Pacific and Utah Valley begin first seasons

• by Soccer America , Aug 29, 2014

[COLLEGE MEN: New in 2014] It's rare for Division I programs to start men's soccer programs these days, but two new programs kick off in 2014. In the case of Pacific, the Tigers are playing their first season since 1985, while Utah Valley is the first men's Division I program in Utah.

Pacific begins play with a six-game road trip, kicking off its first season Friday at UC Riverside and then a match two days later at UC Irvine.

Ryan Jorden's Tigers, who went 1-0-1 in preseason. will play in the WCC, one of the most competitive conferences in the country.

The 2014 season also marks the first year of competition for the men’s soccer program at Utah Valley, where Greg Maas was appointed head coach in February 2013.

The Wolverines' initial roster features 32 student-athletes hailing from nine states and four countries. Only three are upperclassmen: juniors Aaron Stoddard and Tyler Brown, as well as the lone senior, Cameron Kidwell.

UVU, which will play in the WAC, will make its debut Saturday in a home match against UMass.

-- Texas-Pan American will join the WAC in 2015. It recently announced the hiring of Paul Leese, who had been the head coach at Coker College for the last five seasons, as the Broncs men's head coach.