SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men's soccer team (7-7-4) will make its CCAA Tournament debut as the fifth seed and will take on No. 11 and fourth-seeded Chico State (11-1-6) in the first round on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. at University Soccer Stadium in Chico.
 
LAST GAME

• The Cougars clinched their first CCAA Tournament berth in program history with a 1-1 draw in the regular-season finale at Cal State East Bay on Thursday.
• After an early CSUSM mishap that led to the Pioneers taking a 1-0 lead, the Cougars rallied just four minutes into the second half with a goal by Aaron Alvarez to knot at its final result of 1-1.
• With the draw, CSUSM earned its 15th point of the season.
• After entering the day tied for fifth with Cal State San Bernardino, the Yotes lost their regular-season finale to Cal Poly Pomona. This allowed the Cougars to overtake the Yotes in the CCAA standings and clinch the No. 5 seed.
• CSUSM's 15 points to end CCAA play were its most since becoming postseason eligible in 2017 after a two-year transition period from NAIA to NCAA Division II. The Cougars scored 16 points in their final year of postseason ineligibility in 2016.

 
COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS

• Head Coach Ron Pulvers will coach in his 500th career men's game on Sunday. Pulvers has been the head coach in 288 games over 18 seasons at CSUSM and previously coached in 211 games in 10 seasons at Baker. As both a men's and women's head coach, Sunday will be the 650th game of his career.
• The Cougars are taking the fourth-most shots per game in the CCAA at 12.33 while putting the fifth-most shots on goal at 5.33.
• The Cougars' 1.17 assists per game and 21 total assists rank fifth in the conference.
• CSUSM is averaging the fifth-most corner kicks per game in the league at 4.39.
• The Cougars' .333 shutout percentage ranks fifth in the CCAA.
• CSUSM has tallied 71 total points this season, ranking fifth in the conference.
• Ryan Meinardus ranks eighth in the CCAA with 15 points. In a single season, his total is the most by a Cougar since 2014, the seventh most in program history and the most in the NCAA Division II era (2015-present).
• Meinardus' six goals for the season rank sixth in the conference and are tied for the sixth most in a single season at CSUSM.
• Teammate Curtis Collazos is tied for the 10th-most points in a single season at CSUSM with 13.
• CSUSM's 25 goals for the season are its most since 2014.

CCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND AT CHICO STATE

• The Cougars return to Chico after a scoreless draw against the then-No. 2 Wildcats on Oct. 1.
• Chico ended the season with a 1-1 draw against Stanislaus State on Thursday.
• The Wildcats posted 1-1 draws in three of their final four regular-season games.
• Chico is unbeaten at home this season with a record of 6-0-4.
• This will be the Wildcats' first home CCAA Tournament game since taking on Cal State LA in 2017.
• Chico came in at No. 11 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll.
• The Wildcats' lone loss of the season came on the road at then-No. 8 Cal State LA on Oct. 20.
• Chico is allowing the sixth-fewest goals per game in Division II at .556.
• The Wildcats' shutout percentage of .556 ranks 11th nationally.
• Chico has the nation's second-best save percentage at .865.
• The Wildcats' scoring offense ranks fourth in the CCAA at 1.67 goals per game.
• As one of the top keepers in Division II, Emmanuel Padilla has the nation's fourth-best save percentage (.859) and the seventh-best goals-against average (.567).
• Miles Rice ranks fourth in the CCAA with a team-leading eight goals and 19 points.
• Adrian Fontanelli leads the CCAA and ranks 15th nationally with eight assists this season.
• The Cougars and Wildcats have tied in the past two games against each other.
• Chico owns the all-time series lead at 5-0-3.
• The winner of Sunday's contest will face No. 4 and top-seeded Cal State LA in the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 10 at 1:30 p.m. in Arcata on the campus of Cal Poly Humboldt.

THE 2023 COUGARS

• CSUSM's 2023 roster consists of 29 student-athletes with 20 returners and nine newcomers.
• Stefano Brunetto returns as CSUSM's points leader in 2022 as he tallied eight with two goals and four assists.
• The Cougars were picked to finish eighth in the 2023 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
• Curtis Collazos, Oliver Reader and Derek Westwood were each named All-CCAA honorable mentions for their play during the 2022 season.

THE PULVERS FILE

• This season marks the 18th season for head coach Ron Pulvers at CSUSM.
• Pulvers has a 134-121-33 (.523) record as CSUSM's head men's coach.
• In 26 seasons as a collegiate head men's soccer coach, Pulvers holds a 260-192-47 (.568) career record.
• He was 84-42-24 (.640) while in charge of the CSUSM women's program.
• From 2006-13, Pulvers led both the CSUSM men's and women's soccer teams.