IRVINE, Calif.-- UC Irvine women's soccer announces another member of their incoming class for the 2026 season in Samara Maldonado.
 
Maldonado was a star and captain at Eastlake High School helping the squad to CIF Division I playoff berths in each of the last three seasons and a pair of unbeaten league titles. She finished top three in points in the Mesa League and top six in San Diego Section Division I leading to a pair of all-league honors, second team as a junior and first team as a sophomore.

She was recently awarded Winter Sports Athlete of the Year for the Titans as a three-sport athlete and captain for all three teams. On the track & field team, she set the school record in the 4x400m with a time of 3:53.60. She would compete in the CIF State Championship Meet in the 4x400m, competed two years in Arcadia, and a three-time CIF Section 400m finalist. In field hockey, she lifted the team to a CIF Division II Championship and was twice league player of the year in addition to all-conference second team in 2025 and first team in 2026.

On the club circuit, she competed with new Anteaters Keira Baranski and Iri Griffin for Rebels SC reaching the ECRL National Finals and making all-conference in 2024-25.

"Samara can play anywhere. She is a really well-rounded soccer player who is good in and out of possession. Her work rate is second to none and we think she has the chance to grow into a high impact player for us." - head coach Scott Juniper