The Sacramento State men’s and women’s soccer teams began this month and both squads are focused on reaching the NCAA Tournament again.

For two consecutive years the Sac State men’s soccer team has won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship and made it to the NCAA.

Last season, the team had an overall record of 11-5-7. But for the 2011 season, the team will need to find a way to win without several leaders who graduated after last fall.

Team captains Adam Bettencourt and Matt Tellez said they have high hopes for the new group this fall.

“This season will be different because we lost some key players, such as Ernesto Carranza, Fernando Cabadas and Diego Marroquin,” Tellez said. “Those three were leaders that lead us for the last two years. The new incoming players have to step up to their roles to help us win another championship.”

Bettencourt said the team has a solid group of players this year and is eager to see a strong showing of Hornet support.

“We are looking forward to the challenge of winning another championship and making a run in the NCAA tournament,” Bettencourt said. “We also wish to invite everyone to come out and support our team this fall.”

Head coach Michael Linenberger said he understands the challenge ahead of him and his team, but that he has the right group of guys to win this season.

“We are excited for the season and our goal is to win a third straight MPSF Championship and get back to the NCAA Tournament for a third year in a row,” Linenberger said. “We have a difficult schedule with some very good teams on the road, but we have a veteran team and expect to be up to the challenge.”

The women also look to continue the success they had last fall by earning a second straight Big Sky Conference Championship.

The women were ranked second within their conference behind Northern Arizona University. In 2010, the women’s soccer team finished the season with an overall record of 9-10-2, but was 4-3 in conference play.

Big Sky Conference games begin at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 9 against the University of San Francisco, where the women will begin their title defense.

Nicole Bee can be reached at [email protected].