Developing Talent: Corpus Christi FC Shows Athletes a Path to the Professional Rank
USL1 Corpus Christi FC

Developing Talent: Corpus Christi FC Shows Athletes a Path to the Professional Rank

Published on March 19, 2026 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Corpus Christi FC News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A common phrase you may here in a soccer match is having a "dream start." It's when you start off on the right foot, taking an early lead. It's fair to say a couple Corpus Christi FC (CCFC) players are off to a "dream start" of a pro career.

On March 14, CCFC played its first professional match in USL League One, tying FC Naples 2-2. Nacho Abeal assisted on the first goal in the club's pro history. Bubu Medina scored a spectacular goal in stoppage-time to help secure the tie.

Both guys made their pro debuts that night and Corpus Christi FC showed them a path to get here.

"I knew there was a possibility of coming here, but I wasn't sure. New staff, a lot of new players, great players," Abeal said, midfielder for CCFC.

"It was definitely in the back of my mind when they first announced it, but I wasn't like, oh this is going to happen," Medina said, a midfielder for CCFC.

"I obviously knew I wanted to play for the professional team. I just didn't know if it was going to be a real possibility," Kyle Barganski said, a midfielder for CCFC.

Abeal, Medina and Barganski played pre-professional soccer for Corpus Christi FC for the last two summers. All were a part of the most successful team in the club's USL League Two history. They won the Lone Star Division in 2024, were one of the final eight teams in the playoffs and made the club's first appearance in the U.S. Open Cup.

Abeal from A Coruña, Spain had some impressive accolades himself. He stands as the club's all-time leading goal scorer with 27 goals. He was named Lone Star Division Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025. He was named to the Southern Conference Team of the Year in 2025.

"There was something there unfinished and being able to comeback to the first pro club here in Corpus Christi is such a blessing," Abeal said.

All three signed their first professional contracts this year to play for Corpus Christi FC, at the next level.

"Honestly I've even cried on the phone with my mom because I've been trying for this my whole life," Medina said.

Medina had been playing pre-professionally in his hometown of Las Vegas, since he graduated college. He played four years in Division One across University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Utah Tech University and Lipscomb University. Medina was instrumental to the USL League Two team success. His parents gave him some wisdom after he broke the news to them.

"Just because you signed doesn't mean it's over. This is where the real work begins and I agree with that," he said.

CCFC Assistant Coach Manny Iwabuchi has seen the hours and hard work these guys have put in.

"Growing up, as a player, you dream of going professional and that's what drives you, that's your passion that's what pushes you," he said.

Iwabuchi was also their head coach for the pre-professional team.

"My conversations with them were to have the best fall season in college that they could. We wanted them to have really, really good seasons to see if we could push them on to a pro trial or something. Obviously, with the announcement of us going pro and the possibility of me being involved as well, I'm sure for them was kind of like a sigh of relief. It was like OK, there's a door here," Iwabuchi said.

The pre-professional team provided these guys with an added perspective during training, outside of their typical fall seasons.

"We want it to be a pathway for athletes to get to the next stage," he said. "So, to be able to see that three boys have broken through, it's exciting for me but again, it's validation to what we were saying we were going to do."

Now, all three guys are on a roster with a lot of pro experience, but also some familiar faces.

"It made me happy too because they deserve to be here, they deserve to be pro," Abeal said.

"I think it's a good feeling when I see them at training next to me and have a laugh, share a few jokes, it feels good," Barganski said.

Most importantly to them, they're showing others a path forward. The one thing they all agreed on is that you have to work hard for what you want.

"As long as you put the hard work in and you believe, you truly believe and keep working no matter what happens, it'll work out. I promise it will pay off," Medina said.

In addition, Barganski is the first CCFC signing right out of Corpus Christi. Iwabuchi has coached Barganski since he was 10-years-old. He hopes more kids look to Barganski and how he's progressed.

"That's the formula. It's not the talent that Kyle has, which he has a lot of. It's not the mentality, personality. It's more his willingness to be uncomfortable. His willingness to put himself in uncomfortable situations, but not only put himself there, know he fits in and know that he can play," Iwabuchi said.

Barganski, a Flour Bluff resident, is still in high school and was playing for the San Antonio FC Academy prior to signing with CCFC. He joked that his father was most excited to hear the news.

"My dad was obviously most excited," he said. "He'd drive me up to San Antonio, there and back, two or three times for practice and games. So, he was really excited he can stay home and I can drive myself to practices."

Iwabuchi has a lot of faith these won't be the only three guys to play professionally from his pre-professional teams. He's confident, they've seen the blue print.

"Everything that we talked about is generating," he said. "It is a process and it's a process of hard work. It isn't a process of word to mouth. It's a process of going out on the field every day, working as hard as possible, failing, succeeding, whatever it is. It's a long, long process to get to the point some of these guys are at."

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