staff in March, after spending the last four seasons with the Tulsa men's soccer program. Robles served as an assistant coach for two seasons before earning a promotion to associate head coach prior to the start of the 2022 campaign. During his tenure, Tulsa recorded a 36-19-8 overall record, coached 16 student-athletes to American Athletic Conference all-conference honors, four to all-rookie team accolades, and eight to all-tournament team honors. He helped two Tulsa student-athletes earn all-conference honors in 2023 with freshman Jared Aguilar and Sergio Baena earning spots on the all-rookie team and second team respectively.
UCLA Earns Team Academic Award From United Soccer Coaches
Just before the start of the new campaign, UCLA earned a team academic award from United Soccer Coaches for the 2023-24 season. The Bruins posted a strong 3.43 team GPA, marking the seventh consecutive year that the program has qualified for the honor (teams must post a collective GPA of 3.00 or higher). UCLA has picked up the honor every season under sixth-year head coach Ryan Jorden.
Bruins in Professional Soccer
The Bruins had seven alumni in the MLS ranks at the start of the 2024 season. The 10th pick in the MLS SuperDraft, Grayson Doody, signed with CF Montreal, while Tucker Lepley, drafted by the LA Galaxy 62nd overall, signed with the Galaxy. Tommy Silva signed a homegrown contract with Real Salt Lake, joining Erik Holt in Salt Lake City. Earl Edwards Jr. is in his fourth season with the New England Revolution, Ryan Hollingshead is in his third year with LAFC, and Jackson Yueill is in his seventh season with the San Jose Earthquakes.
Internationally, three Bruins are in action. Frankie Amaya recently transferred from the New York Red Bulls to Toluca FC in Liga MX, Reggie Cannon is in his second season with Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship, and Milan Illoski is in his second season at FC Nordsjælland (Denmark).
Bruins in Top Drawer Soccer Top 100 Player Rankings
UCLA's Andre Ochoa was named to Top Drawer Soccer's rankings of the top-100 players to watch in the country. The senior midfielder was ranked 78th on the list.
Follow Along on Social
Stay up-to-date on all things UCLA men's soccer by following @UCLAMSoccer on Instagram and Twitter. The Bruins rank second in the country among men's soccer programs in Instagram followers.
