SACRAMENTO, Calif.-- Men's soccer completed its final signing

of the season by inking Jesuit High School defender Alexis Maúrtua on

Wednesday. Maúrtua joins Marcos Mercado as the second Jesuit prospect

to sign with the team this season.

The defender was a member of the U-19 Cal-North State Cup

Champion River City Rush club team and helped lead them to the

Western Regional Finals. Maúrtua also competed with the Rush during

the U-21 Western Regional Tournament in 1998.

In high school, Maúrtua was the captain of two league

champion Jesuit squads in 1999 and 2000 while also being a part of

the U-19 Olympic Development Program teams in 1997 and 98.

Sacramento State head coach Michael Linenberger expects

Maúrtua to receive playing time as a freshman but will be groomed

with Mercado to anchor the defense when seniors Jason Gantt, Sergio

Cruz and Andy Hashimoto graduate.

Maúrtua joins Rio Americana's Patrick Nelle, Vacaville's

Ricky Rodriguez and Mercado as the Hornets' 2001 recruiting class

that will join the program as freshmen in the fall.