Houston Christian University Athletics

2020 (Senior): Appeared in all 11 games and started in 10 for the Huskies tallying 944 total minutes. Was second in shots with 25 and tied for the team lead for shots on goal with 10. He had goals against Dixie State and UTRGV. Natera was named to the Western Athletic Conference Honorable Mention All-WAC Team – his third consecutive All-Conference honor.

2019 (Junior): Appeared in and started 17 of the team’s 18 games…was second on the team with 10 points, scoring three goals and tying for the team lead with four assists…scored the game-winner in the team’s 2-0 win over Kansas City (11/9), clinching a spot in the WAC Tournament in the regular season finale…scored goals at SMU (9/2) and at San Jose State (10/6)…had a two-assist game in the Huskies’ 4-3 win at Grand Canyon (10/25)…also recorded assists vs. IUPUI (9/21) and at UNLV (10/27)…attempted a team-high 57 shots with 19 on target…was second on the team with 1,358 minutes played…named Honorable Mention All-WAC…earned Academic All-WAC honors.

2018 (Sophomore): Started and appeared in 15 games…led the team in points (16), goals (5) and assists (6)…tied for sixth in the WAC in assists…opened the season with a two-goal performance in a tie with Siena (8/24)…again netted a brace to go along with an assist for a five-point match against Purdue Fort Wayne (9/2)…enjoyed a stretch of four consecutive matches with an assist against SMU (9/14), Utah Valley (9/22), San Jose State (9/28) and Seattle (9/30)…scored his fifth goal of the season at CSU Bakersfield (10/26)…attempted a team-high 56 shots with 23 of those on target…logged 1,245 minutes played…earned Honorable Mention All-WAC recognition…named Academic All-WAC.

2017 (Freshman): Appeared in all 15 matches while starting the final two…was one of seven Huskies to score two goals on the year…scored both of his goals in WAC play against Grand Canyon (10/1) and Incarnate Word (10/29)…also had one assist for a total of five points on the season…led the team with 27 shot attempts while putting seven of them on goal…played a total of 796 minutes…named Academic All-WAC.

High School: Two-year letterwinner and starter for head coach Jimmy Krueger...named Most Valuable Offensive Player as a sophomore and earned Second Team All-District honors…played club soccer for coach Kenny Bundy and the Houston Dynamo Academy…spent time training with the Argentina National Team on two separate occasions.

Personal: Full name is Gianluca Natera...business major...born July 7, 1998 in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela...son of Ivan and Gabriella Natera...has one brother, Christopher, who played soccer for four years at St. Thomas...enjoys golfing and playing FIFA.