Staff Directory
Garcia, Rafael
Rafael Garcia
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
A two-time Major League Soccer Cup Champion, Rafael Garcia enters his first season an assistant coach to the men's soccer team in 2025.
Garcia returns to the Matador program where he was a four-year letterwinner for CSUN Men's Soccer team as well as a team captain and an All-Big West First Team honoree.
On the bench, Garcia has served as an academy coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy where he has worked with many youth soccer players from multiple age groups. He most recently served as the head boys soccer coach at Sierra Canyon School in 2024. He has also spent time coaching at the high school ranks at Viewpoint School in Calabasas and nearby Harvard Westlake School.
As a soccer player, Garcia was drafted by the LA Galaxy 38th overall in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft. He would go on to spent six seasons with his hometown club as a holding midfielder. Garcia was a member of both the 2012 and 2014 MLS championship teams with the Galaxy.
Garcia played 45 career matches with the Galaxy, accumulating two assists from 2012-17. With the club, he spent his first five seasons playing for U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame coach Bruce Arena.
Garcia played in a career-high 18 games in his final season with the Galaxy in 2017 where he totaled 12 starts and picked up his two helpers. He also spent time with the LA Galaxy II, captaining the club in its inaugural season in 2014.
After departing the Galaxy, Garcia played professionally for the Las Vegas Lights in 2018 and the Oklahoma City Energy FC from 2019-20 of the USL Championship.
Garcia had a standout collegiate career with CSUN from 2007-11, garnering three All-Big West Team selections including a First Team honor in his senior season. He would play in 68 total games with 63 starts where he totaled five goals, eight assists and 18 points. Garcia led the Matadors with six assists and 10 points during the 2010 season while he scored two goals in each of his final two years.
Garcia earned a degree in Sociology from CSUN in 2022. He holds a U.S. Soccer Federation National "B" coaching license.
Garcia returns to the Matador program where he was a four-year letterwinner for CSUN Men's Soccer team as well as a team captain and an All-Big West First Team honoree.
On the bench, Garcia has served as an academy coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy where he has worked with many youth soccer players from multiple age groups. He most recently served as the head boys soccer coach at Sierra Canyon School in 2024. He has also spent time coaching at the high school ranks at Viewpoint School in Calabasas and nearby Harvard Westlake School.
As a soccer player, Garcia was drafted by the LA Galaxy 38th overall in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft. He would go on to spent six seasons with his hometown club as a holding midfielder. Garcia was a member of both the 2012 and 2014 MLS championship teams with the Galaxy.
Garcia played 45 career matches with the Galaxy, accumulating two assists from 2012-17. With the club, he spent his first five seasons playing for U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame coach Bruce Arena.
Garcia played in a career-high 18 games in his final season with the Galaxy in 2017 where he totaled 12 starts and picked up his two helpers. He also spent time with the LA Galaxy II, captaining the club in its inaugural season in 2014.
After departing the Galaxy, Garcia played professionally for the Las Vegas Lights in 2018 and the Oklahoma City Energy FC from 2019-20 of the USL Championship.
Garcia had a standout collegiate career with CSUN from 2007-11, garnering three All-Big West Team selections including a First Team honor in his senior season. He would play in 68 total games with 63 starts where he totaled five goals, eight assists and 18 points. Garcia led the Matadors with six assists and 10 points during the 2010 season while he scored two goals in each of his final two years.
Garcia earned a degree in Sociology from CSUN in 2022. He holds a U.S. Soccer Federation National "B" coaching license.
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