Closing in on their Fall 2025 schedule, men’s club soccer prioritizes a competitive, yet close-knit group that holds league championship aspirations. The team currently sits second place with a 2-2-1 record in the NorCal ll West Region, claiming standout wins against Northeastern-Oakland and San Francisco State.
“I think a common misconception is that club sports are just casual or that people don’t take them seriously,” senior finance major Lance Mitchley said, who plays right wing. “While varsity might be at a higher level, the mentality on our team is very competitive. Everyone’s there to work hard, win games and keep improving. […] People really put in the effort to get better, not just show up for fun. There’s a lot of pride in representing USF at the club level.”
This year, according to Mitchley, who has been a part of the club since his freshman year, the team has forged a stronger connection in comparison to previous seasons.
“We’ve hung out more outside of practice, done more team activities, and overall, the vibes are great. Compared to other teams I’ve been part of, this one feels more laid-back in a good way. Everyone’s here because they love the game and want to be part of a positive community,” Mitchley said.
One reason that may address the club’s deepened connectivity is their diversity in personnel. The club has a multitude of ethnicities, with members having English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese backgrounds.
“The culture is great this year, we have a good mix of veteran players and younger guys, and everybody pushes each other,” right back and senior media studies major Shak Craviotto-Velasco said. “I’ve never played on such a diverse team anywhere else, we have people from all across the world, and you can hear different languages all the time during trainings.”
With many club members in their final year of competing, several hope to finish off their collegiate club careers on a high note.
“My goals for the season are to win the league as the top scorer for my team and to qualify for the tournament in the spring,” senior finance major Elijah McLeod said.
Club soccer has played a major role in McLeod’s collegiate career, as it provided him with a pathway to meet new people and carry on his love for the game. McLeod explained that he’s played soccer his entire life, and that joining the club was just part of the natural progression in his soccer journey. To him, soccer takes his mind off the stress of work and classes. “Considering it’s my last season here, it would be great to head down to Irvine one more time with the team and take the trophy back for the Dons,” McLeod said.
Men’s club soccer has two games left on their Fall schedule facing UC Davis ll on Nov. 16 at Negoesco Stadium and at Sacramento State on Nov. 23. According to officer and sophomore biology major Shivam Sahni, last year, the team qualified for the playoff tournament in Irvine for the first time. They look to place as a top seed in this year’s tournament and make noise in the spring.
