BERKELEY – After a strong 2017 season where the Golden Bears made their 12th post season appearance in the last 17 years, the team is eager to welcome more than a handful of newcomers to the pitch in the fall.
 
Cal announced eight in its 2018 class on Wednesday, National Signing Day, to fill in spots that were left vacant by seven departing seniors.
 
The Bears maximized their locale in a soccer hotbed as each member of the octad hails from the Golden State.
 
"We are really excited about our 2018 signing class," head coach Kevin Grimes said on Wednesday. "These eight players fit perfectly within our team's style of play, as well as our program's culture. We look forward to bringing this group into our program."
 
The class is headlined by San Jose Academy members Ben Ayers, a goalkeeper who is already enrolled, and JJ Foe Nuphaus,  a threesome from the LA Galaxy Academy Taylor Davila, Ian Lonergan and Jonathan Estrada, Real Salt Lake Academy member Sebastian Soto, Pateadores USSDA Academy's Christian Gomez and and Stefan Jung of Marin FC.
 
For more information on Cal men's soccer, follow the team @CalMSoc on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 

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Meet the Signees 

Ben Ayers
Hometown: Palo Alto, Calif.
Academy: San Jose Earthquakes
Position: Goalkeeper 

• Selected to the All-Regional Team in the ODP Interregional Event in 2015
• Won the NorCal State Cup in 2016 saving the final penalty kick and receiving the NorCal State Cup MVP
• Played for the U16 Earthquakes Academy team and in 2016, his second year on team, was named team captain during an International tournament in Mexico City

 







 
Taylor Davila
Hometown: Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Academy: LA Galaxy
Position: Midfielder 

• Invited to the US U14 national team camp in 2012, 2013 and 2014
• Named to the starting 11 for U16 in the west for the 16-17 season

 










Jonathan Estrada
Hometown: Santa Ana, Calif.
Academy: LA Galaxy
Position: Forward 

• Called up to five US national team camps
• Trained for most of the 2017 LA Galaxy 2 season appearing 13 times and finding the back of the net once
• Has maintained a GPA of 3.8 throughout high school

 









JJ Foe Nuphaus
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Academy: San Jose Earthquakes
Position: Midfielder

• Represented the U.S. Men's National Team at the U-15 level
• Was one of the 26 players called up by U-17 head coach John Hackworth to the Honduras camp from Feb. 24 -March 3 in 2017
• Appeared in eight games for Bundesliga's TSG Hoffenheim's U-17 squad in 2016

 








Christian Gomez
Hometown: Anaheim, Calif.
Academy: Pateadores
Position: Midfielder

• Selected to the El Salvador Men's National Team
• Competed in UNCAF Championships in Costa Rica and placed 3rd
• Competed in CONCACAF U17 World Cup Qualifiers in Panama
• Competed in U18 Bolivarian Games (Olympic Qualifiers) in Colombia

 








Stefan Jung
Hometown: San Rafael, Calif.
Academy: Marin FC
Position: Midfielder 

• Played with U17 professional soccer team FC Lipstadt, in Germany summer of 2014, was asked to stay and sign
• Played with professional Bosnian second team, FK Sarajevo, asked to return and sign
• Named a 2017 winter all-state and regional player
• Won state championship in 2014 and 2015 and has been a four-year starter

  







Ian Lonergan
Hometown: Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Academy: LA Galaxy
Position: Defender 

• Captained LA Galaxy teams the last four years
• Advanced to back to back national championships the past two seasons with the Galaxy
• Played with the youth national teams for various age groups

  








Sebastian Soto
Hometown: Encinitas, Calif.
Academy: Real Salt Lake
Position: Forward

• Named to the 2017 United Soccer Coaches Youth Boys All-America Team
• Selected to U.S. Soccer Men's Youth National U19 Team in 2018
• Recognized as United State Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) Top Goal Scorer in 2016/2017 season for U16/U17 (36 goals)
• Currently leads the nation for U19 (24 goals) 
• Selected USSDA Best XI U16 for 2016/2017 Season 
• TopDrawer Class of 2018 No. 22 national ranking, No. 5 forward, and 4-star rating