“I feel blessed to say that I have committed to play soccer at Cal State University Monterey Bay. Coach Cummings and Coach Stockton have already made me feel welcome and I am stoked to play for them. I plan to major in Liberal Studies and then I would like to become a teacher. Thank you Placer United for your commitment to soccer development and all the opportunities that the club has provided for our team. Thanks to Jason Gantt, Kelcey Chaidez, and Paul O’Brian for your leadership and for making me a better soccer player, as well as a better person. Also, I would like to thank my team mates for all of the amazing memories. You are all my brothers!  Lastly I am very grateful for my family. Without their love and support, none of this would be possible.

GO PLACER! GO OTTERS!” — Max Fereira

“For the last eight years I have played for Placer United Soccer Club and learned the fundamentals of what it takes to become a great soccer player, while pushing myself to be the best I could be. I have been coached by some of the best coaches who molded me into who I am today. After years of practice, endless injuries and countless tears, I am pleased to announce that I have committed to play soccer for Humboldt State University.

First and foremost, I would like to thank my family for all the sacrifices they have made to allow me to play competitive soccer. They have cheered me on and supported me for the last eight years while putting their wants and needs aside to support me.  I don’t think I could have made it through without them in my corner. Thank you dad, mom and Alyssa for being my biggest fans. 

I would like to thank  the following coaches in no particular order; John Chimienti, for listening to me when I said I wanted to play goalie and for always demanding my best. You never accepted less than perfection and continually pushed me for more. There were times I wanted to give up and walk away from the goal but you stood by me and believed in me. I will always remember when you would yell, “Sam steal the bacon! Can you do that for me?” That was code for “Sam get the damn ball”; Gene DuChateau with whom I had the pleasure of working with in the beginning of my goalie years and who taught me the basics of goalkeeping; Matt Scammacca, the one coach who truly believed I could play at the collegiate level despite my size. He listened to me and never stopped encouraging me; Matt Bernard, the coach who calls me “Loom-pah” “midget” and tells me I need to get taller. I wouldn’t have made this if it weren’t for you. You are one of the best goalie coaches I have ever had the honor to train with. Thank you for everything.

Lastly to Ron Benjamin and Todd DeCarlo, thank you for the continued support throughout the entire college process. You have coached me during my best performances and supported me through my worst performances. You have seen me grow up in the club and have always been there to provide positive feedback. Thank you for all you did for me.

I will miss everyone, my coaches, my teammates and the Placer United Soccer Club. I am who I am today because of everyone that took the time to help me. I look forward to playing collegiate soccer at Humboldt  and I hope I make Placer proud. It was this club who got me to the next level.  GO JACKS!”

“I never thought that this time would come as fast as it did and I can now officially say that I have committed to California State University, Bakersfield. I love everything that CSUB has to offer both academically and athletically. I love all of my future teammates and I have a high respect for the coaching staff there as well. I can’t wait to be a part of a program moving in a positive direction.

Even though Placer has only been my home for three years, they have given me so much support and I couldn’t be more thankful. Without Placer United, I probably wouldn’t have the opportunity to play Division 1 soccer. I would like to thank my very first club coach, John DeMartini, for convincing me to play club soccer. It has clearly paid off John. Secondly, I would like to thank my coach of three years, Todd DeCarlo, for always supporting me and putting up with me on the good and bad days. Todd has pushed me to become a better player from the start and I am beyond grateful. My past and present teammates deserve a big shout-out and without them pushing me to be the best I can be, I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Lastly, I would like to thank my family, especially my parents for their continuous support. They have invested so much time and money making sure that I receive the best soccer experience possible. In the words of Kevin Durant, “You the real MVP!” I am so happy that I’ll be finishing my club days with Placer United and I can’t wait to see what CSUB has to offer me!” — Elle Estes

”I am extremely honored to announce that I have committed to play for William Jessup University. It has been a dream of mine to play for WJU since 5th grade and to now be able to call WJU my home is still surreal. I would not be where I am if it were not for my family, trainers, and coaches who pushed me farther than I believed I was capable. I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for going above and beyond to ensure that my dreams came true. They have given me their time and love and for that I will always be grateful. I also have to thank three trainers that have not only pushed me out for my comfort zones, but also infused belief into me that with hard work and dedication, I could achieve my dreams. These trainers are Jenny Wood, Chris Star and Matt Bernard. Next, I absolutely want to thank coaches Todd Decarlo and Ron Benjamin for giving me the opportunity to play for Placer. My time with the Club has been short, but in this short time I have learned and grown so much which enabled me to see this dream come true. Last, and certainly not least, I would like to thank Coach Jamie Howard of WJU Women’s Soccer Team for giving me the chance to join her team and grow along with them.

I am so excited for all that is ahead. I look forward to giving 150% while continuing to play, develop and train this season with Placer as I prepare for the transition to WJU Women’s Soccer.” — Emily Lemos

“I am extremely excited to announce that I will be calling Humboldt State University my home for the next four years, while also making an impact playing the sport I love. I never thought the college process was going to easy, but I was surprised and pleased to find that becoming a Lumberjack was a natural choice. Humboldt not only has the academic programs I’ve been searching for, but is also the perfect environment to bring my game to the next level.

​But I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without the love and support of my friends and family. I want to thank my parents for pushing me to be the best I can be and giving me the best chance possible for success. I would like to thank Todd DeCarlo and Ron Benjamin as well; both of whom were instrumental to my recruitment and soccer success over the past three years. That being said, I am so fortunate to have had this opportunity and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be playing under Coach Paul Karver’s guidance during my collegiate experience at Humboldt.

Go Jacks!” — Alex Jenkins

“I am immensely honored to let everyone know that I have committed to Sacramento State. I love everything that Sac State has to offer athletically and academically. I felt truly comfortable with the coaching staff, as well with the players. I feel that the program is heading in a great direction and I’ll be able to continue to grow as a player and as a better all around person. I want to thank coach Mike Linenberger, Matt McDougall, and coach Tellez for the chance to continue playing at the highest level.

I was privileged to be able to be part of such an amazing club such as Placer United. I can truly say if it wasn’t for Placer United I wouldn’t be where I am today. I didn’t just grow as a player but I grew as a better person. I want to thank Kelcey Chaidez, Jason Gantt, and Paul O’Brien for always pushing me to be the best player I can be, as well as the whole Placer United staff as they all had an impact during my time with the club. I couldn’t have done it without my team and I love every single one of them as a brother. A huge thank you also goes out to Jeff Flint, François Barbe, and Jodi Tarr for always being there for me outside the pitch. Most of all I thank God and my parents for everything they have done for me. My parents have sacrificed so much for me and I greatly appreciate all they did for me. I am excited to finish off our very successful season and move forward to the next chapter of my life.

GO PLACER AND GO HORNETS!” — Christian Guzman

“I’ve been very privileged to be a part of Placer United Soccer Club. During my time at Placer I’ve grown to be a better player and a stronger person all around. I’m thankful for having been involved with coaches such as Kelsey Chaidez, Jason Gantt and Paul O’Brien, for always working to bring out the very best in me and creating the opportunity for me to become part of something special. As a result of my development at Placer, I have made the decision to join the soccer program at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. During my visits to the Westmont campus, I can honestly say that I have nothing but love for the coaching staff and current players who made me feel very welcomed from the moment I arrived. I really believe Westmont is a great fit for me to further my development both as a player and person. I really look forward to attending classes, playing soccer, and living in a beautiful place like Santa Barbara.

I want to especially thank Francois and Marcia Barbe for helping make this dream a reality. I also feel especially blessed to have a wonderful supportive family who’ve given me nothing but love over these last 17 years. A big special thanks to my Placer teammates for also helping bring out the best in me. Most of all I thank God for brining all these people into my life and helping me succeed in my goal to play college soccer. I’m really excited to finish this last season with Placer United and help build on our teams most recent successes before charging into the next stage of my life.

Go Placer and Go Warriors!” — Gonzalo Garcia

“I am very excited to announce that I have committed the next four years of my soccer career to West Point, and the following 5 years of my life to being an officer in the United States Army. West Point is located an hour north of New York. Founded in 1802 by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson it is one of the oldest and most prestigious schools in the country. On top of getting one of the best educations in the country I will be playing Division 1 soccer at the highest level possible. I would like to thank my coaches Jason Gantt, Paul O’Brien, and Kelcey Chaidez, who all pushed me to be the best that I can be. I would also like to thank Matt Scammaca, Will Johanssen, Matt Bernard and Placer Legend, Gene DuChateau, for teaching me good goalkeeping techniques and helping improve my ability to read the game. 

Lastly I want to thank my parents, Francois and Marcia Barbe, for the years of taking me to soccer practices, goalkeeper training, and tournaments—whether they be at Cherry Island for Placer Cup or all the way to North Carolina to win a National title.

Go Placer! Go Army!” — Luc Barbe

“I am beyond excited to have verbally committed to the University of San Diego! I am so happy to have found such a beautiful school that fits everything I’ve wanted academically and athletically.  I am very grateful to be surrounded by so much love and support!

Thank you to my amazing family for always having my back and giving up countless hours so that I could play the sport that I love! Thank you to my teammates who always push me to be better on and off the field; you guys truly are my best friends! To Bart Morefield, thank you for believing in me and helping me build confidence. To Todd DeCarlo, thank you for being a great coach, for making the past two seasons so much fun. Your constant dedication to our team motivated me to work harder. Thank you Ron Benjamin for pushing me to step up my level of play and continuously helping me through the recruitment process.

I am looking forward to my next two years at Placer and then onto becoming a Torero!” — Savanna Thompson

“I am so excited to announce that I have committed to California State University, Sacramento! I couldn’t have found a better fit for me both academically and athletically. I plan to major in kinesiology and then continue on to get my doctorate in Physical Therapy. I am so thankful to coach Randy Dedini who is giving me this opportunity to play D1 soccer. I have so many people to thank for helping me get here.

First and foremost I want to thank my very first coach (my dad) who helped me realize my love for the game and for always pushing me to the next level and my family who is always so supportive. I want to thank Russ Melendez my former select coach of four years who taught me about hard work and dedication. I also want to thank my teammates who always made soccer practice the best part of my day.

 A little over a year ago I started my crazy journey at Placer United. Coming from my former select team onto Todd Decarlo’s U16 team was a huge jump for me. I was challenged and pushed more than I ever had been before. I grew so much as a player and I realized that playing in college was something I wanted to pursue. When I look back a year ago it is amazing how much better a soccer player I have become and I owe this to Todd Decarlo and Ron Benjamin for bringing me to Placer and for believing in me each step of the way.

I want to thank my current coach Ron Benjamin who played a huge part in the recruiting process and who always pushes me to play smarter, better, faster, and stronger. Lastly, I want to thank my current teammates who push me to become better every single practice and who share my love for the game.

I am excited and motivated to work harder than I ever have before so that I will be ready to join my team in the Fall 2016!

Go Hornets!” — Mikayla Reed