Nine recruits commit to play for UCI men’s soccer

A junior college All-American, two players from the reigning California community college championship team, the last two South Coast League Players of the Year and a two three-time national club champions highlight the nine-player recruiting class announced recently by UC Irvine men’s soccer coach George Kuntz.

All nine have signed letters of intent to compete for the Anteaters, who finished 6-9-5, 1-8-3 in the Big West Conference last season.

Goalkeeper Victor Chinchilla was named Most Valuable Player of the state championships after leading Taft College to the crown last fall. The Central Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Year posted 16 shutouts as a senior at Palmdale High in 2005-06.

“Victor has very good hands, is quick, and very good in critical situations,” Kuntz said. “He may make an immediate impact for our program in goal. He was the best goalkeeper in the state last year at the junior college level.”

Carlos Aguilar is another former standout at Taft, where he twice earned all-conference honors as a forward. He also was a second-team All-CIF honoree at Palmdale High.

“Carlos is a proven goal scorer at the college level [including two goals in the state final],” Kuntz said. “We feel that Carlos can become one of the next great goal scorers in our league.”

Irving Garcia a midfielder and forward out of Yavapai Community College in Arizona, made several All-American teams for the junior college national champions. He also starred at San Luis High and played for the Yuma Golden Cats club program.

“Irvine was the most sought-after junior college midfielder in the country this year,” Kuntz said.

Andy Martinez, a forward at San Clemente High, was the South Coast League MVP last season, when he led Orange County with 30 goals on his way to first-team All-CIF Southern Section recognition.

In four varsity seasons, Martinez scored 69 goals and added 19 assists for the Tritons.

He represented South Coast Bayern in club competition and was runner-up for the Golden Boot award with five goals in the prestigious Milk Cup youth tournament in Ireland.

James Turner, a senior at Mission Viejo High, was the South Coast League Player of the Year as a junior, playing defender and in the midfield.

Norberto “Norby” Rodriguez, a senior at Thousand Oaks High, was the Marmonte League Offensive MVP as a junior and has also earned All-CIF Division I and All-Ventura County recognition as a midfielder and forward.

He competes at the club level for Real SoCal.

Elmer Avelar, a goalkeeper who twice earned All-CIF laurels at Burbank High, is another member of Real SoCal, which he helped claim three national club titles. He twice won the Golden Glove award at the United States Youth Soccer Assn. national championships.

Daniel Chavez was team MVP as a junior at Santa Ana High, where the midfielder maintains a 4.0 grade-point average. He has also been a first-team All-CIF honoree.

Everett Pitts is a senior at Ayala High in Chino Hills, where he played on the back line as well as at forward.

Kuntz said his greatest potential may be realized as a defender.

— From staff reports