Since arriving on campus in 2006, Ron Pulvers has built the men’s and women’s programs from the ground up. Between 2006-13, Pulvers was the head coach of both the men’s and women’s teams.

Entering his 28th season as a collegiate head men’s soccer coach in 2023, Pulvers holds a 253-185-43 (.571) career record. He is 127-114-29 (.524) in charge of the CSUSM men’s program.

In eight seasons as the CSUSM women’s coach, Pulvers guided the Cougars to an 84-42-24 (.640) mark. He holds a combined career record of 327-206-63 (.602) in men’s and women’s soccer.

In 2022, CSUSM tied for sixth in the CCAA standings with a 4-5-2 conference record and a 6-9-3 overall mark. Pulvers notched his 250th career win as a collegiate men's soccer head coach while the Cougars earned three All-CCAA honorable mentions in Curtis Collazos, Oliver Reader and Derek Westwood

After not having a 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSUSM returned to the field in 2021 with over half the roster wearing Cougar Blue for the first time. CSUSM earned its first win of the season against Cal State San Bernardino, a team receiving votes in the Top 25 Coaches Poll.

In 2019, the Cougars posted a 6-8-2 overall record and a 4-4-2 CCAA record in a season shortened two games by wildfires around Sonoma State and Cal State LA. It was CSUSM's second time finishing with a .500 record in conference play since joining the league in 2015. The Cougars' win over No. 25 Fresno Pacific to begin the season was the program's first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 12 Cal State LA in 2016. Raul Meza and Tyler Schrock were each named All-CCAA honorable mentions for their efforts throughout the 2019 season.

After starting the 2018 season with a 6-0 record, Pulvers' Cougars made history by breaking into the United Soccer Coaches Division II Top 25 Poll for the first time as an NCAA member as the team took a No. 19 ranking. The team ended the season with an overall record of 8-7-2 (4-6-2 CCAA). Andrew Stalboerger earned was named an All-CCAA honorable mention while four Cougars were named to the CCAA Fall All-Academic Team.

In CSUSM’s first-year of being a full-fledged member of the NCAA Division II in 2017-18, the men’s squad opened the season with a 2-1 victory over Concordia Irvine. Six Cougars were named to the CCAA Fall All-Academic team.

In 2016, Pulvers led the Cougars to a 4-4-4 (5-6-4 overall) California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) record for a ninth place finish in the CCAA. The 2016 Cougars proved to be a very difficult match for all NCAA II competition demonstrated by a 1-0 win over then-No. 19 UC San Diego (CCAA regular season and conference tournament champion; NCAA Division II West Region champion and Final Four participant) and a 1-0 win over then-No. 12 Cal State L.A. The Cougars placed four players on the All-CCAA team and six players were named to the CCAA All-Academic Team.

In 2015, Pulvers guided the Cougars during their first season of competition in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and NCAA Division II. Picked to finish last in the conference in the preseason coaches' poll, Pulvers' squad wound up taking ninth with a 4-7-1 conference mark. The Cougars took down previously undefeated Stanislaus State for their first CCAA win and followed it up with a 1-1 tie against Cal Poly Pomona, which appeared in the 2015 NCAA Division II national championship game. Two players were named All-CCAA Honorable Mention following the campaign.

Between 2006 and 2014, Pulvers coached the Cougars in the NAIA for the program's first nine seasons. Pulvers’ men’s players earned a total of five NAIA All-America honors, 34 All-Association of Independent Institutions awards and 10 NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athlete awards for having cumulative GPAs of 3.5 or higher. In 2014, Pulvers’ squad took home the Department of Athletics Male High Team GPA Award.

He was named A.I.I. Coach of the Year in 2011 after leading the Cougars to the A.I.I. Conference Championship and an appearance in the NAIA National Championship tournament. Pulvers has taken home A.I.I. Coach of the Year four times – three times on the women’s side (2008, 2010, 2011). He was named NSCAA NAIA Pacific Region Coach of the Year in 2010.

CSUSM set a new program record with 13 wins during 2014, finishing the season at 13-4 overall. The Cougars took down its highest-ranked opponent ever with a 3-2 victory at then-No. 10 Concordia (Calif.) on Sept. 17. CSUSM ended the regular season on a seven-game winning streak – matching the program record – and earned a national ranking (No. 25) for the second time in program history. Five players were selected to the All-A.I.I. squad and Angel Mora became the fifth All-American in program history.

The 2013 Cougar squad put together its best season since 2010, going 11-4-1 overall and advancing to the A.I.I. semifinals. Six players were named all-conference and CSUSM had a player named All-America for the fourth time in program history. In addition, the Cougars started the year 7-0-2 and received its first-ever national ranking. Pulvers became the 20th active coach to reach the 200-win threshold in the NAIA.

In 2012, the Cougars finished 6-7-3 overall after recovering from a slow start to win five of their final six regular-season contests. Four Cougars were named all-conference and CSUSM competed in the A.I.I. Tournament semifinals.

The 2011 men's team won the A.I.I. title for the first time in the program's history, downing host Thomas University, 3-1, in the conference final. Pulvers garnered A.I.I. Coach of the Year and sophomore Jake Kaiser became the first Cougar to take home the A.I.I. Player of the Year award. In total, six CSUSM players earned all-conference accolades and Kaiser joined Ben Crouse (2006) and Brandon Zuniga (2009) as the only other CSUSM players to be named NAIA All-America.

The 2010 Cougars started a pedestrian 2-3-1, but recovered to finish with their most wins since the debut season in 2006. The Cougars did not drop a game in nine out of their last 10 contests of the regular season and put together a four-game winning streak to finish out the year. CSUSM edged Thomas University in the first round, but fell to No. 2 Simon Fraser in the A.I.I. final to end the year at 12-4-2.

In 2009, the Cougars began the year 1-3, but won 10 of their next 14 matches to advance to the A.I.I. conference tournament for the first time in the program's history. As the third-seed, CSUSM defeated sixth-seeded Embry-Riddle and second-seeded St. Thomas, but would fall to nationally-ranked and top-seeded Simon Fraser,1-0. The Cougars ended the campaign 11-6-1. Brandon Zuniga set the CSUSM single-season record with 10 goals and became the school's second NAIA All-American.

In 2008, Pulvers led the Cougars to an 8-7-3 record, including a 1-0 home win over defending NAIA national champion Azusa Pacific. Of CSUSM's seven losses, six were by a single goal. The Cougars narrowly missed out on an A.I.I. berth, but Greg Reese and junior Curtis Marcikic were named to the all-conference squad.

Pulvers arrived on campus in January 2006 with the challenging task of building both the men's and women's inaugural soccer teams for the fall season. He quickly assembled a group of talented players from San Diego, Orange County and Riverside County. In the team's first home game in the program's history, CSUSM downed NCAA Division II opponent Cal Poly Pomona, 2-1, at Mangrum Track & Field. The Cougars surpassed all expectations by going 12-3-1 in their debut season, narrowly missing out on a postseason bid. Senior Ben Crouse was named NAIA All-America Honorable Mention- the first All-American in the team's history.

Prior to arriving at CSUSM, Pulvers served as head coach at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan., compiling a record of 126-71-14 (.630) over 10 seasons. Pulvers led the Wildcats to five Heart of America Athletics Conference (HAAC) championships, two Midwest Region titles, and three consecutive appearances at the NAIA national tournament. While at BU, Pulvers coached 35 All-Conference players, 13 All-Americans, and 14 Academic All-Americans. Pulvers was named the HAAC Coach of the Year in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004. Pulvers was also named the Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2002.

Pulvers started his college coaching career as an assistant at NAIA power Midwestern State University (Texas). In 1994, he helped the Mustangs to a 17-8-0 record and an appearance at the NAIA National Championship. In 1995, the Mustangs amassed a 21-5-1 record, won the NAIA Southwest Region and were NAIA National Championship runner-ups.

Pulvers was a standout college soccer player who starred at El Camino College and Westmont College. At El Camino College, Pulvers was a two-year starter, an All-Southcoast Conference selection and the team's Most Outstanding Player. A two-year starter at Westmont, Pulvers helped the Warriors to a 12-6-3 record in 1992 and a 16-4-4 record in 1993. In '93, the Warriors won the Golden State Athletic Conference and were NAIA Far West Region Champions. He graduated with a B.A. in Kinesiology from Westmont College in 1994.

Pulvers earned a M.S. in Kinesiology at Midwestern State University, Tex. in 1996. Pulvers holds a USSF "A" License and an Advanced National Diploma from the NSCAA.

Pulvers resides in San Marcos and is married to Dr. Kimberley Pulvers. They have two boys, Miles and Max.

Men's Head Coaching Record

Team

Year

Record

Postseason/Honors/Notes

Baker

1996

16-7

Heart of America Conf. Champions, NAIA Tournament

Baker

1997

15-9

Baker

1998

15-9-1

Heart of America Conf. Champions, NAIA Tournament

Baker

1999

8-8-2

Baker

2000

10-9-1

Heart of America Conf. Champions, NAIA Tournament

Baker

2001

11-7-2

Baker

2002

14-3-3

Heart of America Conf. Champions, NAIA Finalists

Baker

2003

12-7-2

NAIA Tournament

Baker

2004

14-7-1

Heart of America Conf. Champions, NAIA Tournament

Baker

2005

11-5-2

CSUSM

2006

12-3-1

Inaugural Season

CSUSM

2007

6-10

CSUSM

2008

8-7-3

CSUSM

2009

11-6-1

A.I.I. Finalists

CSUSM

2010

12-4-2

A.I.I. Semifinalists

CSUSM

2011

10-7-1

A.I.I. Champions, NAIA 1st Round

CSUSM

2012

6-7-3

A.I.I. Semifinalists

CSUSM

2013

11-4-2

A.I.I. Semifinalists

CSUSM

2014

13-4

A.I.I. Semifinalists

CSUSM

2015

7-8-2

NCAA DII & CCAA Debut

CSUSM

2016

5-6-4

CSUSM

2017

2-12-2

CSUSM

2018

8-7-2

CSUSM

2019

6-8-2

CSUSM

2020

N/A

Season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CSUSM

2021

4-12-1

CSUSM

2022

6-9-3

Total

27 seasons

253-185-43 (.571)

Women's Head Coaching Record (All at CSUSM)

Year

Record

%

Postseason/Honors/Notes

2006

7-8-1

.469

Inaugural Season

2007

7-7-4

.500

A.I.I. Finalists

2008

13-4-4

.714

A.I.I. Champions/NAIA 2nd Rd.

2009

9-5-5

.605

A.I.I. Champions/NAIA 1st Rd.

2010

10-2-5

.735

A.I.I. 1st Rd.

2011

15-4-1

.775

A.I.I. Champions/NAIA 1st Rd.

2012

11-6-3

.625

NAIA 1st Rd.

2013

12-6-1

.658

A.I.I. Champions/NAIA 2nd Rd.

Total

84-42-24

.640