POMONA, Calif. – With just more than two months until the start of the 2011 season, Cal Poly Pomona men's soccer head coach Lance Thompson announced the signing of nine newcomers that will join the Bronco program for the 2011-12 school year.
The group of nine features five junior transfers and four incoming freshmen. By position breakdown, it includes two goalkeepers, three defenders, three midfielders and one forward.
Kris Minton – Junior Goalkeeper
UC Santa Barbara - El Toro High School – Lake Forest, Calif. – Irvine Strikers Soccer Club
Expected to make an immediate impact for the Broncos is Minton, a junior transfer who has spent the past few years at Division I powerhouse UCSB. The 6-foot-4 netminder started 14 games in 2008, helping the Gauchos advance to the second round of the NCAA Division I postseason. In that freshman campaign, he paced UCSB with 42 saves and a .667 saves percentage.
Previously, he played with the nationally-recognized Irvine Strikers Soccer Club, captaining the squad to a Pateadores Cup Championship in 2005.
Thompson on Minton: “Kris has a great opportunity to make an impact in our conference, with his composure in net and presence as such a tall keeper.”
Juso Ahmetspahic – Freshman Forward
FK Olimpik – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Consistent offensive contributor for his club teams around Sarajevo. Ahmetspahic began playing the sport at the age of six for the Alameda Soccer Club. A few years later, he moved on to the Bay Oaks Soccer Club. After another stint with the FK Zeljeznicar, Ahmetspahic then competed for FK Olimpik. There, he helped the squad take second place in the Under-19 Boznia-Herzegovina Premier League.
Thompson on Ahmetspahic: “Juso possesses a high soccer IQ and is very dangerous for opposing defense around the 18.”
Elliot Bonde – Freshman Defender
Chino High School – U.S. Soccer Development Academy
As a senior at Chino, Bonde helped his high school team to an overall record of 17-6-2 and a league mark of 10-2. He proved to be a key component of the team's defensive efforts and Chino allowed just 17 scores while tallying 44 goals of their own. Bonde also picked up two goals and an assist on the opposite end of the field.
Thompson on Bonde: “Elliot is a strong and athletic outside back with a bright future. We certainly expect him to compete for minutes.”
David Carrillo – Junior Midfielder
Rio Hondo College - California High School – Los Angeles Premier FC
Carrillo has spent the past two years at Rio Hondo College in Whittier, Calif., earning All-Foothill Conference Second Team honors and selection as the Rio Hondo Offensive Player of the Year award while competing for the Road Runners' men's soccer program. Before that, he helped guide the California High School team to a 13-4-6 overall record during the 2007-08 season.
Thompson on Carrillo: “As a defensive midfielder, David is a simple, safe, smart and reliable player.”
Abraham Gomez – Junior Midfielder
Biola University - Chula Vista High School – Chula Vista, Calif.
Gomez enters the Broncos' 2011 season with junior eligibility and during his sophomore year spent at Biola University, he helped the Eagles to an appearance at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Elite Eight while starting in 18 of the team's 22 matches. As a freshman at San Diego City College, he led the team in points with 25 on nine goals and seven assists. The Knights of SDCC posted an overall record of 14-6-3 that year. Gomez spent his high school career at Chula Vista, where he earned selection as the men's soccer squad's Most Valuable Player three different seasons.
Thompson on Gomez: “Abraham reminds me of Luis Gonzalez [CPP's top forward in 2010], in that he shows tremendous ball skill and great vision.”
Liam Hall – Junior Defender
Fresno City College - San Joaquin Memorial High School
Hall comes to Cal Poly Pomona from Fresno City College, where he earned National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) All-American honors while guiding the Rams to fifth place nationally at the junior college level. Hall also took home Co-Defender of the Year accolades. Prior to his two seasons with FCC, he was a four-year varsity soccer player at San Joaquin Memorial High School. There, he finished as a four-year All-League selection and while captaining the squad in 2008, he lifted the Panthers to a CIF Division II championship.
Thompson on Hall: “Liam is a real soccer junkie and has proved himself as a very good one-on-one defender. In high school he played center midfielder, so his ball handling skills as a defender are exceptional.”
Tyler Jaramillo – Freshman Goalkeeper
Irvine Strikers Soccer Club
Jaramillo possesses more than 10 years of club soccer experience, including time with the Apple Valley Storm, Arsenal FC Developmental Academy, The Galaxy, USA Chivas and Irvine Strikers. Through his time with those squads, the 6-foot-3 goalkeeper helped his team advance to the 2008 Nike Manchester United Cup Finals held at the Nike facilities in Portland, Ore. Jaramillo also earned selection as one of 18 players to represent Arsenal FC in the world-renowned “Torneo Coppa Gaetano Scirea” in Matera, Italy.
Thompson on Jaramillo: “Tyler has a long history with top club teams and we see him competing for minutes in net down the road.”
Michael Torres – Freshman Midfielder
Murrieta Valley High School – Carlsbad Lightning
Torres put together a strong senior season for Murrieta Valley, guiding the Nighthawks to an overall record of 17-7-3 while totaling five goals and nine assists and earning a spot on the All-League Second Team. He also proved to be a consistent contributor for the Carlsbad Lightning, helping the squad capture the 2010 Coast League Cup.
Thompson on Torres: “We're looking for Michael to compete for time, as he's shown himself to be a consistent and intelligent player.”
Richard Vargas – Junior Defender
Oxnard College – Buena High School
As a top defender for Oxnard, he lifted the program to a Western State Conference title in 2010. Overall in the league, Oxnard finished as the second-best defense with just 10 goals allowed. Prior to his time at the junior college level, Vargas completed a solid career at Buena High School in Ventura, Calif.
Thompson on Vargas: “Richard reads the game well and possesses great soccer intelligence. We expect him to make an immediate impact on the program."
