Miller and Garcia add solid depth at keeper for RGV FC
EDINBURG, Texas (March 1, 2022) – Rio Grande Valley FC Toros announced today the signing of goalkeepers Colin Miller and Javier Garcia to the 2022 USL Championship roster, pending league and federation approval.
Miller (6-foot-3) spent two seasons at fellow USL Championship side Loudoun United FC prior to joining RGV FC prior to the 2021 season. In 2020, Miller made seven starts, recording one shutout and 28 saves overall. He denied two penalty kicks and kept a 65.1 save percentage on his way to claiming the Championship Fans’ Choice Save of the Month award for August that season.
Last year for the Toros, the Maryland native appeared in eight matches, logging 643 total minutes across the regular season and playoffs. Miller made his debut on August 4 as a substitute for Tyler Deric following a first-half injury and helped conclude a shutout performance in a 3-0 victory.
Miller then served as a key piece in the late season push for RGV FC after Deric suffered a season-ending injury late in the campaign. Miller came through crucially in the 2021 USL Championship Playoffs as he made a pair of penalty kick saves in a shootout against Phoenix Rising FC in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, which allowed the Toros to advance 4-3 in a shootout after the sides had played to a 3-3 draw after regulation and extra time.
“We are happy to bring Colin back to our team,” said Toros Head Coach and Technical Director Wilmer Cabrera. “His talent and skills are very important for the team, and he was an important player last season to help us achieve our goal getting into the playoffs.
Prior to his professional career, Miller spent four years at Providence College where he recorded 182 saves, boasting a goals-against average of 0.97 in 53 appearances. Miller recorded 22 clean sheets and had a 78.8 career save percentage for the Friars. Miller closed out his senior year with 54 saves and nine shutouts in 19 starts that earned him selection to the All-Big East Second Team.
Garcia (6-foot-2) is a local product hailing out of nearby Mission, Texas. The young shot-stopper attended the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley but did not see minutes in the 2021 season, his final season with the group. Prior to competing for at UTRGV, Garcia played at the RGV Toros Academy ranks for three years dating back to 2017.
“Javier is also back from last year and he has grown up in confidence and experience,” said Cabrera. “He is a local talent from The Valley and he is putting more pressure and competition to his teammates.”
TRANSACTION: Rio Grande Valley FC sign goalkeepers Colin Miller and Javier Garcia.
PLAYER PROFILE
FULL NAME: Colin Miller
POSITION: Goalkeeper
DATE OF BIRTH: Oct. 25, 1996
HEIGHT: 6’3”
BIRTHPLACE: Bel Air, Maryland
HOMETOWN: Bel Air, Maryland
FIFA NATIONALITY: USA
PLAYER PROFILE
FULL NAME: Javier Garcia
DATE OF BIRTH: March 23, 1998
HEIGHT: 6’2”
BIRTHPLACE: Mission, Texas
HOMETOWN: Mission, Texas
FIFA NATIONALITY: USA / Mexico
About Rio Grande Valley FC
The Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (RGV FC) enter their seventh season in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship in 2022. The club plays at H-E-B Park, a state-of-the-art soccer specific stadium that holds 9,700 people, the club trains in H-E-B Park’s world class training facility adjacent to the stadium. RGV FC is the only professional soccer team located within the Rio Grande Valley. In 2016, RGV FC became USL’s first team to develop a hybrid affiliation model with a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise. This partnership, with Houston Dynamo FC, began in 2016. The relationship has now evolved into a more traditional USL/MLS affiliation where RGV FC manages all aspects of the club, and the Dynamo are able to loan players to the Toros for development purposes. For more information, please visit www.RGVFC.com.
