Utah Tech Men’s Soccer Season Opener!

Utah Tech Men's Soccer opens their season tonight on the road.

Here's the press release from UT Athletic Media Relations (full article here):

Welcome Home, Coach: Utah Tech men's soccer head coach Jonny Broadhead announced the addition of Zac Hales to his coaching staff on Tuesday. Hales, a former All-Conference selection and four-year starter from 2008-11 at Utah Tech, finished with seven goals and four assists in his collegiate career.

He brings over a decade of coaching experience to the Trailblazer men's soccer program, with experience at the high school and club levels. He currently serves as the Director of Player Development for Fire FC, a club team based in St. George, and also won five Region Championships across 12 seasons on the coaching staff at Snow Canyon High School. Hales also coached as part of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) for the state of Utah.

Scouting the Competition: San Francisco is coming off a 2022 season that finished 7-6-4 with a 4-5-2 home record. The Dons' defense was particularly effective last year, allowing just 18 goals in 17 total contests, while leading goal scorer Max Hamelink (seven goals, two assists) returns for another season in green and gold. USF played two exhibitions prior to the season, defeating NCAA Division-II opponents Dominican University and Sonoma State by a combined total of 9-0. Thursday will mark the first time in program history that UT has played against San Francisco.

With a 3-3-2 record at home last year, St. Mary's finished 7-6-5 in the 2022 season. The team-leader in goals scored (five) and points (10) last season, Wade Muttitt returns for his junior season in Southern California while Riley Lynch, who lead the program with five assists, is also back. The Gaels also played two exhibitions, defeating Chico State 1-0 before falling 4-1 to the California Golden Bears. Sunday's game is the second time in program history that Utah Tech and St. Mary's will have played, with St. Mary's winning 2-0 during the 2021 season.

New Faces: Utah Tech welcomed 14 new faces to the program this offseason, with nine true freshmen and five transfers joining Trailblazer Nation: Conner Watkins, Andre Saucedo, Jason Buezo, Miguel Regino, Sami Cuevas, Cameron MacDonald, Tanner Dutra, Denilson Velasquez and Austin Wallace are coming from the high school ranks while Bubu Medina (UNLV), Damian Arguello (Salt Lake Community College), Erwin Martinez (Utah Valley), Angel Saldana (Phoenix College) and Bladimir Cuevas (Western Texas College) joined from the college ranks.

Guess Who's Back: After missing last season, Ethan Bell is back in uniform and set to begin play in his third season at the collegiate level. A 6-4 forward from Draper, Utah, Bell appeared in the second of Utah Tech's two preseason exhibitions.

California: Utah Tech's 2023 schedule sees the team play five of its first six road games in California, as the team faces Sacramento State next weekend before a late-September road trip to play San Diego State and San Diego. Throughout the season, Trailblazer men's soccer will also host CSU Bakersfield and San Jose State before facing California Baptist in the team's final road game of 2023.

What's Next: Utah Tech's season-opening road trip continues next week, as the Trailblazers will face Sacramento State next Thursday, Aug. 31. Kickoff against the hornets is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT.