New Mexico United

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. –

New Mexico United and New Mexico 811 are thrilled to announce the eighth round of additions to the U-23 roster in the team’s history. Midfielders Arnold Onyango and Miles Merritt, and defender Arturo Astorga join the inaugural roster to bring the number of announced players to twenty-four ahead of the inaugural season, with more announcements yet to come.

“Arnold, Miles, and Arturo have three very different stories in the game, with each of them arriving at the United U-23’s in a very different way,” said United U-23 Head Coach Luke Sanford. “Miles is a hometown boy from right here in Albuquerque. Arturo grew up just a few hours south down I-25 in El Paso. Arnold grew up in Kenya, and has come to New Mexico to continue to sharpen his already fantastic skills. Despite those differences, I expect all three of these young men to be key contributors to our team in year one.”

Arnold Onyango grew up in Nairbobi, Kenya, attending Lasier Hill Academy, where he served as club captain. He was a member of the U-17 Kenyan National Team. Upon graduation, Onyango attended Indiana Weslyean University for his freshman academic year, before joining Liberty University for his first year of athletic eligibility. In his first season, he made the conference academic honor roll, playing in eight matches. He played for Sanford last season at USL League Two’s Mississippi Brilla.

Miles Merritt is an Albuquerque-native, who played high school soccer at Sandia Prep, leading the Sun Devils to a state championship. He also played club soccer at Rio Rapids and NMSA before joining the New Mexico United Academy roster in August of 2021, and has been a key figure in the midfield since then. Coaches know Merritt best for his hard work and effort both on and off the ball, wearing down opponents.

Arturo Astorga is an El Paso-native who played four seasons at Azusa Pacific University in California. In his time with the Cougars, Astorga racked up the accolades, earning first team all-conference and all-nation honors. He scored the program’s first ever NCAA tournament goal in his junior season. Astorga played the last two seasons at Mississippi Brilla, working alongside Sanford, and helping lead the team to the postseason.

United U-23 will compete in the USL League Two Mountain Division in the 2022 season. Their first match is tonight at 6:00 PM at the New Mexico United Training Facility at Mesa del Sol.