A successful fall season wraps up this weekend for the ISU soccer club as the teams travel to Nationals in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The Cyclone men will face California-Santa Barbara Thursday in first-round competition, and will follow that with matches against Ohio and Southern Mississippi.

The women also begin their quest for glory on Thursday with a two-match day against Colorado State and California-Berkeley, followed by a match against Michigan State on Friday.

The men’s squad, which consists of 44 members divided into two teams, has had an encouraging season. It is 4-1 against NCAA Division II and III schools. For the first time in 15 years, the Cyclones did not succumb to a tough Minnesota team, coming away with a draw.

“We went ahead and hounded some D-III teams to put us on their schedule so we’d have some better competition,” said Greg Velasquez, senior in elementary education. “We’ve been able to get a better record against better teams.”

An increase in membership this season was the result of a decision to stop cutting players at the beginning of the season, and to create an “elite” team — one that has traveled for seven weekends in a row and will try its luck at nationals this week.

“It’s a very competitive and experienced team. We’ve gone to places like Minnesota and Nebraska every weekend, and its cheaper to travel since we have a hard time affording referees,” said head coach Sandro Bassanini.

Bassanini is assisted in coaching duties by Nuno Gomez, a former professional player from Portugal who coaches the men and helps with the youth program and women’s coach Raphael Geronimo.

Bassanini’s coaching days began with the seniors on the squad, his “first batch” of players. Nine of Iowa State’s 11 starters are seniors this year. This will be the first team Bassanini has taken to nationals.

“Our outlook is impressive so far. We really got serious this year and made nationals our top goal,” Velasquez said. “

This is my fourth year playing, and there are lots of close relationships. It’s all about the game to us.”

The women’s soccer team has been nothing short of a success in its first year of membership. A single team made of 26 girls practices alongside the men’s team and shares its coaches. The young team won the mythical state championship by defeating Iowa, Northern Iowa and Drake. The Cyclones have also taken down Nebraska and Kansas State for an overall record of 9-4.

“We’ve won almost everything except in Colorado, where we lost 0-4,” said Amy Batchelder, junior in pre-journalism and mass communication.

“We’ve gotten to know each other well and, besides obviously winning, we went to continue the team bonding.”

Bassanini, who said Batchelder “could be playing for any D-I school right now,” also noted the outstanding play of goalkeeper Jenni Meyer, freshman in art and design, who has recorded seven clean sheets this season.

“I owe it to my defense, they make me look pretty,” Meyer said.

The soccer club has practiced three times a week since August, now indoors on the turf at the Lied Recreation Center.

On Fridays, the team conducts a free soccer program with Ames youth.

“We are very involved in the community,” Bassanini said. “Both teams work together, sharing coaching and fundraising, since we’re only partially funded by the Government of the Student Body. After nationals, we’re taking a three-day vacation to New Orleans with our funding money, because we deserve it.”