Mines (0-2-0) vs. Biola (0-2-0) – Thursday, 5 p.m. – Golden, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
Mines (0-2-0) vs. #9 Point Loma (1-0-1) – Saturday, 6 p.m. – Golden, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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HEADING HOME
Following a season-opening trip to the west coast, the Colorado School of Mines men's soccer team will be in action at Stermole Stadium for the first time in 2024 starting Thursday night when they host Biola in the first leg of a doubleheader with the women's team starting at 5 p.m. before taking on ninth-ranked Point Loma in a Saturday evening clash with a 6 p.m. kick off.
 
FAN INFORMATION
Tickets can be purchased online in advance at minesathletics.com/tickets or at the gate on the day of the match. Mines students, faculty and staff will be admitted for free with their BlasterCard. Fans are encouraged to park in Lot K immediately to the north of Stermole Stadium. Fans as are not allowed to park in the neighborhood surrounding the Clear Creek Athletic Complex, as the City of Golden's street parking requires a permit seven days a week.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Both matches this weekend will be streamed free of charge on the RMAC Network. Free live stats will be available through Sidearm for both matches. Links for video and stats for both matches can be found on minesathletics.com.

BLASTER'S BASKET
Admissions to Thursday's match against Biola will be free, but fans are encouraged to bring a donation item or consider a cash donation to Blaster's Basket. Blaster's Basket is the food pantry on campus that provides non-perishable food, toiletries and basic school supplies to Orediggers in need.
 
WEEK 1 RECAP
It wasn't quite the start Mines had hoped for on their first of two California trips this season as they dropped a pair of contests to Azusa Pacific and Cal State San Marcos. Opening night against APU saw the Orediggers struggle to manufacture chances, tallying just six shots in the match and one in the first half of a 1-0 loss. Saturday Mines fell behind 1-0 early before Luke Hanna netted his first career goal thanks to Quin Collins to draw back even in the final minutes of the first half, but an early second half score from CSUSM ended up being the decider as despite six shot attempts over the final 45 minutes, the Orediggers couldn't battle back a second time in a 2-1 loss.
 
RULES RESET
It wasn't too long ago that the NCAA implemented new changes to the soccer rules with the last set of changes coming in 2022. Now in 2024, there's been more tweaks to the rulebook, including at least a partial revision of one of the 2022 changes. First up is an adjustment to the substitution rules in the second half and overtime, when applicable. To avoid clock manipulation by teams that are ahead or teams that are tied late in a match, all substitutions within the final 15 minutes of regulation and any made during overtime will result in the clock being stopped. The second change affects overtime during the postseason, as sudden victory (otherwise known as the "Golden Goal") has been reinstated. In addition, video review has been expanded to review all penalty kick situations, all straight red cards events, denial of obvious goal-scoring opportunity situations and any potential offside violations in goal-scoring situations.
 
THE SKIPPER
With a record of 89-27-18 (.731) overall and 61-7-8 in RMAC action over his first seven seasons at the helm in Golden, skipper Greg Mulholland has established himself as one of the top head coaches not just in Division II, but the NCAA as a whole. An assistant with the Orediggers from 2007-2016 who served as interim head coach in 2017 before having the interim tag dropped in 2018, Mulholland ranks third among active Division II coaches with a minimum of five years on the job in winning percentage and is 15th across the entirety of NCAA Soccer. Under his direction, Mines has claimed a combined 11 regular season and postseason championships, running off six consecutive regular season crowns from 2017-22 and four tournament titles from 2017-20. Mulholland is also a four-time RMAC Coach of the Year and has twice headed up the United Soccer Coaches Regional Staff of the Year.
 
WEARING THE ARMBAND
For the second consecutive year, Caelin David will serve as a captain for the Orediggers and be joined by goalie Caden Allaire.
 
David, a senior from Alpharetta, Georgia, has been a staple in the starting lineup for Mines each of the last two seasons, starting all 38 matches over that span after appearing as a reserve in nine matches as a freshman in 2021. He scored his first two career goals in 2023 and has five career points heading into 2024.
 
Allaire has emerged as a locker room leader heading into his second season at Mines after transferring into the program for the 2023 season. An RMAC Goalkeeper of the Week honoree last October, he started all 16 matches in which he played for more than 1,400 minutes and recorded 56 saves, a 1.60 GAA and a .691 save percentage while going 4-6-6 with three shutouts.
 
HELLO, MY NAME IS…
It'll be a new-look team for Mines in 2024 with the addition of 13 newcomers, giving head man Greg Mulholland's staff one of the deepest rosters in his tenure. 10 first-year players and three college transfers join 21 returners. Read more about the newcomers here.
 
IN THE POLLS
Mines was tabbed to finish fifth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll back on August 15, earning 63 points on the ballot. The national runners-up each of the last two seasons, CSU Pueblo was picked to win the league with eight first place votes while defending champion Fort Lewis earned three first place ballots to place second. Colorado Mesa and UCCS rounded out the top five in third and fourth.
 
With the release of the week one poll national poll Tuesday, CSU retained their #2 ranking, Cal State Los Angeles rose to #3, Point Loma rose to #9 Fort Lewis rose to #15 while UCCS entered at #24 with Cal Poly Pomona dropping to #21.
 
WEST COAST HUSTLE
Head coach Greg Mulholland isn't afraid to put together a challenging schedule for his club, and this season is no exception. Six of the Orediggers' eight non-conference bouts this season will be against teams from the state of California, with four of those contests being held on the West Coast while three straight opponents, Point Loma, Cal State Los Angeles and Cal Poly Pomona, are all either ranked in the Top 25 or received votes to start the season. One can imagine that by the time RMAC play rolls around on October 3, Mines will be battled-tested thanks in large part to playing some of the top teams from out west who make regular appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
 
CHECKING THE STATS
Mines will look to shake off their slow start to the season when they take the field at home for the first time in 2024. Luke Hanna has been the lone goal scorer so far this season while Quin Collins has the only assist to date. Raul Gerhardus in his first season as a starter leads the team with five shots as it feels like it is only a matter of time before he scores, while Collins and Hanna have three and two shots each.
 
In goal, Caden Allaire has made 11 saves in the early going against three goals for a 1.50 GAA and a .786 save rate against 28 shots faced in 180 minutes of action.
 
As a team, Mines is averaging seven shots per game so far this season with six shots on goal. They have one assist on their one goal and have committed 17 fouls while being issued three yellow cards and one red. They have taken 10 corner kicks this season while allowing 15 and have yet to attempt a penalty kick in 2024.
 
SCOUTING BIOLA
Biola got off to a similar start last weekend as the Orediggers and is still in search of their first win of the season. The Eagles dropped a 2-0 decision to #10 Cal Poly Pomona on opening night at home before traveling to Cal State San Bernardino Saturday afternoon and coming out on the wrong end of a 2-1 result.
 
Joseph Davis is responsible for the lone goal thus far for Biola after transferring from Division I NJIT where he played his first two seasons. Leandro Weingaertner, a graduate transfer from Hawai'i Pacific, recorded his first assist of the season on that goal as those two have combined for three of the 10 total shots Biola has attempted through two matches.
 
In goal, Gijs van Schouten has made seven saves and allowed four goals for a 2.00 GAA and .636 save rate against 21 shots faced in 180 minutes of action.
 
As a unit, Biola is averaging just five shots and 0.5 goals per game with only six shots on target so far. Already in two matches they have been issued seven yellow cards and one red while being whistled for 36 fouls. They have one assist on their lone goal and have attempted six corner kicks while allowing 15 and have yet to attempt a penalty shot this season.           
 
SCOUTING POINT LOMA
The Sea Lions opened 2024 with a high-scoring 3-3 draw on opening night against Cal State San Bernardino last Thursday before picking up a win of #10 Cal Poly Pomona 1-0 on Saturday evening at home.
 
Felix Calero, who scored eight times last season, already has two goals to his credit in the early going this season, finding the net twice against CSUSB with one goal coming on a PK. Zach Mercieca has a goal along with an assist while Austin Lavell had the game winner over the Mustangs. Elijah Langford and Emmett Layman have each assisted on a goal and round out the offensive contributors through two matches for Point Loma.
 
Reiner ter Riet has been the man in goal for the Sea Lions to start the year and has six saves against three goals for a 1.50 GAA and a .667 save rate against 26 shots faced.
 
Collectively, Point Loma averages nine shots and two goals per match and has 10 shots on target. Already they have been issued five yellow cards and committed 27 fouls while recording three assists on four goals. They've taken five corner kicks while allowing 10 and are 1-1 from the spot as are their opponents.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Thursday night will be the first-ever meeting between Mines and Biola as the Eagles will become the 89th different opponent in program history. Meanwhile, Saturday's bout with PLNU will be just the second-ever meeting between the teams and first in Golden. The last time the teams played was all the way back in September of 2016 and saw the Orediggers and Sea Lions play to a scoreless draw in San Diego.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
After this weekend, the Orediggers will be back on the west coast for a pair of matches against Cal State Los Angeles and Cal Poly Pomona on September 20 and 22.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines men's soccer on X and Instagram at @minesmsoc and @mines_msoc. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, X and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.