Arizona Western women’s soccer dominates Region 1 Awards, eyes another deep run

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) -The Arizona Western College women's soccer team is once again proving why it’s among the nation’s elite.

After finishing the regular season undefeated at 13-0, the Lady Matadors brought home a haul of postseason honors including Region 1 Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, and Goalkeeper of the Year.

Head Coach Victor Verdugo was named Region 1 Coach of the Year, leading AWC to a flawless record and the top playoff seed.

Since taking over the program in October 2023, Verdugo has compiled a remarkable 38–2–3 record, guiding the Lady Matadors to back-to-back national tournament appearances and a #2 national ranking.

"It's not really for me," Verdugo said. "It's more for our institution — all those people that take care of us from top to bottom. The award's really a representation for them."

Linka Ono earned Player of the Year after a breakout sophomore season in the midfield. Ono, who came to Yuma from Japan, said the support from her teammates and school has been key to her success.

"My first day I couldn't speak English," Ono said. "But the school helped me so much to be comfortable here, and that's why I think I got so good."

Between the posts, Iyan Hernandez was named Region 1 Goalkeeper of the Year after allowing just 0.27 goals per game and recording nine shutouts.

"It means a lot to me," Hernandez said. "I know how long I worked for this, and I couldn’t have done it without the help from my coaches and teammates."

Adding to the list of local standouts, Central High School graduate Ariana Peraza earned Second Team All-Region honors in her freshman season.

"I've been very excited this season," Peraza said. "I'm learning from players who’ve competed at higher levels, and I've just been taking in everything that I can."

The Lady Matadors also continue to excel in the classroom, boasting a 3.58 team GPA, the highest among AWC athletic programs.

AWC begins its Region 1 playoff run Wednesday night against Mohave College at Matador Field. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. as the Lady Matadors look to make their third straight trip to the national tournament.