Espinoza Prepared for Future at Levante

CORVALLIS – Oregon State standout defender Greta Espinoza will take the next step in her soccer career in the coming months, as she joins Spanish club Levante UD for its upcoming season.

"I've always known that I wanted to go play abroad, and Spain was my first choice," Espinoza said. "Seeing this dream come true is really special. I'm a little nervous because this will be a lot of added responsibility, but more than anything I am so excited for what lies ahead."

Espinoza, who hails from Tijuana, Mexico, spent the last two seasons with the Beavers, playing primarily at centerback. She started all 39 games Oregon State played over the last two seasons, and led all field players in minutes played in 2016. Espinoza scored her only career goal in 2015, when she converted a header against USC.

"I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to play at Oregon State," Espinoza said. "From the moment I got here, the coaches and players welcomed me into the program. Their encouragement helped me take the next step as a player and as a person."

Prior to heading to Spain, Espinoza will rejoin the Mexican national team for its friendly match with Sweden on July 8. The defender will be joined there by future Levante teammate Charlyn Corral, who led the club with 20 goals in 2016-17. Espinoza and Corral also played together for Mexico at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada.

"I'm really excited to join the national team again," Espinoza said. "My experiences with them in the past have helped me improve as a player, and I think this upcoming stretch will help me move on to the next level."

As she prepares for her professional career, Espinoza looks forward to enjoying the culture in Spain, as well as success on the field. Levante finished fourth in the Primera Division of La Liga Femenino last season, and has won four national titles in its history, with the most recent coming in 2008. The club features players from six different nations, including Mexico, Portugal and Ireland.

As she prepares to move on, Espinoza knows that Oregon State has a bright future, and looks forward to seeing the team continue to build on the culture she helped create.

"I am a little bit jealous of the players who will be back next year, because I think Oregon State has a very good season ahead," Espinoza said. "There is a lot of experience on the team, and I know that the veterans are going to take on strong leadership roles. The players on this team have the level of skill and the work ethic to be really successful this season."

Oregon State will host Trinity Western in an exhibition match on Aug. 11 before opening the season on Aug. 18 vs. Kansas State.

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Players Mentioned

Greta Espinoza

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