UCLA vs. USC: A Comparison of LA’s Top Soccer Schools
The state of California is a hotbed for women’s soccer and has been for a long time. There are now two professional NWSL teams and plenty of high-profile players from the state. At the college level, two well-known schools get a lot of attention. Here we’ll compare two collegiate programs and a longstanding rivalry, UCLA vs. USC.
Head Coaches
Both of these teams came into last year with new head coaches, so they each looked a bit different. They each had to replace long-time head coaches that brought each program a national title.
UCLA had to replace Amanda Cromwell, who was the former head coach of the Orlando Pride. Cromwell was the head coach of the Bruins since 2013 and compiled a 149-30-20 record, four conference championships, and the 2013 National Championship.
In December 2021, the Bruins announced the hiring of Margueritte Aozasa as the new head coach. Aozasa joined the team from Stanford. She spent seven seasons on the Cardinals coaching staff as an assistant coach.
Aozasa helped coach Stanford to five straight Pac-12 Championships and two National Championships during that time. She also played as a midfielder and center-back at Santa Clara from 2008-11.
Not to mention, Jill Ellis also coached for the Bruins and led them to many College Cup appearances.
USC hired Jane Alukonis as their head coach. She replaced Keidane McAlpine, who is now the head coach of Georgia. McAlpine spent eight seasons as the head coach of USC, leading them to win the 2016 National Championship, and was the 2021 Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
Alukonis spent the last four years assisting Amanda Cromwell at UCLA. Before her coaching career started, Alukonis started all four years at Duke, appearing in 84 matches for the Blue Devils. In her playing days, she spent time as a midfielder and defender.
Success on the Field
Each of these teams has found success on the field in recent years. In the last five seasons, UCLA has a record of 86-12-10, with last year’s season only losing one match.
Meanwhile, USC holds a 67-16-14 record. They’ve seen success in the postseason, with USC making eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2014 to 2021, while UCLA made six straight from 2016 to 2021. However, UCLA took home the NCAA College Cup Championship trophy last season, and USC didn’t make it past the third round.
Additionally, both teams have had many alumni make it to the NWSL. For UCLA, Mia Fishel and Marley Canales went pro after leaving UCLA in 2022. OL Reign drafted Canales in the fourth round. In 2023, NCAA champion Maricarmen Reyes signed with Tigres UANL and will play alongside fellow UCLA alum Mia Fishel. Additionally, the Houston Dash drafted defender Madelyn Desiano.
For USC, midfielder Savannah DeMelo was drafted fourth overall by Racing Louisville FC in 2022, and in 2023, the Chicago Red Stars drafted former USC Trojan Penelope Hocking.
Style of Play
On the field, UCLA tends to opt for four in the backline and three or four in the midfield. They typically are very patient and try to keep possession of the ball by using the central midfield and wide players. Midfielders and attacking players like Ally Lemos and Sunshine Fontes will be key to continuing their success next season.
UCLA goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy was crucial to their winning record last season. San Diego drafted her in January, so they’ll need another top-tier keeper to step up.
The Trojans play a pretty direct style of play with an elite offense. Croix Bethune, Simone Jackson, and Simi Awujo drive a lot of their attack with a quick midfield, resulting in an effective counterattack.
UCLA vs. USC Rivalry
These California teams have a long-standing rivalry, with them both being in Los Angeles and only about 30 minutes away from each other. The extra layer to the rivalry is that they are both in the Pac-12, so they see each other each season. Since 2000, UCLA has dominated the series compiling a 16-2-5 record against Southern California.
USC’s longest losing streak is five games, and their longest win streak is one game. UCLA seems to dominate, but USC has held longer streaks of making it to the NCAA College Cup and just beat UCLA 2-0 this past November. However, UCLA could continue to prove itself after coming off a championship high this season.
Overall, the two schools have had a long-standing rivalry in sports, including women’s soccer. Going forward, it will be interesting to see how these two LA schools’ programs develop because of the two NWSL teams in the area.
Featured image via Getty Images
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