Some of New Mexico United Academy's talent filtering back to the prep ranks

Some faces you didn’t see last fall, and indeed faces you might not have seen this fall, will be in their high school uniforms during the 2024 boys soccer season.

This, thanks to a philosophical shift by the New Mexico United Academy program.

“All of our players who are high school age can now play high school,” said Lucien Starzynski, the former Albuquerque High coach who now serves as the head scout for NMU’s Academy.

The past two years, high school age boys who committed to the Academy (which is, Academy coach David Estrada said, essentially a U19 roster) were unable to compete for their high school teams, forcing them to pick one or the other.

This was not popular among the metro area’s prep soccer coaches. But now, their athletes can decide for themselves.

“We shouldn’t be territorial over kids. Kids should be able to make choices,” said New Mexico United head coach Eric Quill. “We need to educate them on choices … and support them on whatever path they choose to go.”

This year, a small handful of NMUA players are competing for their high school teams, and can rejoin NMUA once their prep season ends in October or November. They can also train with the Academy roster, too. They even have the option of splitting games between the two domains. Atrisco Heritage coach Javier Hernandez said he has a player, senior midfielder Julian Esparza, who will be doing this, but those players will have a game limit as established by the New Mexico Activities Association. Once that number is reached (it is 20), they won’t be able to play any more matches for their high school squad.

La Cueva junior midfielder Winston Starr was going to commit to New Mexico United Academy late last year, following his sophomore season. And he did, but he’s not tied to NMUA as his only team.

“The whole plan was, I was done with high school,” Starr said. “Then I got the news we were allowed to, so I was really happy about it. … It’s just a great opportunity to play with our high school, to play with our friends, to play for our school.”

Local prep coaches are glad to have talent filtering back into the prep season.

“It’s fantastic for New Mexico soccer in general, for all of us,” said Rio Grande High coach Brian Weems. “They get more camaraderie, these kids are on campus every day. It’s a win-win.”

Arguably the best player at Rio Grande, senior forward Leonel Bencomo, is one of those handful of boys who’s going to play for the Ravens and who is a member of New Mexico United’s Academy.

Atrisco Heritage forward Elehi Ortega would have faced a choice had this change not occurred earlier this summer. And this is significant, insomuch as Ortega was the leading scorer last season for a Jaguars’ side that reached the Class 5A state championship game last fall.

When NMU Academy was first established in 2021, athletes were permitted to split their time and games between the two. In 2022 and 2023, there was no sharing. It was 100% NMUA, Starzynski said, or 100% high school.

“We want to build that bridge back with the high schools,” said Starzynski, who won multiple state championships with AHS. “We’re doing it for the right reasons.”

The United Academy has certainly proved fruitful. According to the team, 17 Academy players have gone on to play for a Division I program.

Two of the Academy players, including former AHS star Cristian Nava, went on to a professional career.

“If you look at our group, we only have one team,” NMU Academy coach David Estrada said. “And obviously, having such disparity between our youngest and oldest player, sometimes these younger (players) might not have as many minutes as we like. That’s why some of these guys that are still in high school, it gives them this option that will allow them to get plenty of games in the fall.”

He added, “What I want to commit to is that we’re on the same page to create an environment for these players to develop.”