HERRIMAN, Utah (Thursday, May 22, 2025) - Today marks a new chapter in eleven homegrown student-athletes lives, as Real Salt Lake and Salt Lake Academy communities assembled to honor the graduating class of 2025. Grayson Carter and Jacob Miranda headlined this year’s class earning Valedictorian and Salutatorian honors; Dominic Berrios, Dylan Cantafio, Zavier Gozo, Nick Nobles, Cayne Madhlangove, Luca Moisa, Luis Rivera, Jahmani Stapleton, and Axel Uristegui all concluded their adolescent education, receiving their diplomas earlier this morning.
“I think we don’t talk about it enough - we need to pause and appreciate what these boys have done and how hard of a thing that is to leave their homes, their families, their safe spaces at the age of thirteen and move - sometimes across the country or from a foreign land - to experience our campus,” said Real Salt Lake Assistant General Manager Tony Beltran, following the ceremony of the 2025 graduating class.
“We always preach for our boys to strive for excellence in three areas - academics, citizenship and soccer - with soccer always coming after academics and citizenship … It’s like Pablo [Mastroeni] says - they’re people, they’re human beings first … We want to develop people who can go beyond soccer, go out into the world and are capable of solving real-world problems and impacting their circles in a positive way. This group really embodies everything beyond the field, as people and human beings. We’re endlessly proud of them and it’s a privilege to be even a small part of their journey.”
The ceremony was composed of words from Herriman Mayor Lorin Palmer and student speakers alongside Valedictorian Carter, who took the stage to address his peers. Carter represented the RSL U18 squad throughout the 2024-2025 MLS NEXT season, donning the armband on the pitch.
“I would like to thank everyone who has supported us in this journey, thank you to the RSL coaches and staff who have helped us get to this point. My time at the academy has helped me grow academically, athletically, and personally,” stated Carter.
Carter, a Univ. of Pittsburgh commit, joins the Panthers this fall, while Salutatorian Miranda has yet to decide what his next step will be.
Six of this year's 11 academy graduates will attend various universities this fall (Berrios - Univ. of the Pacific, Cantafio - UCLA, Carter - Univ. of Pitt., Nobles - Univ. of Michigan, Madhlangove - Dayton Univ., Stapleton - Fairfield Univ.), whilst RSL-contracted players Rivera, Moisa and young first-team standout Gozo remain on the Wasatch Front continuing their youthful careers. Miranda and Uriostegui still have yet to decide what’s next.
Despite being done academically, RSL Academy travels to Nashville, Tenn., next month to conclude its 2024-25 MLS NEXT calendar competing at the MLS NEXT Cup, after qualifying at MLS NEXT Flex earlier this month, topping Group F while earning 8 points.
Salt Lake Academy is a tuition-free, public charter high school serving grades 9-12 located alongside the Zions Bank Real Academy in Herriman, Utah. SLA believes in the combined power of academics and athletics to maximize the potential of each individual. Their mission is to develop students who are lifelong learners, responsible global citizens, and champions of their own success. To learn more about Salt Lake Academy click here, and to learn more about Real Monarchs and the RSL Academy, click here.
