SACRAMENTO STATE MEN’S SOCCER SIGNS THREE FOR 2009-10 2/25/2009 SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento State men’s soccer head coach Michael Linenberger has announced the signing of three student-athletes for the 2009-10 school year. Max Alvarez, Matt Linenberger and David Norton will join the Hornets for the 2009 season. Alvarez is a senior at Napa HS in Napa, Calif., where he was the 2008 Napa County Player of the Year. A striker, Alvarez led the Monticello Empire League in scoring during his senior campaign, putting 42 goals in the back of the net. He led his team to a 15-9-2 record in 2008, including a berth in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs. Alvarez competes at the club level for Davis Legacy ‘91, which he led to the Disney Soccer Showcase championship this winter, while earning tournament MVP honors. “Max is a striker who has proven to be, at both the high school and club levels, a consistent goal scorer,” Michael Linenberger said. “He competed for one of the better club teams in the state and scored big goals in big games for them. We are hoping that he can do it for us right away as a freshman.” Linenberger, the son of the head coach, is a senior central midfielder at Jesuit HS in Carmichael, Calif. The Sacramento native was a first team all-Delta River League honoree as a senior, while earning defensive MVP honors for the team, which was ranked No. 1 by both ESPN and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America during the 2008 season. Linenberger competed at the club level for California Rush, where he led the team to a US Soccer club regional title. He also took part in the Olympic Development Program at the state level. “I’m excited to coach my son at this level, although I know there will be challenges involved,” Linenberger said. “He is a left-footer player who can play in the midfield or the back line for us right away. His passion to play here and growing up around the program will help him. He is dying to be a Hornet and we’re excited about that.” Norton is a senior at Foothill HS in Pleasanton, Calif., where he led the Falcons in scoring the past two seasons. A striker, Norton was a first team all-East Bay Athletic League selection in both 2007 and 2008. At the club level, Norton competed for Ballistic United of Pleasanton, where he scored 32 goals in 32 games during the 2008 season.  “David is another goal scorer who possesses tremendous speed,” Linenberger said. “He will be one of the top five fastest players we’ve had in the program in my 21 years here. Not a lot of coaches knew about him, playing for a smaller club, but we are very happy to have him.”