{{short description|American soccer player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2019}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Randy Mendoza | fullname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|3|21}} | birth_place = Santa Paula, California, U.S. | height = {{Height|ft=5|in=10}} | position = Defender | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Santa Paula High School | collegeyears1 = 2014 | college1 = Cal State Los Angeles Golden Eagles | collegecaps1 = 21 | collegegoals1 = 0 | collegeyears2 = 2015–2017 | college2 = UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | collegecaps2 = 59 | collegegoals2 = 0 | years1 = 2016–2017 | clubs1 = Ventura County Fusion | caps1 = 18 | goals1 = 1 | years2 = 2018 | clubs2 = SIMA Águilas | caps2 = 12 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2019 | clubs3 = Orlando City B | caps3 = 21 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2020 | clubs4 = Stumptown Athletic | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2021–2022 | clubs5 = Tacoma Defiance | caps5 = 45 | goals5 = 1 | club-update = September 24, 2022 }}
'''Randy Mendoza''' (born March 21, 1996) is an American professional former soccer player who played as a defender for Tacoma Defiance in MLS Next Pro.
== Early life and education == Mendoza was raised in Santa Paula, California and attended Santa Paula High School where he played soccer. He continued his education at California State University, Los Angeles where he played for the Golden Eagles in 2014. He appeared in 21 games before transferring to the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was a student-athlete for the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer team from 2015 to 2017.
== Club career == While in college, Mendoza played for Premier Development League clubs Ventura County Fusion and SIMA Águilas while maintaining NCAA eligibility.
Mendoza signed professional terms with Orlando City B in February 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2019/02/20/ocb-announces-inaugural-2019-usl-league-one-roster |title=OCB Announces Inaugural 2019 USL League One Roster |date=February 20, 2019 |website=Orlando City SC |accessdate=March 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/orlando-city-sc/orlando-city-b-inaugural-roster-set/ |title=Orlando City B's roster set ahead of inaugural USL League One season |last=Culver |first=Jordan |date=February 20, 2019 |website=www.prosoccerusa.com |accessdate=March 31, 2019 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108034540/https://www.tribpub.com/gdpr/orlandosentinel.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He made his professional debut on March 30, 2019, against FC Tucson and was sent off in the 45th minute.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.themaneland.com/2019/3/30/18288855/orlando-city-b-vs-fc-tucson-final-score-3-1-as-young-lions-drop-usl-league-one-opener |title=Orlando City B vs. FC Tucson: Final Score 3-1 as Young Lions Drop USL League One Opener |last=Rollins |first=Seth |date=March 30, 2019 |website=www.themaneland.com |accessdate=March 31, 2019}}</ref>
On June 12, 2019, Mendoza was part of the Orlando City senior team's traveling squad for their U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round game against USL Championship team Memphis 901. Mendoza appeared as a stoppage time substitute as Orlando won 3–1.<ref>{{cite web |title=Memphis 901 FC 1, Orlando City SC 3 2019 US Open Cup Match Recap |url=https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2019-06-12-memphis-901-vs-orlando-city-sc/recap |website=www.mlssoccer.com |access-date=June 13, 2019 |archive-date=September 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913010534/https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2019-06-12-memphis-901-vs-orlando-city-sc/recap |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On February 25, 2020, Mendoza was announced as a new signing for Stumptown Athletic of the National Independent Soccer Association.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stumptown Athletic on Instagram: “Player Announcement - Randy Mendoza joins Stumptown Athletic for the 2020 @NISALeague campaign pending US Soccer and League approval.…” |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B9AUf0tncuP/?taken-by=stumptownath |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/stumptownath/2251889961519139727 |archive-date=December 26, 2021 |url-access=registration|website=Instagram |publisher=Stumptown Athletic |accessdate=18 March 2020 |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
On March 15, 2021, Mendoza was announced as one of four new signings by USL Championship side Tacoma Defiance.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tacoma Defiance Signs Four Players Ahead of 2021 Campaign |url=https://www.tacdefiance.com/tacoma-defiance-signs-four-players-ahead-of-2021-campaign/ |website=Tacoma Defiance |access-date=16 March 2021 |date=15 March 2021}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{USL League One player|randy-mendoza}} * [https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/24326941 Randy Mendoza] at USL League Two * [https://www.orlandocitysc.com/players/174/randy-mendoza Randy Mendoza] at Orlando City B * [http://www.ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-soccer/2016-17/bios/mendoza_randy_2p46 Randy Mendoza] at UC Santa Barbara Gauchos * [https://lagoldeneagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1923 Randy Mendoza] at Cal State Los Angeles Golden Eagles * {{sports links}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendoza, Randy}} Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:American men's soccer players Category:Men's association football defenders Category:People from Santa Paula, California Category:UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer players Category:Ventura County Fusion players Category:SIMA Águilas players Category:Orlando City SC players Category:Orlando City B players Category:Stumptown AC players Category:Tacoma Defiance players Category:Soccer players from Ventura County, California Category:USL League One players Category:USL League Two players Category:National Independent Soccer Association players Category:USL Championship players Category:MLS Next Pro players Category:21st-century American sportsmen
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