Can CSUN Women Leapfrog Over Start-Up Glitches? : College soccer: Wiesner’s experience beginning a program from scratch should benefit fledgling Matadors. Meanwhile, men’s team looks to improve.

The Cal State Northridge women’s soccer team held its first-ever practice Friday morning, a three-hour workout that included ball-handling skills, footwork drills and . . . leapfrog?

Sure thing. Emphasizing conditioning from the get-go, Coach Brian Wiesner had his troops running, dribbling, and yes, leapfrogging as the Matadors began preparations for their Sept. 2 opener at Azusa Pacific.

“[Wiesner’s] going to be really into fitness, that’s going to be a strong point of our team,” said senior Kristen Johnson, a transfer from De Anza College.

Northridge may have to go all-out to keep up with the established teams on its 20-game schedule. The Matadors not only are a first-year program, but are competing as an NCAA Division I independent.

Wiesner, who built the Cal Poly Pomona women’s team from scratch to a Division II power in the 1980s, was hired in May.

Wiesner has spent a hectic 2 1/2 months recruiting and organizing, but witnessed the first tangible results of his efforts Friday.

“It was better than I thought, in terms of both turnout and talent,” said Wiesner, whose first field session included 24 players. “We may actually have some depth and competition for positions.”

Many of Wiesner’s candidates have local connections, including freshmen Kari Atteberry from Ventura High, Marrica Pichaikul of Grant and Monica Griffiths from Paraclete. All three were members of The Times’ all-area team in 1994-95.

In addition, a number of older players have transferred from junior colleges and four-year universities, giving Northridge a mix of youth and experience.

“It’s not a team of freshmen and we already have some leaders,” Wiesner said. “There’s no question we have a lot of work to do but I’m not coming away from the first practice shaking my head like I thought I might.”

Across the practice field, men’s Coach Marwan Ass’ad finished a workout of his own with a team almost as new as Wiesner’s. The men’s program has been in existence since 1978, but with 16 freshmen on this year’s roster Ass’ad hopes to erase the memories of last season’s 7-9-2 record. It was the Matadors’ first losing campaign since 1982.

“Last year our problems were injuries and team chemistry,” said Ass’ad, whose team opens at California on Sept. 2. “That’s in the past but you remind [the players] that we had an off year. Our seniors now are good leaders and our freshmen are hungry to play Division I.”

Ass’ad hopes those freshmen, including area recruits Danny Nishiyama of Quartz Hill, Trevor Schmidt of Chatsworth and Andre Vorster of Birmingham, have a team to play on in a couple of years.

Northridge is actively seeking to join the Big Sky Conference, which does not sanction men’s soccer and requires schools to give a minimum of 63 football scholarships. If Northridge were to join the conference, it is possible that the Matadors would add more women’s sports and eliminate one or more men’s teams such as swimming, soccer and volleyball.

This would allow the university to remain in compliance with state-mandated gender-equity standards.

Ass’ad insisted those worries are pushed to the back of his mind.

“That’s next year,” he said. “It doesn’t help to worry because it’s not going to be our decision. All we want to do is prepare the team for a great year and show the school that it’s a great sport to maintain.”