News Summary
San Diego State University’s women’s soccer program is implementing major coaching changes ahead of the upcoming season. Adrian Dubois has been promoted to associate head coach while David Diaz moves up to assistant coach. With a successful prior season, including a WAC championship and multiple player accolades, these changes aim to further elevate the team’s competitive stature in collegiate soccer.
San Diego – San Diego State University’s women’s soccer program has announced significant changes to its coaching staff ahead of the 2025 season. Head coach Ryan Hopkins has promoted Adrian Dubois to the position of associate head coach and elevated David Diaz to assistant coach, as the team looks to build on its recent success.
Dubois has been instrumental in transforming SDSU into a resilient and competitive program, earning national recognition. Under his guidance, the Aztecs established themselves as one of the best defensive teams on the West Coast. During the previous season, the team captured the WAC regular season championship with a remarkable conference record of 7 wins, no losses, and 1 tie. The Aztecs recorded 10 wins this past season, their highest tally since 2011, and demonstrated their defensive prowess by shutting out opponents in six of eight matches.
Notably, SDSU’s performance in 2023 earned them a national ranking as high as No. 17 after completing a strong non-conference run, going undefeated with 6 wins and 2 ties. The team also saw four players, including Reid Fisher, named to the All-Pac-12 team, with Fisher receiving honors as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.
Dubois joined SDSU from the University of Vermont, where he served as associate head coach and played a pivotal role in leading the Catamounts to a 16-4-2 record and an Elite Eight appearance in the 2022 NCAA tournament. His tenure at Vermont included winning the American East Tournament championship in 2021 and producing several successful seasons. Dubois has also been recognized as one of the top 12 assistant coaches in the country by College Soccer News while at Vermont.
Before his time at Vermont, Dubois was the head coach at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine from 2014 to 2018. There, he achieved three conference championships and set numerous NCAA records. His coaching career also includes experience at UMass Boston, UC San Diego, and working with youth clubs. In Vermont, he received the Vermont Soccer Association Boys Competitive Coach of The Year Award in 2021, highlighting his ability to develop local talent.
David Diaz, who has held the position of goalkeeper coach at SDSU for the past two seasons, is also stepping into a larger coaching role. Under his leadership, goalkeeper Djibril Doumbia earned recognition as the WAC Goalkeeper of the Year in 2024. Diaz played a significant role in the Aztecs’ strong defensive performance, which included six shutouts over eight matches last season. The Aztecs’ defenders, including Fisher and André Puente, were celebrated with All-WAC First Team selections, further establishing the team’s defensive strength.
In 2023, under Diaz’s coaching, the Aztecs set a school record by going 651 minutes without conceding a goal at the start of the season. Diaz holds a USSF C Coaching License and has previously worked as a head coach with the Albion Soccer Club. His coaching experience spans various collegiate levels, including Division I, II, and NAIA, across multiple institutions.
Diving into his playing career, Diaz started as a walk-on redshirt at SDSU before transferring to Rio Hondo College and later Whittier College, where he became a three-year starter and made significant contributions during conference tournaments. His extensive coaching credentials also include stints coaching goalkeepers for San Diego Wave FC and Cal Poly Pomona.
With these promotions, San Diego State University is set to continue its ascent in women’s soccer, armed with experienced coaching that has already catalyzed a remarkable turnaround for the program.
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HERE Resources
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Additional Resources
- SDSU Hires Louis Hunt as Assistant Coach
- Wikipedia: Soccer
- USD Women’s Soccer Coach Matt Hall
- Google Search: Women’s Soccer Coaching Changes
- Coach Hopkins Announces Changes to Coaching Staff
- Google Scholar: Soccer Coaching
- USD Women’s Soccer Coach Jackie Altschuld
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Soccer
- Aztecs Release 2025 Schedule
- Google News: San Diego State University Women’s Soccer
