Playing soccer in California is something that Charles Conway has wanted to do since he was a kid.

“I always wanted to live in California,” Conway said. “I’ve always wanted to come to California to play soccer.”

Now, the red-headed New Mexico native has that chance.

Conway has made the transition from University of New Mexico Lobo to SF State Gator, playing striker for the men’s soccer team.

“I happened to get a good opportunity to play here,” he said. “All the guys were really nice when I came to visit. The coaches were really nice, too.”

Conway, a junior majoring in business, moved to San Francisco from Albuquerque, N.M., where he was born and raised. He has been playing soccer since the age of five, and played Division I soccer at UNM before transferring to SF State this past August.

“It was hard to leave my whole family,” he said of his parents and two younger siblings, back in New Mexico.

So, what are the big differences between playing soccer in San Francisco and playing in Albuquerque?

Conway mentions a few big differences from New Mexico, weather being one of the biggest.

“I’m definitely used to playing in hotter weather,” he said, referring to foggy conditions the Gators typically play in when at home.

SF State is a much smaller campus than UNM campus. There is a bigger density of people than UNM, Conway said.

“He’s a good roommate,” Conway’s on-the-road roommate Josh Kuluris said. Kuluris and Conway have been roommates since the season started up in September.

After starting off the season playing on defense, Conway was moved from fullback up to striker when the Gators played the Chico State Wildcats back on Sept. 26.

Conway responded to the spot change with an assist against Chico, and currently leads the team in assists.

“Striker was always my position,” Conway said.

“I think I bring a lot more to the team by playing up front.”

Head coach Joe Hunter said it “worked out well” moving Conway up to the front of the field, noting that the six-foot-one-inch Conway brings more size up to the front of the field.

“It gives us a player that holds the ball in the air,” Hunter said.

The Gators won three games in a row during their last home stand and will return to play at home this week after spending the past weekend playing on the road against CSU San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona.

The home stand begins Wednesday with a game against CSU Monterey Bay.

With eight games left in the regular season, Conway is looking for his team to keep up its winning drive.

“We finally got some momentum going from the beginning of the year,” he said.

“So now it’s crucial that we keep winning.”