With more than 20 years of coaching experience, Oscar Mendoza enters his first season as assistant coach for the Prairie View A&M soccer program joining the staff in January 0f 2020. He oversees the goal keepers training program.
Mendoza arrives to The Hill following a four-year stint as New Mexico Highlands' women's soccer head coach. While there, he guided 11 players to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference postseason accolades, while six more earned RMAC player of the week awards. NMHU defeated a pair of top 25 teams during Mendoza’s tenure and led the program to a conference tournament birth.Â
Off the pitch, Mendoza ensured a commitment to academics and community service, as 12 student-athletes earned RMAC All-Academic honors under his watch, and defender Molly Enenbach was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District Team. Additionally, the soccer program posted the highest team GPA of all athletic teams three years in a row.
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Prior to his time at New Mexico Highlands, Mendoza spent one season as assistant coach at Cleveland State University. While there, Mendoza was tasked with developing the team’s tactical approach and playing concepts. Additionally, he was responsible for foundational teachings of the game at the college level for players.
Mendoza’s impact was significant, as Cleveland State reached the Horizon League tournament for the first time in five season, setting records for most goals scored and most shutouts issued in program history. Kaila Sargema and Sarah Wood each earned second-team all-conference honors, and Katie Bainridge received freshman all-conference accolades. The team also won the NSCAA College Women’s Team Academic Award with a team GPA of 3.51.
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Mendoza has earned his coaching stripes with experience at the NCAA Division I, international, club and university level. In 2013, Mendoza led the El Paso Storm U18 Girls to a Division I State Cup title and to a Region 3 tournament berth. That squad also became the first ever El Paso girls team to win a State Cup title at the Division I level. As a club soccer coach Mendoza has coached 37 scholarship players that have gone on to play in the Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, PAC 12, Conference USA, Western Athletic, Big Sky, Ohio Valley and Southland conferences. He also coached players who made the U.S. National Pool and one that played in the U-17 and U-20 Women's FIFA World Cup.
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Mendoza was also part of the New Mexico Olympic Development Program coaching staff from 2005-10.
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Mendoza played three years at Gadsden HS in Anthony, New Mexico, earning First Team All-District and All-State honors. He was the second leading scorer in the district, helping the squad to its first top-10 ranking in the state.
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Mendoza is a 2006 graduate of UTEP with a degree in history and has a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from NMSU. While at UTEP, Mendoza was a starting forward on the men's club team which participated in the NIRSA National Soccer Championship.
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