Tuesday marked exactly 1,000 days since RedBird Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in AC Milan from Elliott Management. While the celebrations for the 19th Scudetto were continuing in the Piazza Duomo, a then-mysterious figure emerged, photographed among the masses. His name is Gerry Cardinale, and those stood around him at the time had no […]
Tuesday marked exactly 1,000 days since RedBird Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in AC Milan from Elliott Management.
While the celebrations for the 19th Scudetto were continuing in the Piazza Duomo, a then-mysterious figure emerged, photographed among the masses. His name is Gerry Cardinale, and those stood around him at the time had no idea of what was to come in the next three years.
RedBird bought Milan from Elliott Management ahead of the 2022-23 campaign and it was already known back then that it would be an even more important season in the tapestry of the Rossoneri’s resurgence.
The hope was that winning the Scudetto was not an end point but rather a starting gun, one that brought fresh impetus to the plans of the ownership. When the very top of the club changed, there were question marks – from ourselves as well – about whether it could disrupt the stability.
Mission statement
As mentioned, it is exactly 1000 days ago on Tuesday that Cardinale officially became a majority shareholder of Milan via RedBird, and he introduced himself in a very bold way.
“Our vision for AC Milan is clear: we will support our talented players, coaches and staff in their efforts to achieve success on the pitch and to enable our fans to share the extraordinary experiences of this historic Club,” he said.
“We will ensure that we leverage our global sports and media network, our expertise in data collection and analysis, our track record in the development of sports stadiums and hospitality to achieve one goal: to keep AC Milan at the top of European and world football.”
However, there is one phrase that Cardinale said not too long into his tenancy that struck a chord with the fan base, and not for the right reasons. Speaking at Technology’s ‘Investing in Global Sports’ seminar as part of their Sports Analytics Conference, he made alarming statements.
Image: AC Milan
“One of the things that surprised me is that Milan has the second most number of Champions League trophies after Real Madrid. I hadn’t really kept up with that,” he said.
“But it’s an undermanaged asset. Serie A has a right to have a seat at the world table and Milan have a right at that table. It’s our job to do that.
“In sport, you can’t buy championships. I would obviously like to win the Scudetto and the Champions League every year, but if we did it would be contrary to our job.
“Our job is to get a return on this investment and if every year the same people win it wouldn’t work, right? It would make the evaluation completely dilutive.”
These are not exactly the words of someone driven to win every competition that the club are involved in, especially if it were to even slightly rock the economic balance and the vision of self-sustainability.
Transition to ‘entertainment entity’
During his time at Milan, Cardinale has almost lived three lives. The first was his first year, in which he rarely made an appearance, staying out of the way and observing the Rossoneri’s methods.
The second, currently still active, started in the summer when he decided to part ways with Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara (more on that to come). After that, he was certainly much more present and engaged with the media too.
Just as Cardinale adapted to his new environment, so did Milan. Innovation is the word that RedBird liked to use when describing their work with the club, effectively trying to ‘modernise’ the club to turn it from just a football team to a media entity.
A lot of focus was put on the commercial side of things and continues to be, as seen by various partnerships with the New York Yankees, Off-White, New Era, Main Street Advisors and others. Under the new owners, the idea was to see Milan grow globally as a brand above all else.
He would go on to speak in an interview with Harvard Business School as part of a document which analysed the club and the transition to ownership by a US-based fund.
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“When we bought AC Milan, a lot of American sports team owners called me and said, ‘You’re crazy.’ They said, ‘You can’t do business in Italy,’ and ‘It’s impossible to make money in European soccer.’ Most people who invest in sports clubs do it because they’re emotionally invested.
“They put winning trophies above everything else, and that often leads them to make the mistake of thinking that spending too much to field a team of stars is linearly related to winning. But that’s the worst thing you can do as an investor.
“We bought it for a figure that corresponded to 3.6 times the revenues of the club; the new owners of Chelsea FC bought it for a multiple of seven times the revenues when you consider the earn out.
“I brought the New York Yankees with me for a small minority stake, given our long-standing partnership with them and our desire to bring the best practices of American sports to Italy. I think Milan has the potential to become a €5bn company.”
Further proof of the mission statement: financial and brand growth is first, and if winning comings along with that then happy days. The latter, however, was never the priority.
Fading ‘Milanismo’
Concerns began to arise that Milan had moved from a successful and winning organisation – as shown by the 2021-22 Scudetto and the 2022-23 Champions League semi-final run – to one that was on a slippery slop.
At the start of the the 2023 summer window, Cardinale decided to sack Maldini and Massara, putting CEO Giorgio Furani and chief scout Geoffrey Moncada – promoted to technical director – at the top of the hierarchy.
Of course, this didn’t go down well with the fans. We wrote at length about the developments at the time, and about how Maldini’s ‘Milan first over everything’ approach and demand for more control caused a souring relationship to reach a bitter end.
The situation got even more heated with the sale of Sandro Tonali to Newcastle for €70m, given that the midfielder was a fan favourite and a boyhood Milan fan. Not to mention the fact that he’s a very good player, of course, and is now shining for the Magpies.
Worries about RedBird’s plan for the future only escalated with what followed. The famous ‘replace him in the aggregate’ line from the film was applied after Tonali’s sale, with Tijjani Reijnders and Christian Pulisic being the only real hits of the summer spree that followed.
It became very clear from Cardinale’s regular interviews that he wanted Milan to make the most of statistics and algorithms, with the Moneyball protagonist Billy Beane involved. And with that, he has been criticised for not understanding how Italian football works.
There was even an article from the French source FootMercato, suggesting that there was internal friction with regard to the ‘NBA model’ Cardinale has planned for the Rossoneri and how it was not compatible with the pre-established ecosystem of calcio, with all its complexities and stubbornness.
Zvonimir Boban summed things up well in the eyes of many on Andrea Longoni’s podcast in which he spoke about the signings he almost got over the line and the sacking of Paolo Maldini. You can read it in full here, while below is an excerpt about the feeling of belonging.
“I spoke about ‘de-Milanisation’, that was the fear. And it was clear that they wanted to make people lose that strength of wanting to belong. Because it is too big an emotion for someone who wants to control things differently. ‘Always Milan’: what the f*** does that mean?
“The whole world knows what Milan is, they even put ‘Always Milan’ on the bus. Please… Obviously it annoys, it flattens, it almost makes you become a robot. The idea is that, that the fans become customers, the players become assets. And so on, this is their way.
“Maldini’s sacking? A shameful page, done in a shameful way. Indecent, unacceptable and I could say a thousand other bad things. Above all, inexplicable even for them. For them Paolo represented the last obstacle to do what they wanted.
“And the Tonali thing had a big impact, Paolo would never have let him go. We are looking at a difference of 70 million, I don’t know how much specifically. A lot of money but that should never have come to Milan because Tonali shouldn’t have left Milan. Because the boy is a Milan fan.”
Internal power struggles
So, an American-based fund might not be entirely clued up on what it takes to establish a winning model and culture in Italian football, but with the right people in place the correct advice can follow to build such a structure.
The problem is that after Maldini and Massara’s unceremonial farewell, a power vacuum opened up that three figures rushed to fill without actually being qualified to do so. Thus, a great power struggle emerged inside the management.
It was once again Footmercato who painted a grim picture of life inside the walls of Casa Milan. They stated that the Milan management was ‘more than ever divided into several camps’ and on crucial issues that concern the steering of the ship moving forward.
The French outlet claimed that the CEO Giorgio Furlani and RedBird Capital Senior Advisor Zlatan Ibrahimović were ‘tearing each other apart’. There was talk of an ‘internal clash between directors’ currently being witnessed within the Rossoneri ranks, with Ibrahimović being ‘questioned more than ever’.
For example, Furlani reminded everyone before the Lazio game who is in charge, stating: “All decisions pass through me.” This was as a response to the fact that Zlatan had proclaimed himself ‘the boss’ within Milan.
Ibra meanwhile is believed to have lost a lot of support internally during recent months, and he was/is Cardinale’s right-hand man. One thing his detractors point at is his decision to give another accomplice in Jovan Kirovski a job with Milan Futuro, who are having a dreadful debut campaign.
Showing up at events like Sanremo Festival or Formula 1 Grand Prix has not done anything to ease the concerns that Ibra is simply focused on PR rather than building the best possible Milan. It is not too dissimilar to how the ownership were acting.
The result of the aforementioned squabble, which now seems to be a bit calmer, is that Furlani has flew to the United States flanked by lawyers to remind the owner Cardinale who is actually in charge among the directors.
The shadow of Elliott and the Middle East
Why does Furlani have so much sway? Well, in addition to the fact he remained the CEO after the sale (following Ivan Gazidis’ departure), there is the vendor loan factor.
When Gerry Cardinale bought AC Milan from Elliott Management in 2022, he only paid €650m for a deal that was valued at a total of €1.2bn. The remaining €550m was transformed into a so-called vendor loan, granted by Elliott to RedBird, with an interest rate of around 7%.
In recent months, with the repayment deadline set for August 2025, there has been a great debate regarding the vendor loan and whether Cardinale would be able to repay it. All kinds of potential solutions were touted in the media, including the possible sale of a minority stake.
As announced by the club in December, however, said loan has been refinanced until June 2028. That gives RedBird and Cardinale an extra three years to be able to find the money to pay it off.
Finance expert Alessandro Giudice explained at the time why it was something that worked for both parties. However, there still continues to be a bit of fog shrouding the ownership situation moving forward. Will the loan be paid off in full, or will external investment be required to help?
Speaking on Carlo Pellegatti’s YouTube channel, Carlo Festa – a writer for Il Sole 24 Ore – recently cast a further shadow on the future.
“There is no process underway, but there is certainly an interest in evaluating subjects that can bring new finance, therefore new money, into the coffers of Cardinale who, as you know, made this acquisition with debt,” he said.
Gerry Cardinale and Gordon Singer [Elliott]
“He bought Milan for 1.2 billion with almost 700 million in financing from Elliott. This financing was then reduced over the course of these months with the repayment of 170 million, therefore towards Elliott it went down to almost 500 million.
“So, what does that mean? He always finds himself with a very high debt, and therefore he is looking, but he was already doing it before, then this process slowed down, he is evaluating equity partners.
“It is also well known that in these weeks he is in Qatar, in that area where there are the only investors interested in Italian football today. Between Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia there is possibly money for Italian clubs and therefore possibly also for Milan.
“Cardinale is a very silent shareholder. It seems to me that since September he has not revealed himself. This is because for him Milan is not a sporting affair, but a pure and simple business. Let’s say he does not reveal himself, he does not show himself, he does not give interviews also because his management is very financial.
“What I predict is that he will evaluate possible partners, obviously to a partner who enters in the minority you cannot deny an option to then purchase the majority later, but it is certainly more than a hypothesis. They are detailed rumours that say precisely that he is evaluating a partner, an activity that he had already previously studied.”
Stadium project
Cardinale made it clear from day one that he saw Milan as a club capable of growth, and a new stadium is certainly at the helm of that. However, nearly three years on from their arrival, there are still no spades in the ground.
During his interview on the Bloomberg podcast The Deal, which you can also read in full, Gerry Cardinale spoke about Milan’s stadium plans. After suggesting it in a previous interview, he now confirmed his intentions to create a company to build more stadiums in Italy.
“It will be the first stadium built in Italy since 2011, an American-like stadium with 70,000 seats. We are going to bring music to Milan and build a live entertainment campus, which will be anchored by the team.
“You know, something like AC Milan, it’s interesting because we are going to need to find a way to crystallise value there. But, I mean, that [a stadium] is something that you should probably own forever. That is as iconic as it gets.
“We are going to build this new stadium, and when we are done building that stadium, I promise that we will have a company out of that to build other stadiums.”
After the initial joint project with Inter to build a ‘new San Siro’ launched in 2019, Cardinale and co. went a different route. Land was purchased at a site in San Donato, down in the south east of the city. For some time after, it seemed that the Rossoneri were favouring a move away from San Siro.
Things went quiet while president Paolo Scaroni continued to contradict himself every single time he spoke about the stadium plan in the media. San Donato went from Plan A to Plan B on each occasion he opened his mouth.
Fast-forward to March 2025, Milan and Inter announced a joint bid for San Siro and the surrounding areas. The intention is to partly demolish the existing stadium and then to build a new one on the adjacent parking lot, as part of a wider-ranging investment that includes real estate.
As a result of this, the Diavolo would ‘abandon’ the San Donato project they committed around €55m to, permitting that the council accept the proposal from the clubs. If not, we might well be back to square one, or whatever square they claim to be on.
Italian bureaucracy deserves some blame for the lack of movement on the stadium front, but it undoubtedly went from RedBird’s flagship plan for Milan to a source of embarrassment.
The accounts
While things were up and down (mostly down) on the field, RedBird – headed of course by the commercial team – were at least making positive strides on the financial side.
Milan made a profit of €6.1m on revenues of €404.5m in 2022-23 after a loss of €66.5m had been reported in 2021-22, so that was certainly a marked improvement and a leap forward in the self-sustainability mission.
The following year, 2023-24, the Rossoneri’s net profit for the 2023-24 season was €4.1m, marking the second consecutive year of profit for the club. This profit was achieved despite a €40m decrease in combined audiovisual and ticketing revenue due to a weaker performance in European competitions.
The club’s revenue reached a record €457m, with a 13% increase compared to the previous year. however, all of this should have served to provide a platform from which to build, and what has happened in the last financial year threatens to undo a lot of good work.
Mark Dowley and Gerry Cardinale
As Calcio e Finanza write, the accounts are in the red for this season, for the first time in two years, and the expectation is that the losses will stand at around €25m. The exact reasoning will be fully revealed in the accounts, but it is obviously down to increasing costs and declining revenues.
Things could change with the season ‘ending’ on June 30, so the mercato will have an effect, probably. However, it is definitely not a good sign if the books are balanced by sacrifices like the sale of Reijnders to Manchester City.
In that Harvard Business School paper, Cardinale took a swipe at Inter’s old owners Suning, stating: “They won the Scudetto last year and then went bankrupt: is this really what we want?!”
With no involvement in European competitions in 2025-26, there is a worry that things could further spiral with a further €80-100m gap in revenues. Those words have, unfortunately, aged like milk.
Protests and hope
Everything seemed to come to a head on Saturday night, which was the game closest to the 1,000-day marker for RedBird Capital. While a 2-0 win over Monza was played out on the field, the real headlines were away from the pitch.
It started at 17:00 CEST when thousands of fans gathered at the club’s Casa Milan headquarters to protest, calling for the return of Paolo Maldini. Then, there was a further show of discontent after 15 minutes of the match as fans – the Curva Sud above all – led a mass walk-out.
It made worldwide news. The Athletic had a piece headlined: ‘Milan ultras stage choreographed ‘Go Home’ protest against club’s RedBird owners’. The intro reads: ‘Milan fans staged a remarkable protest against the club’s ownership ahead of their Serie A match against Monza on Saturday.’
Given that The Athletic are owned by the New York Times, we have zero doubts that Cardinale was well aware of the demonstration that took place. Those protests came after the Curva showed up at the 125th anniversary party for a sort of ‘people’s court’, along with many banners at Casa Milan.
Photos by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images | SportItalia
Where is Cardinale while all this is going on? The most recent public traces date back to a few days ago, when the news of the acquisition of the historic The Telegraph by RedBird Capital came out. In the news story, Cardinale spoke about the purchase.
Of course it is well known and to a point accepted by Milanista that the Rossoneri are one of many investments that he must devote his time to, but the objection is just how little attention the club seems to be getting.
The last time the owner was at Milanello dates back to August 26. The last time he was in the stands for a match at San Siro was the Venezia game in September, and the last time he saw any game in the flesh – as far as we know – was the Real Madrid Champions League game on November 5.
The hope that Milan fans can cling to is that the management have understood that they have failed, and this clearly has to be a directive from above too. The first move: Igli Tare’s arrival as a sporting director, to fill a crucial gap in the currently ill-functioning Venn diagram of the management.
The coach will be the second step, then the summer window will follow and from there the results tell the story. Because ultimately, in another 1,000 days it is the field we will point to first in determining where Milan stand in the scene of Europe’s elite, whether RedBird are still around or not.
San Marcos Girls Volleyball Wins in Erica Downing’s Return to Coaching | Sports
Erica Menzel Downing took a break from coaching girls volleyball at San Marcos after eight seasons in the 2016. She’s returned to the program at her alma mater and learned in Tuesday’s season opener that opponent Arroyo Grande still plays as scrappy as it did when she was suiting up for the Royals in the […]
Erica Menzel Downing took a break from coaching girls volleyball at San Marcos after eight seasons in the 2016.
She’s returned to the program at her alma mater and learned in Tuesday’s season opener that opponent Arroyo Grande still plays as scrappy as it did when she was suiting up for the Royals in the late 1990s.
Erica Menzel Downing is back as the head coach of the San Marcos girls volleyball team. Downing stepped down in 2016 after eight years at the helm.
After a blowout first-set win, San Marcos found itself in a battle for the rest of the night. The Royals pulled through against the spunky Eagles in four sets (25-11, 25-20, 23-25, 25-21) to make Downing a winner in her return to the bench at the Thunderhut.
“Ever since I’ve played them, they have always been super scrappy,” said Downing of the Eagles. “But we just had a little bit of a let down (after the first set). It’s the first game of the season, it’s going to happen. I pushed them a little bit. They haven’t played three games, they haven’t played four games (against an opponent) so the fatigue, the brain fog, all those kind of things kind of come into play. So it’s good to push them a little bit to see what they can do and how they can battle back.”
Charlotte Hastings led the Royals with a double-double of 11 kills and 19 digs. Cora Loomer put away nine kills and added five blocks, Reese Paskin collected seven kills, Gracie Stone had six and Sam Fallon added five to go with five blocks.
Libero Alina Stapf led the defense with 21 digs and setter Lila Westmacott handed out 29 assists and served three aces.
With her sons Austin and Blake in high school and middle school, respectively, Downing felt the time was right in her life to return to coaching high school volleyball. She’s having a lot of fun working with the players and her coaching staff.
Tina Brown, who with Dwayne Hauschild co-coached the team after Downing stepped down in 2016, is on her staff along with two of Downing’s former players, Kristen Berlo and Carly Yarnell; Jenna McFarlane, the 2017 Channel League MVP from San Marcos, and former Westmont coach Jesse Wheeler, who is the JV coach, round out the staff.
“We have, like, a really great staff, and that really helps, because I can lean on them to get different ideas,” said Downing. “Tina knows the girls from prior years, but I think it’s nice to have new eyes and different people to look at different things.”
Charlotte Hastings (13) had a double-double of 11 kills and 19 digs for San Marcos in the four-set win over Arroyo Grande. (Lily Chubb / Noozhawk photo)
Downing also has the luxury of having a senior-heavy team for her first year back.
“And they’re all really good, so they’re all going to contribute at some point during the season. And I think that they’re all really close, so that’s really beneficial too,” she said.
So, even though she’s been through a coaching debut before, was Downing nervous about Tuesday’s opener?
“I was a little nervous, only because I want to be the best I can be for (the players),” she said. “And, I’ve been out of it for so long that I had to kind of pull the cobwebs out of there and that. But that’s the beauty of having such a great coaching staff. Whatever I don’t see, they can tell me whether I want to do it or not.”
She said when she got up on a box to hit balls at the players for digging practice and didn’t have a sore arm the next day, she knew she was ready and able to coach again.
“It’s fun. I love San Marcos. My kids are here and my parents are here. It’s just a great community. I was at the point where I could help, so I came back.”
The ‘Final Draft’ Cast: Your Guide to the Japanese Athletes
In the past few years, Netflix has built out its slate of Japanese TV shows, from the death-game thriller Alice in Borderland to its groundbreaking gay dating show The Boyfriend. Now, Netflix Japan is courting Physical: 100 fans with Final Draft, the streaming giant’s first-ever Japanese survival show. The new physical competition show recruits 25 […]
In the past few years, Netflix has built out its slate of Japanese TV shows, from the death-game thriller Alice in Borderland to its groundbreaking gay dating show The Boyfriend. Now, Netflix Japan is courting Physical: 100 fans with Final Draft, the streaming giant’s first-ever Japanese survival show.
The new physical competition show recruits 25 former athletes, who walked away from their careers and are looking for another chance at glory and security. Over several days, the contestants compete in strength, agility, perseverance, and stamina games that range from climbing an icy mountain to the ultimate monkey bars challenge. The last one left standing will walk away with a grand prize of 30 million yen (about $204,000) to support their families and the next stage of their careers.
(Image credit: Netflix)
For the must-watch reality series, producers gathered a range of athletes, including sports legends wanting to prove they still have it, underdogs hoping to amplify their lesser-known sports, and players whose careers were cut short. Below, read on to meet the athletic phenoms in the cast of Final Draft.
A24 has released the first trailer for Marty Supreme, Josh Safdie’s 1950s-set sports dramedy starring Timothée Chalamet as a table tennis player chasing respect and recognition. The film marks Safdie’s first directorial effort since co-helming Uncut Gems with his brother Benny, and his first solo feature in more than a decade. ‘The Smashing Machine’ trailer: […]
A24 has released the first trailer for Marty Supreme, Josh Safdie’s 1950s-set sports dramedy starring Timothée Chalamet as a table tennis player chasing respect and recognition. The film marks Safdie’s first directorial effort since co-helming Uncut Gems with his brother Benny, and his first solo feature in more than a decade.
Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a gifted but underestimated ping pong player whose ambitions take him on a turbulent journey toward greatness. Along the way, he begins an affair with a glamorous movie star, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, while navigating the personal and professional challenges of life on the road. The ensemble cast includes Fran Drescher as Marty’s mother, rapper Tyler, the Creator, magician Penn Jillette, Odessa A’zion, Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary, and filmmaker Abel Ferrara.
Co-written by Safdie and longtime collaborator Ronald Bronstein, Marty Supreme is a fictionalised retelling inspired by the life of Marty Reisman, a five-time World Table Tennis Championships bronze medalist who became a showman for the sport.
Chalamet reportedly underwent extensive training to capture the physicality and technique of a professional player. Cinematographer Darius Khondji noted earlier this year that the actor “wanted to be like a real [professional] ping pong player when he started shooting.”
The film is produced by Safdie, Bronstein, Eli Bush, Anthony Katagas, Chalamet, and A24.
Chalamet, who has previously praised the Safdie brothers’ “raw and untethered” approach to filmmaking, now takes center stage in one of the year’s most anticipated releases. Marty Supreme is set to open in theaters on December 25, positioning itself as both a holiday release and a potential awards contender.
2025 Harvard vs Claremont M-S – Men’s – Water Polo – News
Event Info Here’s how to watch the 2025 Harvard vs Claremont M-S – Men’s – Water Polo broadcast on FloSwimming. The 2025 Harvard vs Claremont M-S – Men’s – Water Polo broadcast starts on Sep 14, 2025. Stream or cast from your desktop, mobile or TV. Now available on Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Apple […]
Here’s how to watch the 2025 Harvard vs Claremont M-S – Men’s – Water Polo broadcast on FloSwimming. The 2025 Harvard vs Claremont M-S – Men’s – Water Polo broadcast starts on Sep 14, 2025. Stream or cast from your desktop, mobile or TV. Now available on Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Apple TV. Don’t forget to download the FloSports app on iOS or Android! If you can’t watch live, catch up with the replays! Video footage from the event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloSwimming subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.
The Big West Women’s Soccer Notebook: Opening Whistle Awaits Teams This Week
What 2 Watch 4
– The wait is over…our 2025 Big West women’s soccer season is here! All 11 squads are ready to take the pitch during an action-packed opening week.
2024 regular-season champion and preseason favorite Hawai’i wastes no time diving into a marquee matchup, heading to Southern California to battle rival Long […]
– The wait is over…our 2025 Big West women’s soccer season is here! All 11 squads are ready to take the pitch during an action-packed opening week.
2024 regular-season champion and preseason favorite Hawai’i wastes no time diving into a marquee matchup, heading to Southern California to battle rival Long Beach State in a non-conference contest on opening day. The Rainbow Wahine took the last meeting 1-0, with Tatum Porter’s late strike sealing the win in last year’s regular-season finale. From there, UH heads to face (RV) Pepperdine, while the Beach will test themselves against No. 19 Texas at George Allen Field.
The ranked showdowns continue when UC San Diego and Cal State Fullerton will each welcome (RV) California on Aug. 14 and Aug. 17, setting the stage for early-season statements. A new-look Cal Poly program takes on (RV) BYU on Monday, Aug. 18, for a primetime home opener at Mustang Memorial Field.
Defending conference champion UC Santa Barbara kicks off its season at Harder Stadium against LMU.
– A total of 15 matches are set to air live on ESPN+ this week. Please check the listings online below watch your favorite Big West squad in action!
2025 Big West Women’s Soccer Schedule
New Faces of The Big West
– The Big West welcomes a new crop of leaders around the conference during the 2025-26 season. A trio of programs has welcomed new head coaches with Cal State Bakersfield, UC Davis, and UC Riverside, while Cal Poly kept its hire within the league.
The Roadrunners welcome Whitney Pitalo, who most recently served as the First Assistant Coach at Boston College, aiding the Eagles to a 12-5-2 overall record and the team’s best finish in the American Coastal Conference (ACC) since 2018. CSUB earned its first pair of victories in the Big West Championship last season, before being narrowly edged in the Final in penalty kicks.
Kat Mertz joins the Aggies after orchestrating a program-changing run as head coach at NCAA Division II MSU Denver, posting a 39-20-19 overall record and a 28-12-8 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) action over four seasons. UCD capped off 2024 with the best regular season record in the league at 13-5-2 and earned the No. 2 seed in the Championship behind a 6-2-2 performance in conference play.
Mike Dibbini will now be the new manager of the Highlander. Dibbini brings nearly two decades of collegiate head coaching experience to UC Riverside, boasting a career record of 303-176-52 (.619). Most recently, he built Kansas State University’s women’s soccer program from the ground up, leading the Wildcats since their 2016 debut and steering them to multiple milestones, including a Big 12 Championship appearance in 2022.
Bernardo Silva will now take the reins at Cal Poly, succeeding Alex Crozier, who led the Mustangs since the program’s inception in 1991. After leading CSUB for two seasons, he set multiple Big West program records and guided the Roadrunners to their best conference finish in history. A former Mustang assistant (2013-16), Silva compiled an 11-20-9 overall record and 6-8-6 Big West mark while coaching the ‘Runners.
2025 USCA Division I Players to Watch
– A total of four standout Big West student athletes have been chosen to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women’s Players to Watch list.
The listings are compiled and released by the Division I All-America Committees to promote college soccer leading up to the official start date for the regular season later this month. Honorees include United Soccer Coaches All-Americans and All-Region players from 2024 who are scheduled to return for the 2025 season.
Isabella Cruz
Senior
Midfielder
Cal State Fullerton
Nalani Damacion
Sophomore
Midfielder
Hawai’i
Genavieve Fontes
R-Senior
Midfielder
UC Davis
Kennedy Justin
Sophomore
Goalkeeper
Hawai’i
Superwoman
– Isabella Cruz of Cal State Fullerton has been selected as one of The Big West’s pair of 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year conference nominees.
Each year, NCAA member schools nominate graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves on and off the field of play. From there, the NCAA Woman of the Year selection process narrows the pool to the Top 30 honorees—10 from each division—before selecting three finalists from each division. The award recipient is chosen by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics and honored at the NCAA Convention.
A second-generation Latina and standout student-athlete, Cruz has exemplified excellence both on and off the field. She completed her bachelor’s degree in communications in just 2.5 years, graduating summa cum laude with a 3.9 GPA, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in professional communications while competing in her final season of NCAA eligibility. As a team captain for the CSUF women’s soccer program, she has led with integrity, building a team culture centered on inclusivity, support, and growth.
Beyond athletics, she serves as her team’s representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), advocating for the student-athlete experience across campus. Her commitment to service is evident through her volunteer work with Football for Her, campus engagement efforts like promoting voter participation, and community-driven initiatives such as food drives and holiday gift collections.
In addition to her academic and service contributions, Cruz has gained hands-on experience in sports marketing as an intern with Orange County Soccer Club, and currently serves as the social media manager for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), using digital storytelling to foster connection and purpose.
International Action
– Cal State Bakersfield senior Catalina Roggerone has once again been called up to the Argentina Women’s National Team, making the midfielder’s second appearance in 2025. The Mendoza, Argentina native helped the squad reach the semifinals and secure a podium finish, placing third overall in a major international tournament.
Preseason Prognostics
-Hawai’i has been selected as the preseason favorite to capture the 2025 Big West women’s soccer title, as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches. Four teams received at least one first-place vote on the preseason poll.
The Rainbow Wahine, who finished 12-8-1 overall with an 8-1-1 record in conference play last season, earned 88 points and six first-place votes to claim the top spot after earning their first-ever Big West regular-season championship.
Defending tournament champion UC Santa Barbara (8-6-9, 4-2-4 BW) ranks second with 84 points and three first-place selections, followed closely by UC Irvine (6-7-6, 4-2-4 BW) with 81 points and one first-place nod. Long Beach State (6-9-3, 3-5-2 BW) collected 74 points and a first-place vote to land in fourth, while Cal State Fullerton sits just behind in fifth at 73 points.
Cal Poly (5-11-3, 3-6-1) finished sixth in the voting at 53 points, followed by UC San Diego (3-12-4, 1-6-3 BQ) in seventh with 42 points, and UC Davis’s (13-5-2, 6-2-2 BW) 37 points placed the Aggies in eighth. Cal State Bakersfield (8-10-5, 4-3-3 BW) and CSUN (5-11-3, 3-4-3 BW) are knotted at No. 9 with 27 points as UC Riverside (2-13-4, 0-6-4 BW) rounds out the 2025 preseason coaches’ poll.
Coaches also voted on an 11-member Preseason All-Big West Team featuring standout student-athletes from across the conference. Cal State Fullerton and Hawai’i led the way with both squads having a pair of representatives on the team.
The Big West unveiled its 11-member Preseason All-Conference Team, as voted on by league head coaches. The list features top returning talent from across the conference, with Cal State Fullerton and Hawai’i leading all programs with two selections each.
Representing the Titans are forward Isabella Cruz and defender Kaylin Raibon, who finished second and third in team scoring last season.
Preseason favorite Hawai’i places midfielder Nalani Damacion, the 2024 Big West Freshman of the Year, and forward Amber Gilbert on the squad. Last season, Damacion notched seven goals, including five game-winners, while Gilbert was a consistent threat up top in 17 starts.
The preseason list also includes Cal State Bakersfield’s standout goalkeeper Kamy Anaya, who helped lead the Roadrunners to their first Big West Final in program history with a .770 save percentage. Long Beach State forward Cherrie Cox returns to the pitch after claiming the 2023 Big West Offensive Player of the Year accolade behind a 13-goal campaign.
UC Davis forward Genavieve Fontes, the league’s top scorer last season with 11 goals, earns a spot alongside UC Santa Barbara’s forward Devin Greer, who tallied 10 goals en route to 2024 Freshman of the Year honors.
Jessie Halladay led the Mustangs as a forward with 11 points in 2024, while Mihaela Perez of UC Irvine helped anchor a defense that recorded five clean sheets in 19 starts. Midfielder Yoshi Rubalcava rounds out the 2025 preseason team as CSUN’s representative after posting career-highs in both goals (5) and points (12) a year ago.
The 2025 Big West Women’s Soccer Championship is set to begin on Sunday, Nov. 2, with first-round matches hosted by the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, who will face the No. 6 and No. 5 seeds, respectively. From there, our semifinals and the title match will take place at the home venue of the 2025 regular-season champion and No. 1 seed. Semifinal action is slated for Thursday, Nov. 6, with the Championship Final set for Sunday, Nov. 9. The winner will earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship.
Action across The Big West kicks off this Thursday, Aug. 14, while league play commences Thursday, Sept. 18, with four matches on the docket, kicking off a seven-week slate. Each side will play five home matches and have three bye dates throughout the Thursday-Sunday rotation, which concludes on Oct. 30.
2024 Postseason Rewind
– No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara opened its postseason run with a 2-1 win over No. 6 seed Cal State Fullerton. Freshman standout Devin Greer led the way with a goal and an assist, including the game-winner in the 73rd minute.
In the later first-round match, No. 5 seed Cal State Bakersfield made history in their Big West Championship debut, upsetting three-time defending champion and No. 4 seed UC Irvine 1-0 behind Kamy Anaya’s eight-save shutout and Isis Salazar-Ortega’s 44th-minute strike.
The semifinals at Waipi’o Peninsula Soccer Stadium in O’ahu, brought more drama. UCSB edged No. 2 seed UC Davis 3-2 in double overtime thanks to Greer’s penalty kick to reach the title match for the first time since 2018, while CSUB stunned top-seeded and regular-season champion Hawai’i, 3-0, to reach their first-ever Big West Championship final in any sport, still without allowing a postseason goal.
In the Championship final, UCSB and CSUB battled to a stalemate before the Gauchos prevailed 8-7 in a penalty shootout to claim their third Big West title, all won via PKs. The victory sent UCSB to its 10th NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship appearance.
From The Big West to the Big Leagues
– In January 2022, Long Beach State forward Lena Silano was selected 34th overall by the Washington Spirit in the third round of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Draft.
Silano was the second straight player from the Beach to be drafted and is the fourth overall Big West student-athlete to hear their name called in the NWSL Draft. Former teammate, Kaitlin Fregulia, and 2x Big West Defensive Player of the Year (2017, 2021) was selected 12th overall to the North Carolina Courage as the highest draft pick in Big West Women’s Soccer history.
Silano won the 2022 Big West Offensive Player of the Year Award and has been an All-Big West selection twice (2021, 2022). The forward was also a member of the 2022 United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team.
Two months later, another alum of the Big West would have an opportunity to play in the NWSL as UC Irvine alum Scarlett Camberos was signed by Angel City FC (LA), marking her return to Southern California after spending time at Club América Femenil. The former Anteater scored 13 goals and notched seven assists during her senior season.
Another monumental moment for the conference occurred during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, while Quinley Quezada represented UC Riverside and the Big West on the biggest stage while playing for the Philippines. The squad suffered a 2-0 defeat versus Switzerland in the first group stage before winning its first-ever World Cup match against New Zealand, 1-0 on July 25, 2023. However, the Philippines fell in its final group match to Norway, 6-0.
The UNLV Rebels have Hired Brooke Koblitz as an Assistant Coach.
The UNLV Rebels Track and Field program has hired Brooke Koblitz as an assistant coach. She specializes more specifically in long-distance and cross-country. The team announced that she’d be joining the staff on Wednesday. Head coach Carmelita Jeter said she’s excited to have Koblitz on board in Las Vegas. “I’m very excited to add Brooke […]
The UNLV Rebels Track and Field program has hired Brooke Koblitz as an assistant coach. She specializes more specifically in long-distance and cross-country. The team announced that she’d be joining the staff on Wednesday. Head coach Carmelita Jeter said she’s excited to have Koblitz on board in Las Vegas.
“I’m very excited to add Brooke to our Rebel family,” said Carmelita. “Brooke has the knowledge, grit and grind from competing in the SEC as a collegiate student-athlete and understands what it takes to be the best. At her prior institution, she helped the program achieve goals with the same mindset we have here, Brick by Brick, along with building the ladies’ confidence not only for the sport, but for life. I’m very excited to see how her energy, passion, and competitiveness will inspire these ladies to reach their personal best and maintain a positive mindset.”
Welcome to the 702! Assistant Coach Brooke Koblitz officially joins the staff 🎰
— UNLV Track & Field/Cross Country (@unlvtfxc) August 13, 2025
Prior to joining the Rebels, Koblitz had spent the past three years as an assistant track and field cross country coach at Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville, Tennessee. Before coaching at Trevecca Nazarene in 2022, she started up the program and coached at Nolensville High School in Georgia in 2016. She is a Georgia native from Alpharetta and also ran track herself for the Georgia Bulldogs. While with the Bulldogs, she ran in the 800m, 1500m, and mile while also competing in cross country. That includes competing in an SEC Championship as a senior.
At Centennial High School, she was a three-sport athlete and lettered in all three. The sports were track and field, cross country, and basketball. She was a state champion in the 1600m.
In addition to coaching, she has also worked as a track and field official through Vanderbilt University. She has been doing that since 2017. During her time as an official, she has officiated indoor events, including various Vanderbilt Indoor Invitationals, the SEC Indoor Championships, and the TSSAA State Indoor Championships.
The addition of Koblitz should bring experience to the program that she can share with the current Rebels cross country runners. This should be an exciting season for UNLV, who hope to compete at the highest level in 2025 – 2026 and win the Mountain West Conference. This team has shown potential and promise and hope to take that to the next level with the help of an impressive coaching staff and talented young athletes.
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