Women’s Soccer Wins National Title

After winning the state championship on Dec. 3, the Fresno City College women’s soccer team now has claimed the national title along with junior college National Player of the Year honors for Danielle Pacheco.

The near-perfect Rams team (25-0-2) also includes three All-Americans and the National Coaching Staff of the Year, according to the United Soccer Coaches. The junior college Division III All-Americans from FCC are sophomores Pacheco, Jasmine Garibay and Rianna Castaneda, who was MVP of the state championship tournament.

“It’s been a dream season,” said head coach Oliver Germond, whose staff also won national coaching honors in 2014. “We are so proud and thankful for our amazing student-athletes. Being awarded the National Championship and winning the State Championship is a dream come true."

This is the first California Community College Athletic Association championship for Germond at FCC; he holds a 291-65-39 overall coaching record. It’s the fifth time his team made it to the final four and the first time it progressed to the championship game.

That final match against Santa Barbara was tight, with all the scoring done in the second period. FCC struck first with a goal by Sophia Zertuche on an assist by Anissa Wilson. The Rams later took a 2-0 lead on a goal from Taylor Alkire, also on an assist from Wilson. Santa Barbara’s lone score came late in the second period.

Castaneda, the Rams’ All-American goalkeeper, recorded four saves in the 2-1 win.

Both the men’s and women’s state soccer titles now reside at FCC. It’s the first time in school history (since 1948) that soccer teams won both state championships in the same year. For all sports, it’s only happened four times in CCCAA history (since 1955).

Both junior college Division III soccer National Players of the Year also are FCC student-athletes: Pacheco on the women’s side and Johnny Rodriguez for the men.

The two soccer teams, along with the state championship wrestling team, were honored Thursday (Dec. 14) with a proclamation by the City of Fresno.

On the national stage, the women’s soccer team made a steady climb up the Division III rankings after starting at #14 in the preseason poll by the United Soccer Coaches. The Rams took over the top spot in November’s final regular season poll, and cemented the #1 ranking and national title in the final poll of the year on Dec. 5.