Turlock’s professional soccer organization, Academica SC, announced this month the hiring of new head coaches for its men’s and women’s teams.

Former player and assistant coach Robby Rosas has been elevated to head coach of the men’s team, while Maddy Meyer has been tabbed as the women’s head coach.

Rosas will take over for Desmond Madrigal, another former Academica standout who served one season as the team’s skipper. Madrigal is currently an assistant for the Stanislaus State men’s soccer program. The Warrior staff was recently named United Soccer Coaches West Region Coaching Staff of the Year after leading the program to its most successful season in history. Under Madrigal’s direction in 2025, Academica achieved a 4-5-5 record, the club’s best since joining the United Soccer League in 2023.

Meyer will take the helm following a winless season for the women’s club in its USL W campaign. The season began with Trisha Gonzales serving as head coach, with the club’s technical director, Tevin Jones, eventually taking over.

Rosas has a strong presence in the Turlock area, having played for Stanislaus State in 2022 and 2023, playing for Academica from 2022 to 2024 and coaching with Merced College and the Albion Merced club. He was Madrigal’s assistant last year.

Meyer is another former player, starring for Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont before serving as an assistant with Stanislaus State’s women’s program from 2016 to 2018. She also had coaching stints at Bay Cities FC and for the University of the Pacific’s men’s team. Rosas and his staff will get right to work with open tryouts on Feb. 28 and March 1.

The tryout is free of charge, and the March 1 session will be by invitation only.

The respective USL League Two and W seasons are expected to kick off in May.