DALLAS --- After earning kinesiology and Spanish degrees at Lipscomb University and being part of a men's soccer team that went to multiple NCAA DI National Tournaments, Malik Shaheed knew Biola would be a great place for him to use his final year of athletic eligibility.

Shaheed created some very fond memories in La Mirada two summers ago as an integral forward for the Southern California Seahorses, memories that included scoring at Al Barbour Field. And Head Coach Torrey Stricklin expects him to have a smooth transition into Biola's 2020 roster because Shaheed brings excellent leadership qualities on top of his ability to find the back of the net:

"There is no better fit for Biola University and our program than Malik; his spiritual maturity will have a tremendous impact on our program," said Coach Stricklin. "He is also a great soccer player who is already accustomed to scoring goals on the Al Barbour Field as he played with the Southern California Seahorses two years ago in USL League 2. This will be a nice transition for him and I am excited to see how he will impact our program both on and off the field this year."

Shaheed joins the Eagles after tying for the team-lead for points over 14 matches in his final year at Lipscomb. The forward was also part of program history for the Bison in the two years prior, with Lipscomb winning back-to-back ASUN Tournament Championships in 2017 and 2018 to earn qualification for two NCAA Championships. 

Outside of his training, the Dallas, Texas-native represented his team on Lipscomb's Student-Athlete Advisory Council, earned recognition on the honor roll and graduated cum laude with his double major. He's also been running a chapel-accredited devotional series since his time with the Seahorses and is excited about his next chapter. 

Committing to Biola brings Shaheed back to the Los Angeles-area and allows him to join a team that will support his faith development:

"For me, there's no better area to be able to play soccer; my familiarity with the area as well as the connections and experiences with the Seahorse community have always drawn me back to La Mirada," said Shaheed. "On top of that, getting to know Coach Stricklin and working through the vision that he has for the program has been incredible and I feel so honored to be a part of laying the foundations of what he is building there."
 
Shaheed will begin a M.A. in Public Relations and Reputation Management this coming fall and may also leverage his new location to pursue his passion for videography. Eventually, he hopes to be a professional soccer player and coach who uses his platform to develop sports ministries in those professions. 
 
Malik Shaheed will join an Eagles team that is looking to build on three-straight winning seasons since joining the PacWest. More information on the incoming 2020-21 class that will join him at Biola can be found on the Committed Athletes page.