ROCKINGHAM — A pair of Richmond Raider soccer players held a signing day in the school’s media center on Friday.
Cody Eason and Alex Medina, two multi-year starters for the Raiders and head coach Chris Larsen, both recently announced they would be continuing their playing careers at the college level.
Eason will join Coker University’s men’s soccer program as a preferred walk-on, while Medina is set to play two years at Cape Fear Community College.
Friday’s signing was a celebration for the two soon-to-be graduates, as teammates, coaches, family members and classmates joined them.
Not only teammates at Richmond, Eason and Medina have also played together for several years with AC Sandhills, a local travel soccer program.
Their signing brought this year’s total number of Richmond soccer signees to three, adding onto Kaitlyn Huff’s commitment to Gardner-Webb University.
Larsen said he was impressed by both players’ work ethic and willingness to get the opportunity to play at the college level.
“Alex has had the goal to play in college for a long time and he’s been pushing himself,” Larsen said. “Both have had to go out on their own and attend camps and play in travel tournaments, and it’s paid off for them.
“Cody and Alex will have to continue to work hard at the next level, but they’ve done it here so I think they’ll be successful,” he added. “Hopefully this shows that Richmond can produce soccer players who can compete in college and draw more attention to our future players.”
Cody Eason, center back
Cody Eason is joined by his parents and brother during Friday’s signing. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Eason started for the Raiders as a junior and senior and found his calling at the center back position, which is the same spot he’ll play for the Cobras.
In February, Eason attended an ID camp at Wingate University. During that camp, Coker’s coaches expressed interest, leading to his preferred walk-on offer.
Playing college soccer is something Eason has always aspired to accomplish, and he said it “just kind of happened” quickly this spring.
“Coker showed a lot of interest in me and that’s why I chose to go there,” Eason explained. “I’m really excited because this is always something I wanted to do. Getting a chance to continue my soccer career feels really good.
“Playing at Richmond helped me build up my skills, leadership and confidence,” he added.
During his senior season this past fall, Eason earned his first career all-conference selection and scored two goals in a game against Cape Fear High School. Following the need to bolster the back line, Larsen moved Eason to center back.
Coker is a Division II program and the Cobras finished last season with a 12-7-2 record and a 5-6 mark against South Atlantic Conference opponents. Eason plans to study sports management while playing at Coker.
Alex Medina, center midfielder
Alex Medina celebrates signing day with family members in Richmond’s media center. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Taking the junior college route, Medina played at the varsity level for three years. A staple at the center midfield position, he will also play there for the Sea Devils and study business.
Like Eason, Medina had to create his own recruitment opportunities and went to an ID camp in March.
Shortly after that workout, Medina decided he wanted to perfect his craft at Cape Fear for two years and work on getting a chance to play at a four-year university.
“Cape Fear was one of the schools I’d been looking into for a while because I love Wilmington,” Medina said. “At Richmond, there aren’t many recruiting opportunities for soccer. I figured if I could go to Cape Fear, it could be the first step to playing at a Division I or II program.
“They recently got a new coach and are looking to bounce back from last season,” Medina continued. “I hope I can bring my best ability to play for them and help turn the team around. I want to accomplish being freshman of the year and make an immediate impact.”
Medina earned an all-conference selection following his junior season, where he scored seven goals and had five assists. As a senior, he netted six goals for the Raiders who finished sixth in the conference standings.
In 2021, the Sea Devils recorded a 2-6-2 overall record. Against NJCAA Region 10 opponents, Cape Fear was 1-5-2. Head coach Dave Martin will enter his first season at the helm of the men’s program after leading the Cape Fear women’s team to an undefeated season last year.
