ALISO VIEJO, CA- Bryan Ortiz was named the Interim Men's Soccer Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator earlier this week, as announced by Athletic Director Michael Moore.

"We are delighted to have Bryan join the Soka Athletics staff," said Moore. "He immediately impacted our men's soccer program when he first joined as a goalkeeper coach in 2019, and we are excited to see him step into this new role as the interim assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the program."

Ortiz started his collegiate coaching career at Chapman University as the goalkeeping coach, helping the Panthers win their first-ever SCIAC Tournament Championship in 2018 and qualify for the NCAA Division III playoffs. Concurrently, he also worked with the goalkeepers at the Junior College powerhouse, Santa Ana College, during the 2018 season.

In 2019, Ortiz joined the Soka men's soccer coaching staff as an assistant specializing in working with the goalkeepers while simultaneously assisting Westcliff University in their inaugural soccer season before the Warriors joined the California Pacific Conference in 2020.

"We are very excited for Bryan to rejoin the coaching staff," said Interim Head Men's Soccer Coach Shawn Beyer. "Having already been with our soccer program, he is well prepared to step in and help lead the team now as the assistant coach. I look forward to working with him again very much."

Ortiz's early coaching days saw him as the boys' head soccer coach at his alma mater, La Quinta High School in Westminster, CA, whereas a student stood between the sticks as a four-year varsity letter-winning goalkeeper.

After high school, Ortiz went on to play for National Professional Soccer League (NPSL), playing with various teams, including Temecula FC, Orange County FC, and Newport FC. 

Along with his high school and college coaching experience, Ortiz most recently assisted with the Cal South Olympic Development Program as a goalkeeping coach in 2020 and 2021. He also held the roles of goalkeeping director at Orange County Surf North Soccer Club in Anaheim, CA, and Liverpool Football Club International Academy in Irvine, CA. 

Ortiz arrives at Soka with a background in education, having worked in special education for eight years as a behavioral analysis interventionist for multiple school districts in Orange County, CA.

"I'm thrilled to be back at Soka in such a major role, "said Ortiz. "I want to thank Ian Eggleston and Shawn Beyer for trusting me with their vision of the men's program moving forward. I also want to thank Mike Moore and Erica Baldaray for giving me this opportunity to be more involved with the Soka family. It's an honor to lead such an intelligent group of student-athletes."