UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Head men's soccer coach Jeff Cook lands Diego Diaz from Jalisco, Guadalajara. The center back has vast experience playing at a highly competitive level for Club Deportivo Guadalajara Chivas since he was 13 years old. Chivas is a renowned academy in Liga MX, the top professional soccer division in Mexico.
"Diego arrives in Happy Valley after an outstanding career at one of the most famous clubs in Mexico, Chivas Guadalajara," Cook said. "Diego is a determined and tough defender whose leadership qualities are clear to see when you watch him play and are emphasized by the fact that he has served at the U-18 team captain for the last two seasons."
For the last seven years, Diaz has spent time playing at several levels in the Chivas organization. He won the Youth Generation Adidas Cup when he was 18 years old with the U-15 Chivas. In 2021, the two-time captain won the Clausura Championship at the U-17 level. Although Diaz rosters on the U-18 team, he has spent time with the U-23s in Liga MX in a training setting.
Athletics run in the Diaz family with his sister, Daniela, spending one year playing volleyball for the Mexican National Team. Diego, like his sister, plans to continue his soccer career at the professional level.
When asked why he chose Penn State, Diaz responded, "It has everything I am looking for, a competitive sport program, a strong educational system, a beautiful campus, and an inexplicable environment. Here in Mexico, I play for the biggest team in the country and have seen what greatness really looks like. When I hear the name 'Penn State', I hear tradition, spirit and honor, but I also see an amazing sports culture filled with history and prestige. I want to add to the record books and leave my mark," said Diaz.
