Six Men's Soccer Players sign Scholarships

Men's Soccer Head Coach Daniel Ortega would like to announce that six of his 2019-2020 student-athletes have committed and will sign to play and continue their academic and athletic careers at a university next fall.

Alejandro Zamora (Oakdale HS/Oakdale, CA) Cal State University Stanislaus, Vladimir Mendoza (Watsonville HS/Watsonville, CA) Life Pacific University, Alvaro Mercado (Alisal HS/Salinas, CA) University of St. Marys(Kansas), Erik Herrera-Lopez (Watsonville HS/Watsonville, CA) Life Pacific University, Francisco Gonzalez (Watsonville HS/Watsonville, CA) Southwest Baptist University(Missouri), and Jorge Cerna (Alisal HS/Salinas, CA) Hastings College. 

Zamora will be attending California State University Stanislaus. He played in 17 games and started 16. He was second on the team with eight goals, three assists and 19 total points which was also second on the team. He was voted 2nd Team All-Conference performer. The warriors participate in NCAA Division II competition and are a member school of the California Collegiate Athletics Association(CCAA).

Mendoza wil be attending Life Pacific University located in San Dimas, CA. He played in 10 games, starting in six contests. He was one of the contributors to the stellar panther defense. The warriors program will begin their second season as a program. They compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics(NAIA) as a member of the Golden State Athletic Conference(GSAC). 

Mercado will be attending University of St. Mary. He played in 10 games logging a goal and two points. The Spires compete in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics(NAIA) and a member school of the  Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. The school is in Leavenworth, Kansas just outside of Kansas City.

Herrera-Lopez will join Mendoza at LPU. He played in 10 games starting four of them. He scored a goal and added an assist in his game action. Both look to make an impact in the second year of the program.

Gonzalez will be attending Southwest Baptist University. He started in 11 games had a goal and three assists for a total of five points. He was voted 1st Team All-Coast Conference. The Bearcats participate in NCAA Division II competition and are a member school of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Cerna will be attending Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska. The Broncos finished their 2019-2020 campaign as NAIA National Runners-Up, losing in the finals 3-1 to Central Methodist. He will be joining two panther alums in defender Mauri Garcia and goalkeeper Jesus Parra. Both Garcia and Parra contributed plenty of quality minutes for the Broncos.

The 2019-2020 team made a deep run reaching the Northern California playoffs, before falling to eventual state champion Fresno City 1-0. "We ended up being a very good defensive group. We would score most of our goals on counter attack" Coach Ortega said. "We were a young group 17 freshman eight sophomores, so the future looks great for the upcoming season."

2019-2020 Team Commits:

Alejandro Zamora - Stanislaus State

Vladimir Mendoza - Life Pacific University 

Alvaro Mercado - University of St. Mary (Kansas)

Erik Herrera-Lopez - Life Pacific University

Francisco Gonzalez - Southwest Baptist University (Missouri)

Jorge Cerna  - Hastings College (Nebraska)