Nelson Becerra
Encyclopedia
Nelson Becerra is a Peru
vian footballer currently playing for Harrisburg City Islanders
in the USL Professional Division.
, and attended Saint Benedict's Preparatory School
, where he was a teammate of fellow professional Jose Angulo
. He began his college soccer
at Centenary College of New Jersey
, where he earned NSCAA second team Metro Region accolades, Skyline Conference first team honors, and was named Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year. He transferred to St. John's University prior to his sophomore season. In 2008, Becerra earned NSCAA All-Northeast Region third team honors; he was also named the Midfielder of the Year for the Big East conference and was part of the All-BIG EAST first team as a junior. He helped lead the Red Storm to their first College Cup appearance since 2003, earning himself an invitation to the 2010 MLS Combine.
During his college years Becerra also played in the USL Premier Development League
for the Long Island Rough Riders
and the Central Jersey Spartans
. He scored three goals in 10 games with the Long Island Rough Riders in 2008. With the Spartans in 2010, he bagged eight assists in only nine games.
of the USL Professional Division. He made his professional debut on April 23 in a 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
, and scored his first professional goal on May 14 in a 1-1 tie with the Richmond Kickers
.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian footballer currently playing for Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL Professional Division.
College and Amateur
Becerra grew up in Paterson, New JerseyPaterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
, and attended Saint Benedict's Preparatory School
Saint Benedict's Preparatory School
Saint Benedict's Preparatory School is a college preparatory school in Newark, New Jersey, United States. It is an all-boys, secondary school located on a urban campus serving students in the seventh through twelfth grades...
, where he was a teammate of fellow professional Jose Angulo
Jose Angulo
Jose Angulo is a Colombian footballer currently playing for Harrisburg City Islanders in the USL Professional Division.-Youth:...
. He began his college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at Centenary College of New Jersey
Centenary College of New Jersey
Centenary College was founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church. Centenary has evolved from a coeducational preparatory school to a girls' preparatory school , to a Junior college for women , to a four-year women's college , to a coeducational...
, where he earned NSCAA second team Metro Region accolades, Skyline Conference first team honors, and was named Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year. He transferred to St. John's University prior to his sophomore season. In 2008, Becerra earned NSCAA All-Northeast Region third team honors; he was also named the Midfielder of the Year for the Big East conference and was part of the All-BIG EAST first team as a junior. He helped lead the Red Storm to their first College Cup appearance since 2003, earning himself an invitation to the 2010 MLS Combine.
During his college years Becerra also played in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
for the Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders is an American soccer team based in South Huntington, New York, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its...
and the Central Jersey Spartans
Central Jersey Spartans
Central Jersey Spartans is an American soccer team based in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 2009, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its...
. He scored three goals in 10 games with the Long Island Rough Riders in 2008. With the Spartans in 2010, he bagged eight assists in only nine games.
Professional
Having attended the MLS combine in 2010, Becerra signed his first professional contract in 2011 when he signed with the Harrisburg City IslandersHarrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the USL Professional Division. He made his professional debut on April 23 in a 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
, and scored his first professional goal on May 14 in a 1-1 tie with the Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers
The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.