A unique brand of soccer is taking shape at New Mexico State University.
UDA Soccer is blending the rigor of professional training with the pursuit of higher education, with all of its players attending either NMSU or its community college branch, Doña Ana Community College. It’s the only program of its kind in the United States and aims to develop players in a professional environment while working on a degree. UDA Soccer is affiliated with NMSU and wears university logos on its uniforms, but operates like a professional academy.
UDA Soccer has competed in the U.S. Open Cup, the oldest ongoing soccer competition in America, and was recently accepted into the USL Academy League’s 2025 season after playing in the United Premier Soccer League.
Ahead of a preseason road game against United Soccer League’s El Paso Locomotives on Feb. 8 and the start of their regular season in March, UDA Soccer wants to show Las Cruces what they’re about.
“It’s a testament to the talent that we have here, but it’s also a testament to how hard it is to get these kids opportunities and get them exposed,” said Jeff Thompson, UDA Soccer’s program director. “We can provide that vehicle and give them a fulfilling experience for the four years that they’re here, and ultimately, get them to that next level.”
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UDA started in 2018 with men’s and women’s teams of American collegiate players at the University of Chester and the University of Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom. When Thompson, a long-time Las Cruces resident, wanted to start a men’s team in America, he worked to bring it to NMSU.
Like its British counterparts, UDA Soccer offers an alternative to traditional collegiate soccer. Instead of playing in only the spring or fall, it trains and plays year-round. Some players come from its three youth teams at the under-15, -17 and -19 levels, while others arrive from other professional or college teams or join out of high school.
UDA attempts to emulate a European-style environment, one Thompson says is more optimal for college players.
“Our goal is to put them in a professional environment and have players say, ‘This is what it should be like at the next level,'” Thompson said. “So when they do make that transition, they know a little bit more of what to expect than what might get at a traditional college program.”
Experienced coaches mold the program. Assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Alex Reyes has over 30 years of experience, while head coach and technical director Ody Economides has 14 years of experience in roles with the New York Red Bulls and English side Watford.
Economides says UDA’s model attracted him.
“Once I heard about UDA, I looked into it and saw how it was unique,” Economides said. “It’s the only one of its kind in the US. It’s a year-round competition, which I think is paramount to the development of young players, and we participate in the UPSL… We get the best of both worlds. We can operate as a college program and we can recruit as if we were the men’s team for New Mexico State, but we’re not restricted to the NCAA.”
Fourteen of UDA Soccer’s 39 players are New Mexico natives, but their reach extends nationwide with players from eight other states. International players from Canada and Mexico are also on the team.
Participation costs $12,500 a year, but UDA Soccer offers scholarships up to $3,000 and helps players earn academic ones from NMSU. Players believe it’s well worth it.
“I do know that in my time here, I’m going to develop into a high-level player,” said Julio Coco, a sophomore defender/midfielder from Las Cruces. “Whatever opportunities open up after my time here, I want to take advantage of (them), because I love soccer… I know there will be some.”
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UDA has had success. It won a first-round Open Cup game against Park City Red Wolves SC in 2023 and finished second in the 2024 UPSL West Texas-New Mexico division to clinch a Texas Region playoff spot. It also opened a new field on NMSU’s campus in 2022.
It’s helped players earn professional opportunities, such as when JD Meyers signed with the Chattanooga Red Wolves in USL League One in 2022. Current players want to do the same.
“I really want to keep playing,” said Alan Vargas, a senior wing-back and midfielder from Juarez, Mexico. “I want to keep up my level and then continue until I can’t move anymore. “It’s hard when you’re studying and then playing all the time, but I’ve worked really hard for this.”
UDA Soccer wants to be a larger part of the NMSU community. They hope more NMSU students attend matches, and want to make NMSU a place where young soccer players come to pursue their dreams.
UDA Soccer believes it can make an impact, and wants to represent NMSU while doing it.
“There’s no other program like it in the US,” Economides said. “But we feel, in the culture that we create, that we are part of the NMSU community. It’s on our gear. We’re on campus. All our players are students of New Mexico State. We are in every way part of the university.”

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