New UC Merced Student Athletes

McLane High School seniors Emerson Hernandez and Juan Flores were recruited to play soccer at UC Merced. For many people, dreams begin from the moment they first start to walk and somebody on the other side is telling them, “You can do it!” For these two young and talented soccer players, the dream began as soon as they first set foot on a soccer field.

Their dream was to pursue higher education. They used soccer as a medium to achieve this goal. Soccer kept them out of trouble. It kept them focused, and it made them into competitive people.

During their time at McLane High School, Hernandez and Flores won a valley championship and won league several times. Without a doubt, they left a huge footprint for the Highlanders and helped build a competitive soccer program along with their coach, Ramiro Terán.

Hernandez has a 3.7 GPA and says his dream is to someday earn a degree in engineering from UC Merced. Both Hernandez and Flores are the first in their family to be admitted into a four-year university. Soccer was a major contributor for this to come true.

Hernandez says he couldn’t believe it when he found out that he and Flores are going to attend the same college and play soccer together.

“Me and him wanted to go together somewhere to something awesome,” Hernandez said.” And then when we got the call it was crazy. We called each other after. We called each other and we were like ‘bro we made it!'”

Flores has a 4.1 GPA, and he is the valedictorian of his class. He says his discipline for school and sports comes from his mother’s teachings. He says she taught him how he should never just settle for any grade because then that would be mediocre. Flores says he always pushed himself to the best version of himself in everything he did.

Flores says going to UC Merced is one of his biggest dreams.

“I started crying tears of joy,” Flores says. “And it was just the best feeling ever because I knew that I was going to be a college student and play college ball.”

McLane head soccer coach Terán says he makes sure his students are performing well in the classroom. He monitors their grades and their GPA and he has constant one-on-one communication with them.

Terán says Hernandez and Flores have what it takes to succeed at the college level academically and in soccer.

“They’re very good soccer plays,” Terán says. “And they have the grades, the GPA, to go to a university, to a UC and pursue their dream of playing soccer and getting a career, a diploma.”

Terán says if his players have the grades and the skill to perform well in soccer, they will definitely succeed at the college level.