Nike Soccer Camp at San Diego State University

"I am honored to be named the men's soccer head coach at San Diego State University," Hopkins said. "It is a dream to come home to California and lead a Pac-12 soccer program. San Diego State provides a great platform for our student-athletes to excel in the classroom, on the field and in the community. I look forward to helping them find the best versions of themselves everyday as we continue to push the program to new heights."

This past season, Hopkins and Virginia were the ACC Coastal Division and ACC Tournament champions and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament before making their run to the championship match. Prior to his departure, Hopkins helped the Cavaliers secure the No. 6 2020 recruiting class in the nation according to Top Drawer Soccer.

In 2018, Virginia had an ACC record four All-Freshmen Team honorees and advanced to the Sweet 16. After the season, the Cavaliers received the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for just the second time in school history.

"I am excited to welcome Ryan to the Aztec Nation," Aztec director of athletics John David Wicker said. "Ryan has great experience building programs into consistent championship contenders. Our student-athletes will benefit from his experiences on and off the field. I look forward to our men's soccer program consistently competing for championships on the field and in the classroom under Ryan's tutelage."

Before coming to Virginia, Hopkins spent five years at the University of Denver where he helped shape the Pioneers into one of the top soccer programs in the country. Denver had undefeated regular seasons in both 2015 and 2016 (28-0-6) and advanced to the program's first College Cup in 2016. Following the season, the Denver coaching staff was tabbed the 2016 NSCAA Coaching Staff of the Year.

During his tenure at Denver, he helped the Pioneers capture four-straight Summit League regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in four of the five seasons he was on staff. From 2013-2017, the Pioneers boasted an impressive overall record of 69-19-13 (.748).

Hopkins has been listed as one of the Top 12 Assistant Coaches by College Soccer News in three of the last four years and was named the 2015 NSCAA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
Success on the pitch translated to the classroom for Hopkins and the Pioneers. Serving as the program's academic liaison, Hopkins oversaw Denver posting the top team GPA in all of NCAA Division I Soccer in his final two years at DU.

At Denver, he coached seven players who would be selected in the MLS SuperDraft including Andre Shinyashiki, the 2019 MLS Rookie of the Year. Hopkins, an All-American goalkeeper at Concordia (Irvine, Calif.), also helped cultivate three Summit League Goalkeepers of the Year and three Summit League Defenders of the Year.

Hopkins arrived at Denver prior to the 2013 season after serving as an assistant at Wisconsin for one year, three seasons at Cal Poly (2009-11) and five seasons at Concordia (2004-08), his alma mater.

At Cal Poly, he helped the Mustangs land two top-30 recruiting classes according to College Soccer News, including the No. 12 overall class in 2012. His coaching career began at Concordia, consistently one of the top NAIA teams in the nation, where he won a pair of Golden State Athletic Conference Championships and saw the Eagles finish as the national runner-up in 2007.

A four-year starter in goal for Concordia (2000-04), Hopkins was a two-time NAIA All-American and helped lead the program to its first appearance in the NAIA tournament in 2002. Hopkins departed Concordia as the program's career leader in victories, goals against average and shut outs and second in saves. In 2010, Hopkins was inducted into the Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame.

Hopkins graduated from Concordia in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in political science and obtained a master's degree in athletic administration in 2008. Hopkins also holds a USSF A license and a USSF National Goalkeeping License.

Ryan Hopkins Coaching Ledger (All as assistant)

*Regular season conference champion/co-champion
^ Conference Tournament champion

Notes
- Reached postseason nine times in 16 seasons as assistant coach
- Qualified for the NCAA Tournament in six of his last seven seasons
- Made it to the Sweet 16 or further three times in the last four years
- Advanced to the College Cup (Final Four) in two of the last four years
- Since 2013 helped his teams post a 100-25-17 overall record (Denver 2013-17, Virginia 2018-19)

Junior keeper Alexa Madueno, under Griggs’ tutelage, was a 2020 second-team All-Mountain West honoree and a member of the Mountain West All-Newcomer team in her initial collegiate campaign. She was on the field for every minute of the season and posted a 8-3-0 record, recorded three shutouts, had a 1.25 goals against average and a .714 save percentage. Madueno was the first true freshman keeper to start every game in a season for SDSU since Aubree Southwick in 2007 and is the third player, and only true freshman, to play every minute in a season for the Aztecs since Stephanie Pearson in 2003.

In 2019, he guided Brooke Lisowski to inclusion on the Mountain West All-Newcomer Team. The graduate transfer posted a 10-9-1 overall record but was 8-3-0 in conference play. She recorded five shutouts, four in league play, with a 1.72 goals against average.

As an official member of the coaching staff in 2017, Griggs helped the Aztecs win their first Mountain West tournament title since 2014, and return to the NCAA tournament for the first time in three years. Working with the keepers, Griggs mentored a group that posted eight shutouts and allowed one goal or less in 12 of SDSU’s final 15 games. Starting keeper Gabby English blanked a pair of foes in the conference tournament to help lead the Aztecs to the title. She earned MW all-tournament recognition for her efforts.

In his two seasons (2014, 2016) as a volunteer assistant coach, the Aztecs posted a record of 25-12-6 (15-4-3 Mountain West), won an MW regular-season and tournament title, and advanced to the NCAA Championship. He tutored four-year letter-winning goalkeeper Melanie Vaughn, who ended up being a three-time all-MW tournament performer and an all-conference second-team goalkeeper her senior campaign.

Griggs brought to Montezuma Mesa six years of collegiate coaching experience from his time spent at Point Loma Nazarene and Cuyamaca College. As an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Sea Lions, he guided the PLNU men’s team to its best finish in eight seasons and coached the goalkeeping unit to the 15th-best goals-against average in the nation. During his time with the women’s team, he helped PLNU to a PacWest title and an NCAA appearance. Griggs also mentored a goalkeeping group that produced the second-best GAA nationally and the conference goalie of the year, who went on to earn NSCAA all-West Region accolades.

Prior to his time at Point Loma Nazarene, Griggs coached for two seasons at Cuyamaca College. During his stint with the men’s team in Rancho San Diego, the Coyotes posted back-to-back winning seasons and finished second in their league twice. Griggs also guided Cuyamaca’s goalie to back-to-back conference goalkeeper-of-the-year awards.

Outside of the college ranks, Griggs was the director of goalkeeping and a head coach for the San Diego United club team, and a coach for the San Diego Surf Soccer Club.

Griggs is a 2009 graduate of SUM Bible College & Theological Seminary in El Dorado Hills, Calif., and received his Master’s Degree from Liberty University in 2014.