• Community Shield Game
Saturday, August 20, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara vs. Westmont (Exhibition)
Santa Barbara Community Shield
at Harder Stadium – Santa Barbara, Calif.
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats

• 2021 Recap
UC Santa Barbara was neck-at-neck with UC Irvine during the conference season, as both teams shared the top record during Big West play at 6-1-2 heading into the playoffs. However, they couldn't have looked more different in the final match of the conference tournament, as the Gauchos capped off a magical run with a 4-0 thrashing at Harder Field, the most lopsided win in Big West Championship game history. Despite injuries that could have easily derailed the season, UCSB won its first tournament championship since 2010 and second ever, clinching the program's 14th NCAA Tournament berth since 2002.

Nine Gauchos were named All-Conference, including Big West Defensive Player of the Year Henry Davies and fellow First Teamer Finn Ballard McBride, whose nine goals led the conference for the second straight season. As a team, UCSB finished 12th in the nation in goals (44), 14th in shutouts (9) and 16th in goal differential (+24).

2022 SEASON PREVIEW

Addressing Needs
Although they won the Big West Championship in convincing fashion last year, head coach Tim Vom Steeg has known that if the Gauchos want to repeat, they had to get an early jump on the team's "deficiencies" – a word which sounded a bit strange even to him considering how successful he felt the 2021 season was.

Specifically, dealing with injuries and depth is where his focus has been.

"We have extremely high expectations. Our goal is to have a team that can go deep in the playoffs this year," Vom Steeg said. "The key for us was addressing the areas on the team where we did fall short last year."

UCSB's 44 goals in 2021 were 11 more than any other school in the conference, so they weren't necessarily lacking on the scoring front. However, when your team's motto heading into the season is "your best defense is a good offense," adding more firepower is never a problem, and they are confident they've succeeded in that. The issue for the Gauchos last year, however, was how the team's play changed when players started going down.

"At the top of the list for me was the ability to not just score goals, but to create goals. When we lost Lucas Gonzalez and Ameyawu Muntari, we became a really easy team to cover. Due to injuries, we lost a lot of our dynamic play. We needed to add players that gave us more of an attacking balance across the front line."

It wasn't just the attacking third where the Gauchos lost bodies, though. Two key defensive injuries meant that the back line rarely saw the same four men starting from week-to-week, and the midfield showed fatigue late in the season, especially in the grueling, 2-1 double overtime loss at UCLA in the NCAA Tournament First Round.

"The other area where we had a deficiency was the depth of our bench, especially in midfield, late in games and late in the season after you've played 18 games. We really sought to address that by adding a couple midfielders that could give us more size and defending that could finish games. In my opinion, we've added the pieces where no matter what we're doing or where we're playing, we'll have an answer on our roster."

Vom Steeg knows that his attacking players can do great things when they get the ball, and that's just what he needs from his defense and midfield – to get them the ball.

"We want to be in a position where we just let our offensive players go. We want to bring a lot of tempo to the game. This is the most exciting attacking team with the number of players we have, because it's 5, 6, 7 players that we feel you're going to have to cover, and that's extremely unusual on a team. That's why you'll want to come out and watch this team play. I think we can take advantage of the combination of speed and skill and everything that happens up the field is going to be really, really exciting."

Forwards

#11 Finn Ballard McBride – Jr. – 5-11 – 171 lbs – Sydney, Australia / Newington College
2022 Big West All-Preseason Team, 2021 All-Big West First Team
Ballard McBride has been busy building his resume in two full seasons with UCSB, finishing first in the conference by putting away nine goals in both the 2019 and 2021 seasons. He was UCSB's fourth-ever player to make it onto a freshman All-America list after Top Drawer Soccer listed him on its team at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season, also becoming the ninth Gaucho in 11 years to earn Big West Freshman of the Year honors. In 2021, he not only led the Big West again in finding the back of the net, he also ranked first in the conference in assists (7) and points (25) while ranking sixth in shots on goal (16).

#8 Thaabit Baartman – Sr. – 5-11 – 185 lbs – Bonteheuwel, Cape Town, South Africa / Tyler Jr. College
2022 Big West All-Preseason Team, 2021 All-Big West First Team
Baartman made a huge impact in 2021 from the outset as he scored three goals in his first four matches as a Gaucho, including the team's only one against No. 12 Stanford on Sep. 6. Baartman would prove his ability to score in style, whether from the edge of the 18-yard box or in the clutch, like when he put his seventh and final goal of the season away to put UCSB up 3-2 in the 76th minute of a close Oct. 23 win over UC Riverside. Baartman's readiness to go for goal saw him attempt 54 shots last year, well ahead of Ballard McBride's second-ranked 33 attempts.

#9 Salvador Aguilar – So. – 6-2 – 175 lbs – San Simeon, Calif. / San Jose Earthquakes Academy
2021 All-Big West Second Team, All-Freshman
Aguilar appeared in all 21 matches, starting nine times. He tied for third on the team with six goals, including four during conference play. His last of the year put UCSB up 2-0 over UCI in the Big West Championship game.

#14 Diran Bebekian – Jr. – 5-9 – 150 lbs – Stevenson Ranch, Calif. / Real Salt Lake Academy
Bebekian made 20 appearances, including nine starts. He scored one goal and had one assist, both coming in the Gauchos' regular season opener against San Diego.

#20 Rene Pacheco – So. – 5-9 – 140 lbs – Santa Barbara, Calif. / Dunn School
Pacheco played in 17 contests, scoring three goals with one assist. 

New Additions

#17 Alexis Ledoux – So. – 5-7 – 147 lbs – La Talaudiere, France / College of Charleston
"Might be one of the most dynamic players to ever play here at UCSB."

#16 Joe Sherbourne – Fr. – 5-9 – 155 lbs – Hamburg, Germany / Hamburger SV Academy
"One of the most dynamic goalscorers in the youth league in Germany."

Midfielders

#7 Sam Fletcher – Sr. – 5-9 – 155 lbs – Phoenix, Ariz. / Brophy College Preparatory
2021 All-Big West Second Team
Fletcher earned his first All-Conference selection after making 12 starts in the regular season and playing a massive role in shutting out seven opponents. He has been lauded by Coach Vom Steeg for his experience and energy in the midfield, with his grit helping the Gauchos pull out favorable results in several tough games.

#10 Lucas Gonzalez – Rs So. – 5-7 – 147 lbs – Long Beach, Calif. / LA Galaxy Academy
A dynamic player who has proven to make an impact all over the field, Gonzalez was a key starter for the Gauchos last season before being slowed down by injuries. He put those troubles behind him these past few months, making some huge contributions for an Asheville City SC side that would make it to the USL2's last 16 among 113 total teams.

#85 Nemo Philipp – Jr. – 6-2 – 162 lbs – Hamburg, Germany / Gymnasium Hochrad
Philipp's 107th-minute winner from near the edge of the box to put UCSB over UC Davis and into the Big West Championship Game will go down in the books as one of the more memorable goals at Harder Stadium. Coach Vom Steeg believes he is one player who could continue the Gaucho tradition of having a breakout second season with the team.

#19 Jared Vom Steeg – So. – 6-1 – 159 lbs – Santa Barbara, CA / San Marcos HS
"Jared got really good minutes and played well last year starting in 15 of 21 games. We see him as more of a traditional 6, the player who sits in front of the back-4."

#24 Eddie Villeda – Fr. – 5-10 – 155 lbs – Costa Mesa, Calif. / Servite HS
"We've been really, really happy with Eddie Villeda and very impressed with his maturity. We think he can play anywhere in midfield and add something to us."

#28 Dominick Phanco – Fr. – 5-9 – 150 lbs – Odessa, Fla. / JW Mitchell HS
"We're really top-heavy up front, but Dominic Phanco is the other freshman whose come in that is going to have to fight his way a little bit, but he is also a good soccer player."

New Additions

#77 Filip Basili – So. – 6-2 – 170 lbs – Bergen, Norway / Metis Academy Upper Secondary
"Filip has been a really big addition for us since the spring. He gives us a bit of that missing link that we didn't have last year off the bench."

Vom Steeg on the Midfield:
"We're not asking those midfielders to win us games, break through lines or create the attack. We just need them to win midfield and supply the ball up front. So it's a pretty specific role with what we need them to do, and I think we're well-suited for those players to do that."

Defenders

#3 Henry Davies – Sr. – 6-1 – 170 lbs – Springwood, Australia / Westfield Sports
2022 Big West All-Preseason Team, 2021 Big West Defensive Player of the Year, First Team
Davies anchored the Gauchos' backline to seven clean sheets in the regular season and two more in the Big West Semifinals and Championship wins over UC Davis and UC Irvine, respectively, en route to taking home the 11th Big West Defensive Player of the Year in Gaucho history. He also came up big on the other end of the field, scoring three times including the game-winner at UC San Diego on Oct. 13 and to put the Gauchos up 3-0 in the championship game against the Anteaters.

#21 Caden Vom Steeg – So. – 6-1 – 159 lbs – Santa Barbara, Calif. / San Marcos HS
Vom Steeg started in 12 matches and played in all 21 games, settling in as a starter at right back midway through the season and playing well.

#12 Pablo Figueroa – So. – 6-0 – 170 lbs – Bell Gardens, Calif. / Bishop Mora Salesian HS
Figueroa earned three starts in 19 total appearances last year, at times bringing an offensive-minded approach to a left back position that was handled by committee.

#13 Rigoberto Barragan – Sr. – 5-8 – 155 lbs – Windsor, Calif. / Windsor HS
Another player who was moved around to different positions and made an impact, Barragan played in 15 games with seven starts and tallied two assists.

#4 Salaudeen Ayinla – So. – 6-2 – 155 lbs – Lagos, Nigeria / Rossem International School
Ayinla appeared in just over half the season, seeing action in 11 matches with two starts as a defender, also seeing time at the left back position.

New Additions

#5 Johannes Vedin – So. – 6-2 – 175 lbs – Borås, Sweden / Florida International
"Johannes played with FIU, which is a legit D-I program in a good conference and was a starter for them before he got hurt last year."

#23 Timon Windisch – Jr. – 6-5 – 195 lbs – Freiburg, Germany / Lander University
"Timon played in D-II, but at 6-5, nearly 200 pounds, he certainly can give you something. He and Johannes are two players who are both international, older, and experienced."

Goalkeepers

#1 Leroy Zeller – Jr. – 6-5 – 205 lbs – Zülpich, Germany / Helene-Lange-Gymnasium
2021 All-Big West Second Team
Coach Vom Steeg felt that halfway through last season, the game started to slow down a bit for Zeller, whose tremendous size and length  combined with increasing levels of comfortability out on the pitch produced staggeringly positive results. Zeller finished the year with national ranks of second in goalie minutes played (2,045), sixth in saves (82), and ninth in save percentage (.804) and shutouts.

#40 Carlos Zuniga – So. – 5-10 – 153 lbs – Chula Vista, Calif. / California Connections Academy

#29 Teddy Hutman – So. – 6-1 – 175 lbs – Arlington, Va. / Yorktown HS

"Carlos and Teddy backed up Leroy last year, and we know what we have with them. They're not as big as Leroy, but they can give you a different dimension."

New Addition

#0 David Mitzner – Jr. – 6-4 – 200 lbs – Newport Beach, Calif. / Portland
"With our open spot, we were very fortunate to get David. He gives us the replica of a big goalie. We're not afraid of using any of our goalies in a game, but at least now we have the option to stay big."

• Preseason Coaches' Poll Favors Gauchos
The Big West Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll is putting last year's Big West champs and Big West runner-ups in the same boat, as UCSB and UC Irvine tied for the most All-Preseason Team selections (3) as well as points (71), although the Gauchos took six first-place votes to the Anteaters' three. Finn Ballard McBride, Henry Davies and Thaabit Baartman were all voted to the Big West Preseason Coaches' Team.

•Gauchos in the Pros: 2022 USL Outings and MLS Updates
Lucas Gonzalez, Finn Ballard McBride and Alexis Ledoux all competed professionaly in USL League Two this past summer. Read more on their exploits as well as other former members of the program who continue playing at a high level on the USL and MLS fronts.

• The Vom Steeg Files
Tim Vom Steeg is in his 24th season of an illustrious career at the helm of the UCSB men's soccer program. After never having qualified for the NCAA Tournament prior to 2001, Vom Steeg has turned the Gauchos into contenders anually, taking UCSB to the dance 14 times since his hiring. He led the program to its first College Cup in 2004 and its first National Championship in 2006. He is a two-time NSCAA National Coach of the Year ('04, '06), and is tied for the most Big West Coach of the Year awards in league history with five, including the 2015 honor. He is the winningest coach in UCSB and Big West men's soccer history. Vom Steeg became UCSB's winngest coach in 2005, earned his 200th overall win in 2013, and triumphed for the 100th time in Big West action during the 2015 season. In 2018, UCSB's 3-1 win over UC Riverside was his 250th career win. His overall record heading into the 2022 season stands at 285-129-56 (.688)