Bryan Koci, Staff Photographer

Name: Devon Sandoval
Position: Forward
Number: 29
Height / Weight: 6-1 / 200
Class: Freshman
High School: Eldorado
Hometown: Albuquerque, N.M.

How he fits
Sandoval is a big body up front for the San Diego State men’s soccer team. He is a true freshman coming out of New Mexico where he led his high school to two state championships and three district championships. At 6 feet 1 inch, 200 pounds, Sandoval is the biggest of SDSU’s forwards and is an excellent compliment to redshirt senior tri-captain Matt McManus and junior Khadim Diouf up front.

Season so far
Out of the three games Sandoval has played, he has started in two of them. He has tallied two points and has scored one goal. Sandoval has tallied seven shots, getting three of them on goal, and has compiled a shot-on-goal percentage of .429. He missed the Aztecs last game because of an illness, but is hungry to get back on the field.

Best tool
A lot of Sandoval’s success can be attributed to his physical play upfront. Having a big body and knowing how to throw it around has allowed Sandoval to quickly, and effectively, make the transition to the college game. “I like being able to play big,” Sandoval said, “and in the college game, playing big allows me to gain some advantages.”

Something you don’t know
Soccer is not the only sport that Sandoval has a passion for; he loves tennis. “I’ve played tennis almost all my life and even played on the varsity team in high school,” Sandoval said. “I love the game and I think I follow it even more than I do soccer.”

Quotable
“Our start was rough,” Sandoval said. “But we’re going to get on a roll. And it doesn’t matter where I come from, starting or off the bench, I just want to do my job. I want to be the most physical, control the ball, and get goals.”