California State University, Los Angeles Men's Soccer

Erick Lemus is in his first season at Cal State LA joining after joining after 2 seasons as the assistant coach for the University of Illinois Springfield mens soccer program. In his first season as a Prairie Star, Lemus helped UIS go 4-4-3 during its shortened 2021 spring campaign. UIS had one of the top defenses in the nation, allowing just seven goals in 11 games. It reached the GLVC postseason tournament, and had one player named to the all-conference squad. In his second season, Lemus helped UIS go 13-6-2 during the 2021 fall campaign. UIS reached many program firsts while Lemus was a part of the program including: first Conference Tournament win, First Conference Final Appearance, First NCAA Tournament Appearance and win, and the first ever National Ranking.   Lemus was an assistant coach at Marymount University during the 2019 season. He helped that team go 12-7-1 on the year and reach the conference tournament championship game. The Mariners ranked in the upper half of the league by allowing 1.74 goals per game, and goalie Ramon Garcia was named second-team all-conference.   Lemus was an assistant coach for the mens and womens soccer teams at the University of Hawaii at Hilo from 2015-18. In 2018, he helped the womens squad accomplish the best record in program history at 10-4-2, and it finished second in the Pacific West Conference. He coached the goalie that year to the second-best GAA record in program history with a 0.60 mark. On the mens side, Lemus developed the programs goalie into setting the program record for saves. In his four seasons coaching at Hawaii at Hilo, his goalies earned five Womens PacWest Defender of the Week awards and three Mens PacWest Defender of the Week honors.   Other coaching stops included being the head coach at the high school level at Mary Star of the Sea High School and Waiakea High School, and a club coach for Hawaii Rush and FRAM Soccer Club. He is also currently coaching at SASA Spirits and Central Illinois United, and is a coach for the Impact Goalkeeper Academy.   Lemus played one season at Franklin Pierce before transferring to Hawaii at Hilo. In 2014, he recorded a 1.41 GAA and had 24 saves in 12 matches. In high school, he played at Junipero Sierra in Gardena, Calif. He was once named the leagues MVP goalkeeper, and led the team to two league titles.   Lemus is certified with a US Soccer C License, and is currently working on the B license. He attended the International Goalkeeper Coaches Conference in Los Angeles in December 2019.

Eddie (Eduardo) Castellanos joined the Cal State LA mens soccer coaching staff in 2024. During his first season on staff, the Golden Eagles were ranked as the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II for multiple weeks and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16, finishing with a 12-3-6 record. Castellanos also coaches at FRAM SC and Harvard-Westlake High School. As a player for the Golden Eagles from 2018 to 2022, Castellanos made 69 appearances and contributed to 10 championships, including the programs first-ever national title in 2021. His accomplishments include a national runner-up finish in 2019, two Super Region 4 championships, three California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular-season titles, and four CCAA Tournament crowns.

TJ Velasquez enters his first season as a full-time assistant coach for the Otters. Velasquez returns to his alma mater after serving two stints as a volunteer assistant coach.   Velasquez played for the Otters from 2009-11 and volunteered with the program in 2017-19 and 2022-24. The Elk Grove native began his coaching career as a US Club Coach in 2014. He is the co-founder of the Cesar Chavez Futbol Academy and a club trainer for the Monterey Surf Soccer Club.   Velasquez earned his degree at CSUMB in human communications and then received a masters in sport management from the University of San Francisco.