Sam Garza

College: Two-time All-Far West Region and two-time All-Big West Conference First Team honoree … 2011: NCAA Division I All-Far West Second Team selection by the NSCAA … All-Big West First Team pick … Appeared in all 23 matches, earning 22 starts … Produced eight goals and four assists for 20 total points, tied for second-most on the team … Three of his goals were of the game-winning variety … Converted both of his penalty kick opportunities and credited with a team-best 80 shots on the year, 33 of them on frame … Helped lead UCSB to the No. 15 national seed in the NCAA Championship, where the Gauchos lost in the third round at second-seeded Creighton, 2-1 (11/27), and finished with a 15-7-1 overall record … Chosen to MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List prior to his junior season … 2010: Big West Co-Offensive Player of the Year, All-Big West First Team, NSCAA All-Far West Region First Team and TopDrawerSoccer.com Third Team as a sophomore … Led the Gauchos with nine goals and 24 total points … Added six assists over 21 games, with 19 starts … 2008: Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Newcomer of the Year and All-MPSF Second Team pick as a true freshman at Denver University before transferring … College Soccer News Freshman Third Team and TopDrawerSoccer.com All-Rookie Second Team … Totaled four goals and four assists while leading the Pioneers with 31 shots … Started 14 of 19 games played.

International: Regular on the U.S. squad during CONCACAF qualifying for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup … Scored in a 1-0 win over Canada in 2008 and earned selection to the final roster, but missed the tournament in Egypt through injury.

High School/Club: NSCAA All-American at Edward S. Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas … Led the Marauders to back-to-back Texas Class 5A State titles, scoring 58 goals and recording 34 assists during his career … Played club soccer for the Dallas Comets SC 90 and the Dallas Solar SC 90.

Personal: Parents are Israel and Sue Garza … Has one older sister, Libby Rodriguez … Samuel Cruz Garza was born on October 17, 1989, in Carrollton, Texas, also the birthplace of the San Jose Earthquakes’ top draft pick of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft and fellow Texas native, Anthony Ampaipitakwong.