Dynamo Academy alum Beto Soto has become a star at Marquette

A native of Houston, Texas, Beto Soto received a proper Milwaukee welcome when he arrived at Marquette University. “I actually had fun when I first got here,” Beto told BGN. “It was me, my sister,  and my brother-in-law and it was the first time we’ve seen snow. So, we definitely had a snowball fight and we expected that there was going to be a lot of people, but it was only us outside having a snowball fight.”

But, it wasn’t simply the snow that led Soto to become a Golden Eagle. “When I came on my visit, I fell in love with the fans, the coaches, the school, and then the guys told me great things about school,” he explained. “And, I love that Marquette is a school that focuses on athletics and also on education. So yeah, both best of both worlds.”

It’s safe to say he made the right choice on where to continue his athletic and academic careers.

Last season, Beto scored three goals and added one assist in his first collegiate campaign. His performance earned him numerous accolades including Big East Freshman of the Year and Big East All-Tournament Team. “Definitely the support and trust that the coaches gave me since the moment that I got here and also a big part of it is my teammates,” Soto said about what led to his early success. “Since the moment that I got to Marquette, they welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like family.”

Was he surprised at all by the level of success he was able to have right out of the gate? “I was definitely surprised,” Beto answered. “I didn’t think I was going to have as good of a season as I did, especially winning Freshman of the Year, All-Tournament and those kinds of achievements.”

With that impressive freshman season behind him, Beto will no longer be catching opposing defenses by surprise and that is something that motivates him. He said, “It definitely motivates me. I don’t want to be that type of player that has one good season and just falls off. I want to be a player that constantly does my best to help my teammates and my team win.”

After working on his conditioning in the offseason, he’s avoided being a one-hit wonder thus far as he’s scored two goals and added an assist in six matches this season. Marquette is 3-3 at the moment, but Soto has full confidence that his team can compete at the top of the Big East with schools like powerhouse Georgetown University. “I have trust in my team,” Beto said. “There’s no doubt in my head that we can make it far, making it to the final in the Big East, and giving a good game against whoever we are playing against.”

Before he became a star at Marquette, Soto developed his skills with the Houston Dynamo Academy, starting at the U-13 level. “It definitely played a big part of the player I am today, especially the coaches,” he said about his time in the Dynamo Academy. “They really helped me out, not just coaches, but my whole team. Soccer is a team sport, so without them, I wouldn’t be here. I’ve got to give a lot of credit to the staff, not just the coaches, but the whole Dynamo Academy staff.”

Beto also earned the opportunity to train with the Dynamo first team during 2019. “It was definitely a great experience since the moment I get there,” he said. “I was nervous when I first got there, but the players made me feel welcome.”

He highlights former Dynamo players Niko Hansen and Alberth Elis for their great advice and willingness to help him out. He said, “Those two were the players I really looked up to when I got there and helped me since the moment I got there and were very polite to me.”

Soto grew up a Dynamo fan, still remembering the first match he ever attended when he was around seven years old, and lists Brian Ching as his favorite Dynamo player ever. What would it mean to Beto to represent the first team in MLS someday? “That’s my dream,” he answered. “To play with the team where I’m from, Houston, Texas, and represent my city that I love so much. And playing with the team that I played on the Academy of, that’s just a dream that I’ll hopefully achieve one day.”

If he keeps up his impressive form at Marquette, he can definitely make that dream become a reality someday. Beto and the Golden Eagles are back in action tomorrow at home vs. Villanova (kickoff at 7:05 PM CT, streamed live here).

Carson A Merk

Reporting live from Sin City, I have covered both RGVFC and Las Vegas Lights FC since their inceptions. I also write profiles to highlight players from the NCAA to USL to NWSL and everywhere in between.