Richie Marquez has defied the odds. In a league full of Generation Adidas athletes and international players making their way to MLS, a center back from a Division III school in California was an afterthought for most coaches in the league.
Marquez was skeptical about continuing his career after high school. The California native did not receive an offer from and Division I program. Instead he was offered by the University of Redlands of Division III and Marquez admits he had his doubts.
“I wasn't sure if I wanted to play anymore because at that time in my life all of the D1 schools passed me by and I thought I didn’t want to play D3,” Marquez said.