ROCKLIN, Calif. – When the whistle blew on September 5, history was made as Jessup Men's Soccer kicked off the Division II era of Jessup Athletics. A turbulent season, the 2024 campaign was led by the defense as the Warriors made strides late in the year that gained momentum for the program heading into 2025.
 
Jessup closed the first season in Division II history with a 4-8-5 record. All four of those victories came in PacWest matches as the Warriors finished 4-5-2 in the first year of their new conference.
 
Defense was the highlight of the season. In 17 matches, Jessup held opponents to one goal or less nine times. Those nine matches, however, resulted in only three victories. Jessup shut out opponents four times in the 2024 season.
 
It took some time for the Warriors to get the offense going. It took ten matches before the Warriors posted more than one goal on the board, but once the levy broke, the offense came pouring in.
 
An October 19 meeting with Westmont was the breaking point. After a week in Hawaii that saw Jessup win its first match, a 1-0 win against Hawaii Pacific, the Warriors poured on the goals with a 4-0 shutout. The victory was the first in program history against Westmont, ending a streak of 11 consecutive losses to the Warriors of Santa Barbara.
 
"This was a great win for us on our home field," said coach Greg Lazaga after the match. "Our defense has been top for most of the season, and they held it down again."
 
Jessup's offense in the Westmont victory was paced by freshman Jeremy Miller as he netted two goals in the win. Miller's efforts earned him the first PacWest Player of the Week award in Jessup history.
 
The winning ways continued when Jessup returned to Rocklin after two matches on the road as the Warriors handed Academy of Art a 2-1 loss. Three days later, on Senior Day, Jessup tied with Concordia.
 
Year one in Division II came to a close on November 7 when Azusa Pacific, Lazaga's alma mater, came to town. The offense saved their best performance for last as the Warriors piled on a season-high five goals in a 5-2 victory.
 
"It was a great result for us," said Lazaga after the APU win. "Goals came in bunches. I'm so happy for our seniors. They were a great honor to coach, and very proud to have the opportunity to guide them for a bit."
 
The leaders of the Jessup offense in 2024 were freshman Jalen Scott and senior Isaac Morfin. Both scored five goals, with Scott added four assists. Scott ended his only season with the Warriors as the PacWest Freshman of the Year.
 
Many bright spots occurred throughout the 2024 season, building optimism for the Warriors as they enter their second year in the PacWest. The 2025 campaign will be the tenth for Lazaga as he looks to take his team to new heights in this new era of Jessup Athletics.
 
Stay tuned to jessupathletics.com throughout the summer as more recaps from the 2024-25 season will be released. Tickets for the 2025 season will go on sale on August 1 and can be purchased HERE.
   
Jessup University is a provisional member of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division II and the PacWest Conference. For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Instagram & X).