GILROY — The Gavilan College men’s soccer team has a new coach and it’s a familiar face for many Gilroy-area fans.
Ricardo Espinosa, who also coaches the Christopher High boys’ soccer team, was named the head coach of the Rams on April 1.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Department of Kinesiology & Athletics at Gavilan College,” Espinosa said via press release. “My long term vision for the soccer program seems to fit right in with the Department’s ongoing drive to build high quality sport programs for all student-athletes.”
Espinosa will take over the program for Justin Johnson and said recruiting will be his top priority. Espinosa served as an assistant coach at Gavilan in 2010 after coaching at UC Santa Cruz from 2001-03, and was the head coach of his alma mater Gilroy High, which he graduated from in 1987, from 1996-98.
He attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and played for the Monterey Jaguars A-League team — a semi-pro team — after graduation from 1995-96. He was drafted by the San Diego Soccers of the Contintental Indoor Soccer League the following year and in 1997 he played for the San Jose Oaks.
The Rams begin the 2014 season at the end of August.
