The Santa Monica College Men's soccer team announced that sophomore center forward Maurice Morton signed a national letter of intent to attend Loyola Marymount University. Morton is the first NCAA Division I signee for Head Coach Tim Pierce.
SMC Head Coach Tim Pierce on Maurice:
"Maurice is our 1st Division I scholarship player. He is a great kid, who is solid in the classroom, works hard and is also a team Captain here at SMC". He wasn't highly recruited out of El Camino High school, didn't start here as a freshman but this year really came on and played well for us. He was a 1st team All Conference selection after scoring 12 goals. He also had 8 assists which was close to the top in our conference. " As a result of his All Conference selection Maurice attended the sophomore showcase All Star event in December 2014 and played well enough to have a number of 4 year college scouts notice him. I'm really happy for Maurice. This is a real success story!"
Comments from Maurice Morton
"I started playing the sport 7 years old in a AYSO rec league and fell in love with the sport right away. After high school I came to SMC to play soccer to improve his skills with hopes of pursuing a scholarship. At SMC I was able to develop as a player and gain confidence in my ability. I wasn't quite ready to play at the four-year level out of high school but my teammates and coaches here at SMC challenged me and helped me grow as a player."
As far as coming to SMC to play collegiate soccer, Maurice is very happy he chose to come to Santa Monica College and thinks other high school players who are looking for a place to play, SMC is a great choice. "I would tell others it's a great opportunity if you weren't highly recruited. It gives you a chance to develop your game and get better, and can lead to greater opportunities in the future. Coming to SMC is a great way to get noticed by DIV I and DIV II coaches and allows you to improve. I have enjoyed my playing career at SMC. Without the SMC coaches I wouldn't be in this position. They have put me in position to be successful. I'm grateful to them and all the players at SMC who helped me become a better player."
Maurice will enroll at Loyola Marymount University in the fall with hopes of challenging for a starting position for the Lions.