HOUSTON – HCU head men's soccer coach Ryan Pratt announced the signings of Ryan Okerayi and Ricardo Garcia Wednesday afternoon for the 2023-24 season. Houston Christian University (HCU), formerly Houston Baptist University (HBU), underwent a name change in September 2022. 
 
Ryan Okerayi was born in Dublin, Ireland before moving to Houston with his family. He currently attends Texas Connections Academy in Houston and plans on graduating in the spring. He has started for TCA for three seasons. His sophomore and junior seasons he was named the district 16-6A offensive player of the year and was named to the first-team all-region and first-team all-district. As a senior he joined the Houston Dynamo Academy as part of the u20 team.  
 
Okerayi has played club soccer for the Houston Legends and for the Houston Dynamo Academy. While on the Legends, his team won the Dallas Cup in 2022, where Ryan scored twice against Everton FC, and was a two-time winner of the National Frontier Conference.  
 
He was born to parents Oluwaseyi and Abi Okerayi and has two sisters, Tara and Krista. Okerayi looks forward to joining the Huskies where he will further develop in the classroom and on the field. Coach Pratt is also excited about the talent Okerayi brings to the program.  
 
"Ryan is a big, powerful, and quick technical player who will add another dimension to our attack as a forward," Pratt said. "He has the ability to press defensively and add dynamic ability to combine and beat people in the final third. He is a great fit for our style of play." 
 
The Huskies will also add Ricardo Garcia to the fold in 2023. Garcia grew up in the Houston area, playing high school soccer for Texas Connections Academy where he will graduate from in 2023. He also plays club soccer for Houston Dynamo Academy. 
 
Garcia was born to parents Ricardo and Erica Garcia here in Houston. He has two siblings. Brother, Giovanni (12), and sister, Jackelyn (15).  
 
"We are extremely excited to add Ricardo to our group. He has a great soccer brain and top-end technical ability," Pratt said. "He is quick, maintains possession very well and will help us control the tempo in the midfield. His background and experience with the Dynamo will help him contribute right away." 
 
Garcia and Okerayi will join the Huskies for the 2023-24 season.