Long Beach State Soccer Signs Four To National Letters Of Intent

LONG BEACH, Calif.—Long Beach State women's soccer coach Mauricio Ingrassia has announced the signing of Grace Caldwell, Makena Irvine, Malea Johnson, and Amaya Sanles to National Letters of Intent to continue their playing careers at the Beach.

"We are thrilled to be bringing such a talented class to The Beach," Ingrassia said. These four young ladies are of high character, and they will fit into our team culture, which is a top priority when selecting our classes. The class also addresses a need in each position on the field, adding quality and competition to our already talented squad. I look forward to working with Grace, Makena, Malea, and Amaya."

PLAYER CAPSULES
Grace Caldwell • MF • 5-4 • Fr. • Los Angeles, Calif. • LA Center for Enriched Studies (LACES)

Scored 13 goals as a senior, helping the team advance to the 2024 CIF LA City Section Girls' Soccer Championships.
Played on the club level for Beach FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy Development Academy.
Was named second-team All-Southwest Conference on two occasions.

"Grace is a strong, athletic defensive player who can play all positions in the back row," Ingrassia said. Grace brings with her a big personality as well as a fighting, competitive spirit. She has the potential to develop into a top-notch defender and a significant upside. I look forward to having Grace in our environment to help her become her best."

Makena Irvine • MF • 5-4 • Fr. • Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. • Torrance West HS

Team won 2022 CIF Division 3 State Championship.
Named first-team All-Area and Pioneer All-League as a sophomore and junior.
Maintained a 4.0 GPA as a freshman, 3.8 as a sophomore, 4.1 as a junior, and 3.8 as a senior.
Played for the Beach FC ECNL 05/06 for coach Liam Delury. Beach FC was the 2022 national finalist in the 2005 age group.
A teammate of Amaya Sanles in high school.
Joins sister Morgan Irvine as a Beach women's soccer team member.

"Makena brings a strong and brave physical presence to the midfield, and she can play both sides of the ball," Ingrassia said. Makena is a tremendous competitor who led her team to the ECNL National Championship game while playing a year up. She will be someone who the fans will learn to appreciate quickly, and I'm thrilled that she is going to be in black and gold in just a few short months."

Malea Johnson • MF • 5-5 • Fr. • Chatsworth, Calif. • Oak Park HS

Scored 36 goals and 24 assists over the final three years of her prep career, 16 goals and nine assists as a senior, and posted 10 goals and 10 assists as a sophomore.
Chosen first-team All-Coastal Canyon League as a sophomore, junior, and as a senior.
Scored the golden goal to make the Div. 3 CIF Finals and was the first to score in the state playoffs for Oak Park.
Selected Coastal Canyon Academic All-League in 2021, 2023, and 2024.
A member of the school honor roll in 2021, 2023, and 2024.
Played club soccer for LAFC So Cal Youth and coach Keith West. She was the top goal scorer for LAFC So Cal Girls 06 during the 2024 ECNL season.
Was a LAFC So Cal Youth program member for 11 years and helped the club win the 2021 Surf Cup (Black Division).

"We have been tracking Malea for quite some time as we always felt she had tremendous upside," said Ingrassia. "We landed her later in the process, right about when she was tearing up opponents in the front row. She can play various offensive positions and is someone you can always find on the score sheet, either scoring or assisting. We are very excited to be adding Malea to our program."

Amaya Sanles • GK • 5-8 • Fr. • Torrance, Calif. • Torrance West HS

Team won 2022 CIF Division 3 State Championship.
Named second-team All-Pioneer League as a junior.
Selected first-team All-Area, first-team All-League, and Best Defensive Player as a senior.
Recorded seven shutouts and allowed only four goals as a senior.
Chosen West MVP per selection of teammates.
Earned a place on the school honor roll all four years.
Played for the Beach FC ECNL 05/06 for coach Liam Delury.
A teammate of Makena Irvine in high school.

"Amaya is a late bloomer in goal, as she used to play forward in club soccer," said Ingrassia. She has developed into a tremendous shot-stopper and is evolving quickly into a top-notch goalkeeper. She is a future number one for us, and I'm super excited to have her with us, as she will benefit from our outstanding goalkeeping crew."

The quartet joins Kylie Perez and Liz Worden, who signed with the Beach earlier this Spring as newcomers for the upcoming 2024 season.

~#GoBeach~

Calendar

Long Beach State Soccer Signs Four To National Letters Of Intent

Players Mentioned

Morgan Irvine

Long Beach State University Athletics

Long Beach State Soccer Signs Four To National Letters Of Intent

Players Mentioned

Morgan Irvine

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