The future is now for Quakes keeper prospect
SAN JOSE >> The goalkeeper of the future is about to start his career with the Earthquakes.
JT Marcinkowski, a former De La Salle High soccer star, has become San Jose’s third Homegrown signing, a development that has been expected for the U.S. under-20 national team keeper.
The Washington Post first reported that Marcinkowski, 20, is leaving Georgetown after starting for three seasons to join Major League Soccer.
The timing of the signing, announced Wednesday by the team, comes as former starter David Bingham is out of contract and not planning to return to San Jose. Marcinkowski, of Alamo, will begin his career as a backup to Andrew Tarbell, who took over for Bingham in the Quakes’ final 12 games.
The move signals the team is content to keep Tarbell, 24, as its starting goalkeeper as he enters his third season in MLS.
Marcinkowski has been considered the Quakes’ keeper of the future after four years in the youth academy. He underscores general manager Jessie Fioranelli’s plans to mine the farm system to develop senior-level players.
The 6-foot-1 player was Jonathan Klinsmann’s backup at the Under-20 World Cup this year. Marcinkowski led the Hoyas to a 34-15-7 record and had 21 shutouts.
Besides the academy, he also played for the Quakes’ former affiliate Burlingame Dragons FC. He also has trained with the first team and now joins Tommy Thompson and Nick Lima’s as San Jose’s three Homegrown players.
Men’s college soccer
CARDINAL FACES ZIPS IN NCAA SEMIS >> Stanford resumes its quest for a National Championship threepeat on Friday in the NCAA semifinals against Akron at Talen Energy Filed in Philadelphia. The match starts at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
The Cardinal (17-2-2) entered the tournament as the No. 9 seed. The Zips (18-32) are seeded fifth. The Cardinal is 25-12-6 all-time in the NCAA tournament, including a 4-3-2 at the College Cup.
Stanford is facing Akron in the semifinals for the second time in three years. The teams played to a scoreless draw through regulation in Kansas City in 2015 before Stanford emerged 8-7 on penalty kicks.
One of six programs to win back-to-back national championships, Stanford is attempting to join Virginia (1991-94) as the only programs to win three straight NCAA titles.