Fresno Pacific Athletics

As Fresno Pacific prepares to host the 2009 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship (November 30 to December 5 at Ramirez Field), Sunbirds coach Jaime Ramirez reflects back to the first time his school hosted the NAIA tournament. 

The year was 1984 and Ramirez was an assistant to coach Ben Norton. It marked only the second time the NAIA had brought its soccer tournament to the West Coast (the first was in 1976 in Pasadena). 

Norton led the home team to a runner-up finish that year, falling in the championship game 3-2 to West Virginia Wesleyan in the second overtime period. Fresno Pacific also finished second in 1985, losing to Wesleyan again 4-3 in four overtimes. 

Fast forward more than two decades. The NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship returned to Fresno last season, and next month will open its second straight run at Ramirez Field.

Ramirez, for whom the Fresno Pacific field is named, believes his school's host status is reflective of the power of men's soccer in the Golden State Athletic Conference.

"Us hosting in 1984 and finishing runner-up in '84 and '85 sent a message that West Coast soccer in the NAIA was more serious than it had been given credit for," Ramirez said. "In the past decade, the 2000 era, I think they've finally recognized the strength of the GSAC nationally and given us the credit we deserve."

Indeed, since 2000, GSAC teams have won one NAIA title in men's soccer (Azusa Pacific 2007) and finished runner-up four times (Fresno Pacific 2003, Azusa Pacific 2005 and 2006, Concordia 2007).

Fresno Pacific, Concordia and Azusa Pacific are the only California schools to have played in the NAIA men's soccer national championship game since Westmont won the title in 1972. 

Last year Ramirez's Sunbirds reached the championship tournament as host school. Determined to show it belonged with the best teams in the country, Fresno Pacific battled through a 1-1 deadlock with No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City before losing 2-1 in the second overtime period. (Bethel College of Tennessee won the title 2-1 in overtime against Rio Grande of Ohio.)

"That we were eliminated in the first round by the No. 1 seed in double overtime speaks to the strength of GSAC soccer," Ramirez said. "It's important that we take the opportunity to prove again we are a legitimate contender nationally."

The 2009 Sunbirds (8-4-1 overall, 4-2-1 GSAC) are unranked, but are coming off a 3-1 victory over No. 11 Biola. On Saturday they host Vanguard, which handed No. 22 The Master's its only GSAC loss. 

Ticket prices for the 2009 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship range from $10 for one day to $20 for a three-day pass. Tickets will cost $10 for the semifinals and $12 for the final. Student tickets are half price, and children ages 7 and under will get in free. There is also a $30 group price for youth soccer teams. 

For more details, call (559) 453-2009.