Oregon State Soccer Hires Oscar Zepeda as Director of Soccer Operations
Just over a month away from the start of the 2026 season, Oregon State men's soccer is making a big move, hiring Oscar Zepeda to be the school's new Director of Soccer Operations. Zepeda will oversee program infrastructure, community engagement and other organizational and business responsibilities.
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Zepeda is a former professional soccer player who played for Santos Laguna FC and Atlas FC in Mexico. He then played for Merrimack College while getting a business degree, and moved on to an assistant coaching position after the end of his collegiate career.
He then moved to Boston College for his master's in economics, and joined Oregon State in 2024 as part of the university's marketing department. He'll look to bring that experience to an Oregon State program that might be ready to take a big step forward.
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With the World Cup currently in process all over North America, soccer is having a moment in the United States. Despite the Timbers recent struggles, Oregon has a vibrant soccer culture, and the Beavers are a big part of that. They've been a consistent qualifier for the NCAA Tournament, despite their early exits in the past two seasons.
The program has produced a number of stars over the years, including 2020 MAC Hermann Trophy winner Gloire Amanda. Other big names including Sofiane Djeffal, Logan Farrington and Arnau Farnos have passed through the Willamette Valley, picking up All American Honors in the process.
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2026 is in the middle of a transitory period for Beaver soccer. As of July 1st the new Pac-12 has officially launched, but that's far from the only thing. Head Coach Jarred Brookins will begin his second season in charge this Fall, and next year the NCAA will completely overhaul the way college soccer is scheduled, making it much more aligned with pro and international leagues.
Of course, the real change for 2026 will be on the field. Over the past few seasons Oregon State Men's Soccer has been defined by a core players that included Arnau Farnos, Fabian Straudi, Fran Cortijo and Andrew de Gannes. All of those players are gone now, having graduated or transferred.
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Zepeda's new job will be focused on two things. The first is selling the Beavers to Oregon soccer fans, getting everyone on board with the idea that there is a contender in Corvallis. The Men's Soccer team has potential to be a major pillar of Oregon State Athletics if Zepeda can get more eyes on the program.
The second is selling the team to potential recruits. The Beavers have been able to get some incredible talent to come to Corvallis over the past decade, but with the college sports landscape constantly shifting, and a relatively new head coach, Oregon State needs to prove it's still a great destination for young talent.
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Having grown up in Pocatello, home of the Idaho State Bengals, John Severs is a lifelong fan of small schools that don't always deliver a lot of wins. Prior to writing for On SI, John covered the Beavers for SB Nation's Oregon State blog Building the Dam, with a focus on baseball and women's basketball. When he's not watching college sports he spends most of his time reading, playing video games and annoying cats.