Mines (0-0-0) at Azusa Pacific (0-0-0) – Thursday, 7 p.m. PT – Azusa, Calif. [Live Stats] [Live Video ($)]
Mines (0-0-0) at Cal State San Marcos (0-0-0) – Saturday, 11 a.m. PT – San Marcos, Calif. [Live Stats] [FloFC ($)]

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NEW SEASON AWAITS
After a long offseason following an up and down 2023 season, the Colorado School of Mines men's soccer team returns to action starting Thursday night as they open the first of two West Coast trips in the first three weeks of the season, taking on Azusa Pacific under the lights on opening night before taking on Cal State San Marcos Saturday morning.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live streams for both matches will be available this weekend, but will require access being purchased for viewing. Thursday's match will be available on a pay-per-view basis on the PacWest Network while Saturday's match will be on FloFC. Live stats for both matches will be available through Sidearm. Links for video and stats for both matches can be found on minesathletics.com.
 
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.
 
2023 RECAP
After sweeping the RMAC regular season and tournament titles in 2022, expectations were high heading into 2023 but it turned out to be tough sledding for the Orediggers last fall. After opening the season 0-1-4, Mines finally cracked the win column with a 1-0 win over #3 CSU Pueblo at home on September 21 but was then shutout in each of their next three matches before dropping a 3-2 bout to Colorado Mesa on October 5. The Orediggers did mount a late-season push to try and secure a spot in the six-team RMAC tournament, winning four of five matches from October 8-22 including three in a row over Westminster, Regis and South Dakota Mines, but a setback on a snowy, frozen final day of the regular season against Colorado Christian dashed any remaining postseason plans as the Orediggers failed to qualify for the RMAC Tournament for the first time this century.
 
THE SKIPPER
With a record of 89-25-18 (.742) 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.
 
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.
 
On the national stage, six of Mines' opponents this season will either start the season in the Top 25 or received votes for consideration with the ThunderWolves ranked #2, Cal State Los Angeles Ranked #5, Cal Poly Pomona ranked #10 and Fort Lewis tabbed #21 with Colorado Mesa and Point Loma earning votes.
 
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.
 
SCOUTING AZUSA PACIFIC
The Cougars went 6-8-3 overall and 5-4-1 in the PacWest last fall, finishing fifth in the league standings. They posted a record of 4-3-2 at home in 2023 but went 1-4-2 in their non-conference matches including a 4-2 home loss to fellow RMAC member Regis.
 
Last year's leading scorer Mario Shuterigi is wearing a new number this season after leading the Cougars with six goals to with three assists for 15 points while putting 14 of his 24 shots on goal. Gabriel Oropeza is back following a five-goal season in 2023 and led APU with 44 shots a year ago as is Zedan Mutlu who scored twice. Assists leader Issaka Salifu, who also scored twice last year, and Juancarlos Rodriguez, who had a pair of goals and three dimes himself, have both moved on along with several other goal scorers as Azusa Pacific brings back 16 goals from last year.
 
APU was -2 in goal differential last season, being outscored 24-22 (1.41 GPG-1.29 GPG) by their opponents but were in the black on the shot chart at 204-180 (12.0 SPG-10.6 SPG). They logged 14 assists on their 24 goals while making 65 saves in goal and going 1-1 on PKs.
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE SAN MARCOS
Also sporting the Cougars Moniker, CSUSM opens against UCCS on September 5 before hosting Mines for their Senior Day on September 7. Last season they went 7-8-5 overall and 4-4-3 in the CCAA, good to finish fifth in the conference. They also posted a mark of 5-4-2 at home in 2023 which saw them go 2-3-1 in non-conference home matches.
 
Leading scorer Ryan Meinardus is back for a fifth season in 2024 after tallying 16 points behind six goals and four assists last fall on 42 shots with 14 on goal. Curtis Collazos is also back after scoring five goals with four dimes in 2023 along with Riley Patterson and Brooklyn Baker who each scored. Collectively, the Cougars return 20 of their 26 goals on offense.
 
In goal, Jesus Mentado and his 15 starts has moved on from the program, leaving last year's reserve Toney Flores in line to start. In 2023 he appeared in six matches with five starts, posting 11 saves against five goals for a 0.98 GAA and notching two shutouts as he posted a 3-1-1 record.
 
CSUSM finished just +1 in goal differential last year, outscoring teams 26-25 (1.30 GPG-1.25 GPG) but outshooting them 250-177 (12.5 SPG-8.9 SPG). They registered 23 assists on their 26 goals and combined for 60 saves in goal and went 3-4 from the spot while opponents went 2-3.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mines and Azusa Pacific have met just one time previously and that came in the 2019 NCAA Tournament Second Round. That night of November 23, the Orediggers took down the top-ranked Cougars on their home pitch in Azusa to advance to the Round of 16 with a 2-1 win. Meanwhile Cal State San Marcos will be a rare first-time opponent for the Orediggers. Looking at recent history against California opponents, Mines sports a record of 1-1-4 going back to 2021.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Mines heads home to take on two more California opponents for week two of the season, taking on Biola on September 12 at 5 p.m. as the first game of a Thursday night doubleheader before squaring off with #RV Point Loma Saturday September 14 at 6 p.m. from Stermole Soccer Stadium.
 
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.