Anteater men's soccer continues to produce talent into the professional ranks with 18 footballers currently playing pro soccer or finishing up seasons internationally.
Beto Alvarenga - Chattanooga FC: The 2021 Anteater grad played the 2022 season with local club California United Strikers where he played 14 matches. At the start of the 2023 season, Alvarenga went to Chattanooga FC within the same NISA league where he's played eight of the nine matches recording a pair of assists out of the midfield and helping the club to the top of the standings.
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Kwabena Boateng - Gold Star FC Detroit (NISA): Kwabena completed his final season and immediately joined up with Detroit Gold Star FC of NISA. He's started and played in all of their matches on their backline this season collecting two clean sheets.
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Gordon Botterill - Queen of the South FC (Scotland): The 2021 Anteater that played during his grad year went back across the pond joining Queen of the South FC on a short-term deal. The Scottish club played in the third tier of the Scottish Premiership Football League. Botterill played in three matches this past season collecting wins in all three between the posts. The club who had just dropped down from the second tier prior to his arrival finishing in fifth this season just outside the top four who play a playoff to earn the second promotional spot. After the season, Botterill signed a one-year extension to remain with the club.
Daily Record article on Gordon Botterill
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Ashish Chattha - Orange County SC (USL): The two-time All-Big West First Teamer joined up with Orange County SC soon after the 2022 season. OCSC is coming off a season as the USL Championship runner-up, but through 14 matches stand 10th in the table. Chattha has appeared in 11 matches starting nine of them and added two caps in US Open Cup competitions.
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Danny Crisostomo - LAFC: The former Big West Midfielder of the Year continues to raise his game earning a roster spot with LAFC for the 2023 season. He's seen action in regular season games, MLS Next Pro matches, even CONCACAF Champions League. Crisostomo has made a pair of starts in US Open Cup matches playing full matches including all 120 minutes vs. Monterey Bay FC advancing on penalties and assisting on a goal.
Libero article on Danny Crisostomo
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Oscar Delgado - LA Force (NISA): Delgado joined a club in the Philippines after finishing up with the 'Eaters in 2021 spending time with Stallion-Laguna of the top flight league. He's returned to the states playing with NISA side, LA Force, seeing action in a US Open Cup match.
Victor Falck - Central Valley Fuego (USL League One): The Big West co-Midfielder of the Year went back to his home in Virginia and played two seasons for USL League One side Richmond Kickers. Prior to the 2022 season, he returned to California staying within the league to join Central Valley Fuego where he's been for two seasons now. The midfielder has played in all 10 league matches to this point. He made 27 starts last season where he tallied six goals.
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Lester Hayes III - Middelfart (Denmark): The Anteater alum continues to carve out his career starting in Spain and now on to Denmark. He began with Dalum IF scoring one goal in one match before jumping to Middelfart Boldklub before playing a match. In two seasons now at Middelfart in Denmark's third division, he's tallied seven goals in league play, and added a four-goal match in the league cup, Pokalen. Hayes III continues to star for the Puerto Rico national team playing three matches including a goal in a World Cup Qualifying contest and recently playing in a pair of CONCACAF Nations League matches. Hayes III has earned a spot with Puerto Rico for this month's prelims starting June 17 for a chance to play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Puerto Rico will play Suriname to begin with a win putting them against the Martinique / Saint Lucia winner June 20 for one of the spots.
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Jorge Hernandez - San Antonio FC (USL Championship): The brief Anteater career for Jorge Hernandez led him to time with LA Galaxy II of the USL Championship. He then traveled to Ukraine with Chornomorets Odesa as war was breaking out, and he was able to quickly manuever to Belgium's top league and sign with KV Mechelen. After nine matches in Belgium, Hernandez has returned to the states in the USL Championship division joining the defending champions San Antonio FC where he's seen action in one match since signing in April.
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Miguel Ibarra - Charlotte Independence (USL League One): - The former MLS and national team star is in his 13th season of professional football and second with USL League One side Charlotte Independence. He's netted three goals in 22 matches with the squad taking his career totals to 34 goals in 244 career matches across the top three divisions of soccer in the U.S. and Mexico's top league.
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Tian Keat See - Perak (Malaysia): The Anteater goalkeeper had a brief career with the program for two years before playing a couple seasons at Johns Hopkins. After that, he returned to his home country of Malaysia where he's spent the last six years bouncing around. Starting with the reserve team PKNP in Malaysia and then to the Thai third league with Bangkok FC where he played 10 matches, he returned to Malaysia where he's suited up for PDRM, Penang, Melaka United, and now Perak FA accumulating 42 matches in his professional career.
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Luca Mastrantonio - Union Omaha (USL League One): The All-Big West First Team defender signed with Union Omaha of USL League One after two seasons with FC Tucson where he scored four goals in 48 matches. He's started five of six matches played for his new club in 2023.
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Robert Mejia - Michigan Stars FC (NISA): The talented midfielder joined the 'Eaters in 2022 as a grad transfer and scored All-Big West Second Team recognition. He's found a home in the NISA for the Michigan Stars FC where he's seen time in two matches so far this season.
Tarek Morad - Oakland Roots SC (USL Championship): The Anteater alum and defender is on to his 10th professional season. He joined Oakland Roots SC of the USL Championship division in their inaugural year of 2021. He's played over 40 matches for the squad and most recently scored his first career goal last month, his fifth career goal in 180 matches.
Where We Come From Makes Us Who We Are - Tarek Morad
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Roberto Molina - Indy Eleven (USL Championship): After Molina's sterling freshman season for the Anteaters, he joined the professional ranks and has played alongside Crisostomo and Alvaro Quezada for the last two seasons at another USL Championship squad, Las Vegas Lights SC. He also was drafted by Colorado Rapids in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He signed with Indy Eleven just over a month ago, and with his legs finally underneath him, he knocked in his first goal with the club in his second match last week making it a 3-0 match of an eventual 4-0 win. Molina has also seen first-team reps with the national team of El Salvador earning six caps.
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Eder Oliva - Capo FC (USL League Two): The former Anteater midfielder joined up with local club Capo FC, part of the USL League Two. He's seen action in two matches this season, both part of the US Open Cup.
Diego Otoya - Sporting Cristal (Peru): The dynamic freshman signed in Peru's top division in January to begin his professional career. At Sporting Cristal, he's yet to make his first Starting XI, but has appeared in six matches and scored in his second in the 90th minute to help to a 2-0 victory over Academia Cantolao. The goal made Otoya the youngest player to ever score in Peru's Primera Division at 18 years and 193 days old. Otoya is also gaining experience training with Peru's national team and his earned caps with the under-20 squad.
Libero article on Diego Otoya
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Ford Parker - New Mexico United (USL Championship): The native New Mexican begins his second season with the USL Championship club. He played three matches in 2022 starting in net and earning wins in all three with one clean sheet. He's yet to make an appearance in 2022. Prior to joining New Mexico United, he played two matches in two seasons with fellow USLC club, Birmingham Legion FC.
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