They took him down Orchard Road, leading to and from practice. They passed the Gunrock, a restaurant on campus which hosts an Aggie hour from 3 to 6 p.m., giving students a 20% discount — something Saul Tecle is sure to take advantage of. They walked down to Aggie Soccer Field, the grass on which his practices and games will take place.
Head coach Dwayne Shaffer and assistant coach Jason Hotaling were showing off the campus to their recruit from Las Positas, chaperoning him around the area. But it wasn’t the landscape that sold Tecle on the University of California Davis. It was the coaches themselves.
“We were getting some ice cream,” Tecle said. “Me and assistant coach (Hotaling) sat down, and he went into depth on why he thought I’m the guy they need at their program. When he was explaining himself … in my body it really told me ‘This is the place where I need to be.’”
Tecle and his family held an official commitment ceremony at Im Moment Kaffee on Friday, Feb. 28, where he celebrated joining the UC Davis Aggies. After one season with Las Positas, he leaps to the Division I level. Tecle becomes the second Hawk under head coach Andrew Cumbo to get a full ride to Division I. The first was Marco Neves in 2017.
Tecle, a freshman forward, dominated this season with LPC, earning multiple honors. The biggest — becoming the first-ever Hawk to be named the Junior College Division III National Player of the Year.
After totaling 58 points with the Hawks, his new challenge is scoring goals for a prestigious soccer program. The Aggies, who just won the Big West Championship.
The competition will be faster, stronger, bigger and smarter than what he faced at the California Community College level. But Tecle’s talent has always trended toward this.
He spent two years with the Oakland Roots, who promised him a professional debut. Instead, they released him. The distraught Tecle revived his dream of becoming a pro with the Hawks.
The level-up for Tecle is also a feather in the cap for the Hawks’ program. It’s a strong recruiting tool for Cumbo, knowing a player from Las Positas landed at the Division I level.
“I think it’s telling that this is a good place to be,” Cumbo said. “My objective is always just trying to help the players move on to the next level.”
During his visit on Jan. 22, Tecle was most impressed by how the coaches talked ball. They explained how they saw Tecle fitting on their roster and their expectations for him. They told him how his skills, they believed, would elevate the Aggies and how in their midst his game would grow.
Throughout it all, Tecle felt seen. He felt heard. Felt he belonged.
It was the same feeling he searched for after being dropped by the Oakland Root’s youth development program, Project 51O. A search that led him to Campus Hill Drive. One that now sends him to Shields Avenue.
The Aggies already spoke to Tecle about a potential commitment during high school, but he decided to chase the professional level, skipping collegiate play. When he went back on the market, they became the first Division I program to reach out.
“It showed me that the school has been really keeping an eye on me, keeping tabs,” Tecle said. “Talking to my coaches and really trying their best to get me at their program.”
Last season’s Big West Championship was their second in history. They lost in the first round of the NCAA Division I Tournament, a 1-0 defeat to San Diego. It was their fourth Tournament appearance.
They are hopeful Tecle will blend well with leading-goal scorer Cason Goodman, who finished with 11 goals and five assists.
“I think he’s prepared,” Cumbo said. “He’s always trained well. He’s always carried himself in training like a pro. He understands the importance of the small stuff. He understands the importance of taking care of his body. So, in some way, I want to say it should be a smooth transition.”
Throughout Tecle’s journey, creating a strong bond with his coaches has grown in importance. After being dropped by the Oakland Roots, he sought a coach who could get him back on the right track. He leaves the Hawks with a life-long connection to Cumbo.
“People who help me in my past on my journey, I don’t forget those people,” Tecle said. “I keep those people in my life because they play a big factor and can always help me in the future. If I’m in a low period or whatever the case may be, coach Cumbo really helped me.”
Along with the Aggies coaching staff impressing Tecle, the school possessed another advantage — its location.
In Tecle’s life, his family takes the role of his pillars — pushing him, supporting him, fueling his fire. UC Davis provided him the opportunity to not only play Division I ball but also to do it at home.
“My mom had a moment where she really yelled, and all the emotions came out,” Tecle said. “Being able to see that made me really happy because we went through a lot growing up, and being able to go to such a great, prestigious school and letting her be able to come watch me whenever she likes, it makes me the happiest person alive.”
For some, transitioning from JUCO to the top level of collegiate soccer would seem too daunting. The increase in level too steep. But to Tecle, it’s simply another step to his ultimate goal — becoming a professional.
His time as a Hawk propelled him closer. He’ll have to finish the job as an Aggie.
***
TOP PHOTO: Saul Tecle (No. 19) bringing the ball down against the Merced Blue Devils on Nov. 26. Tecle becomes the second player under coach Cumbo to leap to the Division I level. (Photo by Justin Gomes/ The Express)
Jakob Arnarsson is the Managing Editor and Sports Editor of The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @JakobA2004
