Northern California native Danny Centeno has been named men’s soccer assistant coach with the Hornets. Photo courtesy of Sacramento State

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Sacramento State interim head men’s soccer coach Matt McDougall rounded out his coaching staff for the 2026 season on July 24, elevating Hector “Keko” Grajeda to a full-time assistant coaching position and adding Northern California native Danny Centeno as an assistant with the Hornets.

“We are excited to welcome Danny into our Hornet men’s soccer family,” McDougall said. “Danny is a young coach that is eager to help student-athletes succeed both on and off the field. He brings a wealth of knowledge from the professional game, and we look forward to him mentoring our student-athletes.”

Grajeda is entering his second year with the program training the Hornets’ goalkeepers after joining the sidelines prior to the 2025 campaign. The Sacramento State alum returned to his alma mater after spending the previous four seasons as a coach at the club level and a four-year professional playing career.

Centeno enters his first year as a coach after spending the last four years playing with Atlanta United 2 and Birmingham Legion FC in the USL Championship. He was selected with the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft by Atlanta, training with the first team before making his professional debut on March 12, 2022, with a start against Louisville City FC.

“I am excited for this new journey and opportunity,” Centeno said. “I look forward to helping our student-athletes as much as I can, along with working with this great staff and program. I want to thank my former coaches and teammates, especially Mikey Varas, for helping me along in my soccer journey.”

In his first year, he started 16 of his 30 appearances with Atlanta United 2, recording three assists, then made 18 starts in 26 appearances in 2023 with club, collecting his first professional goal in a 5-0 win over Miami and adding two more assists.

A graduate of Weston Ranch HS in Stockton, Calif., Centeno trained and competed within the Sacramento Republic Academy system for four years from 2015-19 before spending a year with the FC Dallas Academy. He returned to the Sacramento Republic Academy side in 2021 before signing with Pacific.

In his freshman season, Centeno appeared in 16 matches for the Tigers, finishing with six goals and five assists to lead the team in points and tie for the team lead in goals. He was a named a Freshman All-American first-teamer by College Soccer News, was selected to both the All-West Coast Conference first team and all-freshman team, and was chosen as the WCC’s Freshman of the Year, helping Pacific finish second in the conference standings

Following that year, he signed a Generation Adidas contract and entered the MLS SuperDraft, where he was taken by Atlanta.

Centeno also has experience competing with the United States Youth National Team and is the founder and head coach of Centeno Elite, a private soccer training business specializing in individual and small group development.