Arizona Western fall athletics in the midst of a historic season

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Arizona Western College’s three fall athletic programs have combined for a 48-2-5 record, showcasing a level of success that reflects the strength of the Matadors’ coaching staff and the culture built throughout the athletic department.

Athletic Director Jerry Smith, who has held the position for 22 years, credited the current coaching staff for helping Arizona Western reach new heights.

“We have the best set of coaches right now that we've ever had in my tenure here,” Smith said.

Women’s soccer head coach Victor Verdugo echoed that sentiment, pointing to the trust Smith has placed in his coaches as a key factor in the department’s success.

“When you look at that overall success, you have to give credit to who put it together. And I think it goes back to Jerry having that trust in his coaches,” Verdugo said.

Smith said it has been a long time since all three programs have experienced this level of success in the same season.

“It's been a long time since all three teams had the overall success that we've had this year,” Smith said.

The accomplishments extend beyond the teams’ records. Each of the three head coaches reached a significant career milestone this season, with Verdugo recording his 50th career win, volleyball head coach Lorayne Chandler earning her 200th career victory and men’s soccer head coach Kenny Dale reaching his 300th win.

All three programs also captured 2026 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) championships, further highlighting the consistency of Arizona Western’s fall sports.

“The conference championship demonstrates quality over time with different players in different positions, different venues,” Dale said.

Chandler also credited the time and commitment invested by the coaches and athletes in building successful programs.

“The amount of time, again, like I said, that they've put in to make this season what it is. That in itself is pretty exceptional,” Chandler said.

Verdugo said the success is part of a larger process of development within the program.

“I think what we do here, the transformation, the maturity, the winning is just a side effect of it,” Verdugo said.

While the Matadors share the distinction of winning conference championships, each program took a different path to reach that point.

Men’s soccer put together a 16-game unbeaten streak, with Dale describing it as one of the program’s strongest stretches in the middle of a season.

“To be honest, that was one of the best midseason runs I think we've had here,” Dale said.

Women’s soccer secured its fourth consecutive conference championship with a victory over No. 3 Eastern Arizona College. The Matadors had previously drawn against the Gila Monsters earlier in the season, making the rematch an opportunity to validate their standing among the nation’s top teams.

“I think the girls wanted that validation of we were ranked number one and we had to defend it against the number three opponent,” Verdugo said.

Meanwhile, volleyball has continued its dominant campaign after exiting the Region I semifinals last postseason. The Matadors are now two matches away from completing a perfect 25-0 regular season.

Chandler said the team’s chemistry and commitment have played a major role in its success.

“The way that they've come together, the camaraderie that they've built, really shows how dedicated they are to putting together a winning culture,” Chandler said.

With postseason play approaching, the three programs are looking to turn their regular-season accomplishments into even greater success. The coaches understand that the margin for error becomes smaller as the stakes rise.

“We're in that part of the year that every 90 minutes, it's for real. It's a must-win situation,” Verdugo said.

Dale is looking forward to the opportunity to compete in front of the Matadors’ home fans, with Arizona Western set to host postseason opponents in Yuma.

“I'm really excited about playing at home in front of the home fans and our opponents having to travel to us,” Dale said.

For Chandler and the volleyball team, the focus remains on maintaining the habits that have fueled their undefeated run.

“We're looking forward to it. But we're also cognizant of the fact that we just need to make sure that we do the little things right,” Chandler said.

With conference championships secured and postseason competition nearing, Arizona Western’s fall programs have established themselves as a force across the department. Now, the Matadors will look to build on their historic regular-season success as the road to even greater achievements runs through Yuma.