UCI men’s soccer adds seven

The UC Irvine men’s soccer program has signed seven recruits for the 2014 season.

Eddie Molina, a transfer from Foothill Community College by way of Menlo Atherton High, scored 13 goals last season at Foothill, after earning CIF Central Coast Section Player of the Year honors as a prep.

Molina, a forward who will be a sophomore in the fall, was also named Offensive MVP of his league three times in high school.

“Eddie possesses size, speed and strength that make him very difficult for defenders to defend,” UCI Coach Chris Volk said. “He has the ability to combine well with other players to create goal-scoring opportunities.”

Felipe Silva, an All-Orange County forward who was the MVP of the Southern California All-Star game as a senior forward at Servite High, also helped his club team, West Coast FC, win a national championship.

“Felipe possesses tremendous pace and [one-on-one] ability in the wide channels,” Volk said of Sanchez, who had 15 goals and 18 assists combined in his last three varsity seasons. “He has the ability to play on either side of the field and can create and score goals.

Silva helped Servite reach the CIF Southern Section title match in 2013, then advance to the section semifinals in 2014.

Gerardo “Puma” Gonzalez comes to UCI after two seasons at Taft Community College, which also sent former standouts Carlos Aguilar, Christian Hernandez and Miguel Ibarra to the Anteaters’ program. Gonzalez was a twice named first-team all-conference as a midfielder at Taft after twice earning league MVP honors at Wasco High.

“[Gonzalez] has the vision and ability to find teammates in dangerous scoring positions as well as score goals himself,” Volk said. “He brings a good balance of possession and attack-minded mentality that will make us very dangerous.”

Tony Royer, a midfielder, helped Crescenta Valley High win a CIF Southern Section title in 2012 and he amassed All-CIF, all-area and all-league laurels during his prep career. He had eight goals and one assist as a senior.

Royer spent the majority of his club career with the LA Galaxy U15/U16 team and also earned a spot on the U.S. Region IV Olympic Development Pool U17 team that won the 2013 interregional championship.

“Tony is a very versatile and dynamic midfielder,” Volk said. “He possesses a tremendous work ethic that allows him to play from box to box. He has the ability to defend and initiate the attack from midfield that will make him very complementary to his new UCI teammates.”

Ignacio “Nacho” Ramirez starred as a defender at La Palma Kennedy High and also represented the Strikers FC club program that won the Northern Ireland Milk Cup three times. He was invited to train three times at the U.S. Soccer Development Academy and in 2013 trained at the U.S. Soccer training center.

“Nacho will provide depth at the center back position that was voided with the graduation of All-Big West Conference players Tarek Morad and Marco Franco, the 13th overall draft pick of the Chicago Fire of the MLS,” Volk said. “[Ramirez] is a natural defender that possesses an ability to read the game and help build the attack.”

Defensive-minded Corey Schramm played midfield and on the back line during his freshman season at Artesia High, before focusing on club soccer the last three years with Pateadores Academy.

He was selected to the U.S. Olympic Development Program regional team.

“Corey is a tenacious player with a tremendous work ethic,” Volk said. “He will provide us some depth in either of the holding midfield positions or possibly as an outside back.”

Adam Fox was an all-league defender at Los Altos High in Hacienda Heights and also played for Strikers FC and West Coast FC club programs. He helped West Coast FC the National Cup title in 2013.

“Adam possesses a physical presence that will help him become a dominant defender in the Big West Conference,” Volk said. His timing and athleticism make him an exceptional ball winner in the air both defensively and on attacking set pieces.”

UCI was 15-5-3 in 2013, when it won the Big West Conference Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.

— From staff reports