For San Diego State, no local rivalry is greater with the University of San Diego. Historically dating back to 2003 to this past season, men’s soccer is 7-4 against USD, while women’s soccer is 6-6-1 since 2004. Looking at women’s basketball, the Aztecs are 7-13 since the 2003-2004 season. Women’s volleyball stands 3-18 since the 2002-2003 season as well.
During the men’s basketball season, “The City Championship” game between the Toreros and the Aztecs takes place where the winner of the game becomes City Champions. The annual men’s basketball game that pits the two cross-town schools is an opportunity for fans from both schools to show their team pride and create a fan atmosphere.
The first game in this rivalry series was in the 1962-1963 basketball season. San Diego State won 68-49 at home at Peterson Gym. USD’s first victory in the series was on January 22 in an 89-85 victory at Peterson Gym. The series alternates between Viejas Arena and the USD Jenny Craig Pavilion on an annual basis since 1998. All time, San Diego State has lead the series 32-19, with their largest victory over the Toreros a 77-49 win during the 2010 season, while USD’s biggest win over the Aztecs was 73-45 during the 1999 season.
SDSU had won nine consecutive games in the series from the 2006 campaign to the 2015 season. The two teams have most recently played in 2019 with the Aztecs coming out with the win 66-49. The game included career highs and his first double-double for SDSU from then-senior transfer Yanni Wetzel.
During the 2022-2023 campaign, four teams competed against USD during the fall semester. Each match consisted of high competitive play from SDSU’s women’s volleyball team, women’s baskebtall team, and both men’s and women’s soccer teams.
Beginning with women’s volleyball, the Toreros defeated the Aztecs in a 3-1 match on Sept. 17, 2022, in a dominant game from USD. The Aztecs came out the game firing on all cylinders, hitting .433 in the first stanza on 15 kills in 30 attempts. However, SDSU wouldn’t see as much success for the rest of the match as the Torerros maintained statistical advantage in kills, digs, and team blocks to win over the Aztecs.
Moving on to women’s basketball, the scarlet and black won at home on Dec. 10, 2022, in a 45-68 victory that included a gap in the third quarter to open the second half on an 11-2 run. Senior Sophia Ramos led the Aztecs with a season-high 18 points, and made four of her five three-point attempts. SDSU held the Toreros to only four first-half buckets, while forcing 13 turnovers. The Aztecs shot 50% from the floor and held the Toreros to 28% shooting.
Men’s soccer recorded a victory for the scarlet and black 4-2 in the Torerros non-conference finale on a rainy evening at the SDSU SportsDeck on October 15, 2022. SDSU scored four times from four different Aztecs in the span of 28 minutes which snapped USD’s eight-match unbeaten streak at that time.
This past September at the SDSU sports deck, the women’s soccer team faced off in a defense-led game that ended up in a tie (0-0). Junior Goalkeeper Alexa Madueno kept the Toreros off the scoresheet to earn her first clean sheet last season. Dating back to 2004, both the Aztecs and Toreros women’s soccer teams have split six wins a piece and one draw.
The Aztecs women’s soccer team will face the Toreros team on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. This upcoming match will also mark the first time the women’s soccer teams will compete at SnapDragon Stadium.
