LA Galaxy academy update: Four players named to Development Academy Starting XI

Four LA Galaxy players have been named to the 2012-13 US Soccer Development Academy Starting XI. Oscar Sorto, Raul Mendiola, and Drew Murphy were all named to the U-17/18 Western Conference Starting XI. Steve Martinez earned similar honors for the U-15/16 Western Conference.

Sorto receives this honor for the second straight year and is now a senior squad member as a Homegrown player. This is Raul Mendiola's third time being named to a Development Academy Starting XI. Drew Murphy was part of the LA Galaxy U-16 side of 2010-11 that won the Development Academy national championship.

This comes on the same day that it became official LA Galaxy Academy Director Peter Vagenas poached Chivas USA's U-16 coach Michael Munoz. The Galaxy U-16s did not make the playoffs this year, but Munoz' Chivas side captured the Southwest Division title and led the Western Conference in goals.

"It is an honor to be a part of this club and to work with the LA Galaxy Academy," said Muñoz, who ended his playing a career and began his coaching career with the Galaxy. "The primary reason that I decided to join the staff is Peter Vagenas and the rest of his coaching staff. I have enormous amount of respect for Pete as a player and as a person and I know he is the right man for this job to move the program forward. I'm very excited to get started and helping to continue to grow the Galaxy Academy."