Machael David

Classroom

David will complete his degree in sociology during the Fall 2012 quarter at UC Santa Barbara. He has been a standout in the classroom, compiling a 3.24 cumulative grade point average. He is a three-time Big West All-Academic team honoree and has won three consecutive UCSB Golden Eagle Awards, which are bestowed upon the athlete with the highest GPA on their respective team. What makes David’s academic achievements all the more impressive is that he did not speak English until he was 17 and did not begin high school until he was 18 years old.

Character

David’s story epitomizes the American dream. Growing up disadvantaged in Nigeria, he began playing soccer in the streets since his parents could not afford to send him to school during the day. At 14, he was offered the chance to play in Italy and moved to Milan, but still dreamt of one day receiving an education. At 17, he used a forged passport to fly to New York in an attempt to pursue his education. After being detained in customs, he was eventually placed in a group home where he first began to learn English and converted to Christianity. He was then placed with a foster family in Washington, where he began his formal education and started playing high school soccer. After battling through school, David eventually graduated with a 3.8 GPA and was recruited to come to UCSB. After being forced to redshirt his first year with the Gauchos due to the NCAA eligibility rules as they pertained to his shortened high school education, David finally debuted with the UCSB soccer team during the 2009 season. He has recently earned his United States citizenship, finally realizing his American dream.

Community

David is an active member of the Santa Barbara community. Along with his teammates, David has participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, has participated annually in teaching skills and drills at AYSO Skills Day, and has made visits to local elementary schools to speak to local youth and teach them about soccer. Each year that he has been at UCSB, David has also coached clinics for local AYSO teams and has served as a guest-coach at AYSO practices. In addition to his service to the local soccer community, David is also a well-recognized member of the UCSB Athletics community. He attends competitions and games for nearly every other Gaucho sport and can be seen regularly cheering on his fellow UCSB athletes.

Competition

A defensive midfielder, David has been critical to UCSB’s success during his three previous seasons with the program. Following his freshman season in 2009, he garnered Big West Freshman of the Year honors, Second Team All-Big West, Soccer America All-Freshman Second Team, Goal.com Freshman Team, and Top Drawer Soccer All-Rookie First Team honors. As a sophomore, he was named to the All-Big West First Team. For his career, he has played in a total of 55 games, logging 4,731 minutes on the pitch. He has posted two goals, including one game-winner, and nine assists. After battling through several injuries in 2011, he is healthy and ready to complete his collegiate career in strong form this season.