Marcelo Valencia (Player) - Inducted 2022

As both a player and a coach, Marcelo Valencia has been a mainstay in the Northern Virginia soccer scene for the past 35 years.  Marcelo hails from Valparaiso, Chile, arriving in the United States in 1981 at the age of 9.  Marcelo graduated from J.E.B. Stuart High School in Falls Church, Virginia.  While at Stuart, Marcelo was a three-time 1^st Team All-Met selection and, in 1990, was the Washington Post Player of the Year.  Marcelo led the Raiders from the late 80’s to the 90’s as one of the most exciting high school teams to watch.  Marcelo culminated his youth playing years by winning the USYS Under 19 Boys McGuire Cup National Championships with the VISTA Hurricanes.

After his youth career, Marcelo attended George Washington University.  While at GW, Marcelo was the only player in GW history to be named a four-time 1^st Team Atlantic 10 selection and to amass over 25 goals and 25 assists in his career.  After his sophomore campaign, Marcelo was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year.  In 2008, Marcelo was inducted into the George Washington University Athletic Hall of Fame.

After GW, Marcelo played five years of professional soccer. He began playing during the 1995 season and last took the field during the 1999 campaign. Marcelo scored 60 goals and recorded 61 assists in his 123-game career with the Washington Warthogs, Tampa Bay Terror, Philadelphia KIXX, and the Baltimore Blast.   

After his playing career Marcelo has successfully translated his soccer knowledge to coaching where, over the past 20 years, he has helped develop premier soccer players and teams in the Washington DC metropolitan area.  Marcelo is currently entering his 20^thseason as the boys’ soccer head coach at the Potomac School and has been a youth coach with McLean Youth Soccer for over 15 years.