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A
tradition of excellence has been formed in the past few years for the
UC Riverside Women's Soccer Team, as not only did the Highlanders
record their best record since 2004 this past season and earn a trip
to the conference tournament semi-finals the year before, they also
have continuously done what is not guaranteed for any program. They
have created opportunities for student-athletes to play at the next
level.
"I
am proud to say that we have had a lot of success in developing our
student-athletes at a very high level," Head Coach Nat
Gonzalez said. "It's something
that is truly becoming a tradition for our program."
Since
the 2014 season the Highlanders have sent six individuals off to earn
professional status in the world of soccer, including two
student-athletes from the 2018 graduating class, and handful more
have entered the realm of coaching. Needless to say, the program has
found its niche in developing players for the next step, whether that
be on the pitch or on the path towards their desired career.
"When
you're recruiting you're always thinking in terms of the team, but to
help your team you always look for players with that passion,"
Gonzalez
said. "It's really incredible to see that passion drive them
through their four years with us and push their desire to continue
playing at the next level."
Quinley
Quezada, an attacking midfielder that
graduated this past season, is no stranger to the professional field
as her young career actually began while she was still dawning the
blue and gold. In her junior year she became the first Highlander to
make a senior World Cup Qualifying roster as she joined the
Philippine National Team and competed in a world class event – the
2018 Women's Asian Cup.
Her
career is now in full force as she is currently in camp with the team
as they prepare for the Asia Football Federation Women's Championship
in Thailand, and the Southeast Asia Games in that begin at the end of
the year. In fact, the team is coming off a landslide 11-0 victory
over Macau, in a friendly, where Quezada (6', 31') netted a pair of
goals.
"Quinley
showed a ton of confidence from the get go," Gonzalez
said. "She actually approached us as a team and told us that she
wanted to play here and that she was going to help elevate our
program to the next level. Just a few years later we helped her get
to a try-out for the Philippine National Team and from day one she
stuck."
Kyra
Taylor is another midfielder from the
graduating class of 2018 that has earned her way onto professional
club. An incredible finish to her college career where she exuded
aggression and athleticism in the middle, winning balls and making
big passes, caught the eye of Fylkir FC in the Icelandic Premiere
League. The club signed her after seeing her skills in person at a
try-out this past January.
"Once
Kyra's junior season unfolded, I think she realized that this was
what she wanted to do at the next step of her life, and her summer
coach and I knew that she definitely had that potential,"
Gonzalez said.
"She always had the grind, so once the confidence came along,
that was all she needed to cultivate it."
Samantha
Arellano, a four-year midfielder that
graduated in 2016, began her career down in Mexico playing for the
Tijuana Xolos and is now a member of Club America.
"We
knew pretty early that Sammy had a shot because her play style really
fits the pro game," Gonzalez
said. "She was one of the more athletic players on the team and
she liked to slow the game down like they do in international play.
She was also a part of the Mexican Youth National Team so she had a
high jumping off point."
"When
you see players day-to-day, you aren't sure what playing at the next
level looks like for them, but we knew there was something about
Sammy, Quinley, and Kyra because they were the soccer equivalents of
gym-rats. We couldn't get them off the field," Gonzalez said. "I
would be driving late from the office and see the lights on, and
they're out there knocking balls. Those moments kind of made us
think, that there is more than just collegiate soccer for them."
Prior
to these three beginning their careers, they saw the path to
professional soccer taken by three of their teammates in Celina
Valencia, Tyler Cunningham, and Alina
Cheatham.
Valencia,
a defender from the class of 2014, got the ball rolling for the
Highlanders' newest tradition. After graduating she headed to Spain
to play pro soccer while also teaching for a few years. The 2016
season was her final year on the field and she is now perusing a
career in physical therapy.
Cunningham
was a forward from the class of 2015 that played a season with the
Boston Breakers' reserve team in the NWSL, and has since become a
police officer. While Cheatham, who was a fellow '15 graduate, played
defense for a season with the for Galway FC in Ireland.
A
handful of other former Highlanders have found their calling on the
sidelines over the past few years as well with Jessica
White (LMU) and Nicole Ragano
(Dartmouth) accepting DI assistant coach positions, as well as recent
graduate Christina Tucker joining
them coaching realm as well.
"One
thing I would say about these former Highlanders is that they're just
hard working, good people," Gonzalez
said. "Talent isn't enough to keep
you where you want to be, and they get that."
Press
Release Provided by the University of California Riverside
Courtesy Photos
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