Eight members of the most victorious Pasadena City College women's soccer team in school history will continue their playing and academic careers at 4-year universities. It's the largest class of student-athlete transfers ever produced by the program.
Itzel Nunez, an All-State defender, earned a playing scholarship at NCAA Division II West Virgina State University.
Nunez, a 2-time, All-South Coast Conference selection, proved to be one of the best defensive players in community college soccer in her two years.
A supreme talent, Nunez is strong at headers both in the defensive zone to clear out opponent opportunities and near the opposing net on corner kicks. She also displays strong ball-handling skills, creating transition plays upfield. She helped PCC limit opponents to just 0.56 goals per game. She collected the PCC Athletics Sandi Iverson Award.
Angely Puga, a forward who was second on the Lancers in scoring this past season with 22 points (seven goals, eight assists), is on her way to D2 Saint Martin's University (Lacey, Washington). Puga finished at #19 on the PCC All-Time Scoring List with 14 goals, 14 assists for 42 points.
Sydney Esquival, a starting defender who played one season for the Lancers, is headed to D-II Chaminade University (Honolulu, Hawaii).
Hailey Hull, a clutch forward over her two seasons with a remarkable eight game-winning goals in that time, takes her talents to NAIA Point University (West Point, Georgia). Hull is 21st on the Lancers scoring list with 17 goals and five helpers (39 points).
Three Lancers will play together at the next level at D-III Marietta College (Ohio) in All-State goalie Francesca Agliolo, All-SCC First Team midfielder Delilah Vazquez, and 2-year letterman defender Tatiana Grigoryan, who was All-SCC Second Team as a freshman in 2023.
Agliolo has the distinction of the two lowest goals against averages in a season by a PCC goalie playing at least 1,000 minutes with a 1.18 mark as a freshman and her 0.57 GAVG this past season, third best in the state in 2024. In 37 career games, she was a part of 14 team shutouts and seven others with one goal against, produced a 23-5-4 goalie record, and an .842 save percentage with 139 saves. Agliolo earned a PCC Athletics Elizabeth Jensen Transfer Award.
Vazquez, the conference leader in assists with 10, added three goals in a breakout '24 campaign. Grigoryan bolstered PCC's solid defense as a consistent performer.
Natalia Portillo, the team's second goalie in her two seasons, will attend and play at D-III University of La Verne. Portillo also had solid numbers as she never lost a decision (12-0-2) and held a 0.47 GAVG in 1,149 total minutes.
"One of the perks of having the success that our 2024 team put together is seeing so many continue their playing careers and earn scholarships," said Lancers head coach Terryn Soelberg, the SoCal Region Coach of the Year. "Our sophomore group was extremely talented and pushed us to reach the regional finals."
The Lancers finished 19-2-2 overall, the most wins in a season by the program, captured their first South Coast Conference Tournament title, and made its best postseason finish ever, finishing just a victory short of reaching the state tournament final four.