In a year when the Cerritos College women's soccer team repeated as the NSCAA National Champions and CCCAA State Champions, it has been announced at the team has swept both national awards. First, it was head coach Ruben Gonzalez, who was named the National Coach of the Year for the second season in a row. And now, sophomore midfielder Claudia Lopez (Downey HS) has just been named the National Player of the Year among Division III (non-scholarship) schools.
"This is a really great honor that I didn't expect," said Lopez, who is considering several colleges that she's interested in transferring. "We had a great team and none of this would have been possible without their hard work everyday in practice and in the games."
On the year, Lopez led the Falcons with 27 goals, including two in the state championship game, and 16 assists. Her 70 points are the third most in school history behind Monique Cisneros, who had 82 in 2008 and Corina Villegas, who had 81 points in 2007. The 27 goals are the fourth most in a season Falcon history, while her 16 assists are tied for the seventh most. It was Villegas, in 2008, who became the first Cerritos player to be named the National Player of the Year.
"Last year Claudia struggled a little bit with injuries and was limited to 12 goals," said Gonzalez, who will travel to Philadelphia next month with his three All-American players to receive their national awards. "She has a drive in her that makes her very competitive and she has a strong desire to score. She showed it from the start of the season all the way to the championship game, when she scored twice. It was the same for Corina, who scored three times in the championship game the year she won the award."
Lopez is considering several colleges, including UC Irvine, Regis (CO) College, University of Texas-San Antonio, Louisiana Tech University, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State Los Angeles. She plans to major in either nursing or science and health.
Lopez opened the year by scoring five times in the team's two games in Florida and added another three goals in a win over Los Angeles Harbor College. She posted a pair of goals in six other games, and accounted for seven goals in five playoff games.
![W. Soccer: Team announces six signings](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/DRP-5886_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
March 11, 2014
W. Soccer: Team announces six signings
![W. Soccer: National awards received](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/IMG950837_ad_hoc.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 21, 2014
W. Soccer: National awards received
![W. Soccer: Claudia Lopez named National Player of the Year](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0011/DRP-8444_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 19, 2013
W. Soccer: Claudia Lopez named National Player of the Year
![W. Soccer: Ruben Gonzalez named National Coach of the Year](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/IMG_2578_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 18, 2013
W. Soccer: Ruben Gonzalez named National Coach of the Year
![W. Soccer: Three players receive national honors](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0011/DRP-8192_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 12, 2013
W. Soccer: Three players receive national honors
![W. Soccer: Falcons officially ranked #1 in the country](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0001/IMG_3149_main_story_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 10, 2013
W. Soccer: Falcons officially ranked #1 in the country
![W. Soccer: Falcons win second straight state title](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/State_Champs_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 8, 2013
W. Soccer: Falcons win second straight state title
![W. Soccer: Big win advances Falcons to finals](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0010/DRP-7008_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 6, 2013
W. Soccer: Big win advances Falcons to finals
![W. Soccer: Team opens Final Four with familiar opponent](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0011/DRP-8380_main_story_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 2, 2013
W. Soccer: Team opens Final Four with familiar opponent
![W. Soccer: Overtime win sends Falcons back to Final Four](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0011/DRP-8211_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 30, 2013
W. Soccer: Overtime win sends Falcons back to Final Four
![W. Soccer: Win over Cypress sends team to 3rd Round](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0010/DRP-7290_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 26, 2013
W. Soccer: Win over Cypress sends team to 3rd Round
![W. Soccer: Three second half goals propel Falcons](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0010/DRP-7313_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 23, 2013
W. Soccer: Three second half goals propel Falcons
![W. Soccer: Top-ranked Falcons host first round game](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0007/DRP-8775_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 19, 2013
W. Soccer: Top-ranked Falcons host first round game
![W. Soccer: Falcons finish regular season unbeaten](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0009/DRP-4305_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 15, 2013
W. Soccer: Falcons finish regular season unbeaten
![W. Soccer: Six-goal second half gives Falcons win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0009/DRP-4804_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 12, 2013
W. Soccer: Six-goal second half gives Falcons win
![W. Soccer: Falcons post 4-0 shutout over LB City](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0008/DRP-0682_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 8, 2013
W. Soccer: Falcons post 4-0 shutout over LB City
![W. Soccer: Team scores four first half goals in win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0008/DRP-0742_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 5, 2013
W. Soccer: Team scores four first half goals in win
![W. Soccer: Falcons post shutout over El Camino](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0008/DRP-0674_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 1, 2013
W. Soccer: Falcons post shutout over El Camino
![W. Soccer: Team scores 17 goals in win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0008/DRP-1034_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 29, 2013
W. Soccer: Team scores 17 goals in win
![W. Soccer: Falcons rebound after early deficit to win, 3-1](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0007/DRP-8531_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 25, 2013
W. Soccer: Falcons rebound after early deficit to win, 3-1
![W. Soccer: Extra time penalty kick results in 2-2 tie](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0002/DRP-5064_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 22, 2013
W. Soccer: Extra time penalty kick results in 2-2 tie
![W. Soccer: Strong second half leads team to 5-0 win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0006/DRP-5337_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 18, 2013
W. Soccer: Strong second half leads team to 5-0 win
![W. Soccer: Cerritos takes control of first place with win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0006/DRP-5215_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 15, 2013
W. Soccer: Cerritos takes control of first place with win
![W. Soccer: Fifth straight shutout keeps team perfect](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0006/DRP-5204_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 11, 2013
W. Soccer: Fifth straight shutout keeps team perfect
![W. Soccer: Falcons post fourth straight shutout win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0005/DRP-4659_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 8, 2013
W. Soccer: Falcons post fourth straight shutout win
![W. Soccer: First half output enough for Falcons in win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0004/DRP-0874_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 4, 2013
W. Soccer: First half output enough for Falcons in win
![W. Soccer: Falcons score at will against LA Harbor](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0002/DRP-5043_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 1, 2013
W. Soccer: Falcons score at will against LA Harbor
![W. Soccer: Falcons post convincing win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0003/DRP-6362_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 20, 2013
W. Soccer: Falcons post convincing win
![W. Soccer: Second half goal gives Falcons a win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0002/DRP-5399_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 15, 2013
W. Soccer: Second half goal gives Falcons a win
![W. Soccer: Cerritos posts shutout win over Foothill](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0003/DRP-6457_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 13, 2013
W. Soccer: Cerritos posts shutout win over Foothill
![W. Soccer: Pair of first half goals enough for win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/0003/DRP-6189_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 6, 2013
W. Soccer: Pair of first half goals enough for win
![W. Soccer: Cerritos finishes road trip with convincing win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/IMG_9930_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
September 1, 2013
W. Soccer: Cerritos finishes road trip with convincing win
![W. Soccer: Fast start propels team to 6-1 win](/sports/wsoc/2013-14/photos/IMG_20130830_184353_741_main_story.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
August 30, 2013
W. Soccer: Fast start propels team to 6-1 win