The number of Cerritos College women's soccer players who have signed with four-year schools has increased to nine after both Mia Ramirez and Jacky Cibrian inked their names to National Letters of Intent. They join players who have already signed, which include Serena Camacho (Cal State Northridge), Deisy Rodriguez (University of Jamestown (ND)), Brianna Yepez (Briar Cliff, IA University), Gisselle Jimenez (Briar Cliff, IA University), Sydney Carr (Seattle University), Jennifer Lopez (Delta State (MS) University) and Mayela Medina (Cal State Dominguez Hills).

Ramirez, who was a 1st Team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches, All-Region and South Coast Conference South Division Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman, had her sophomore season cut short after 10 games due to a knee injury. She will be joining Lopez at Delta State (MS) University. Defender Jacky Cibrian, who missed the 2018 season due to an injury, will reunite with Falcon teammates Yepez and Jimenez at Briar Cliff (IA) University.

"I definitley wanted to be somewhere out of my comfort zone," said Ramirez, who will have two years of playing eligibility. "I felt DSU was the perfect place. I wanted to be out of state and be on my own to grow as a person. Right off the bat, the girls there were so welcoming and genuine, as well as the coaches. The soccer field there was beautiful and grass - which was a big factor for me - and my overall experience on my visit was awesome. It was all so different there and I wanted that kind of environment for my last two years of soccer and school."

In her freshman season, Ramirez posted a team-high 26 goals and 67 points, while assisting on 15 goals, which included scoring seven game-winning goals. She finished second in the state in goals scored and points, while her 116 shots led the state. Ramirez started her sophomore season without missing a beat, as she accounted for 13 goals and 10 assists before an injury against Long Beach City College ended her season. At the time of her injury, Ramirez ranked in the top five in the state in goals, assists and points.

"I truly believe that if we didn't lose Mia, we would have won the state championship without a doubt", said head coach Ruben Gonzalez. The Falcons won their first 22 games of the season before a penalty kick loss to San Bernardino Valley College in the 3rd Round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs ended their season prematurely.

Another missing piece to the puzzle for the Falcons was Cibrian, who was expected to be a starter on the back row before an injury ended any hopes of contributing to the team. As a freshman, Cibrian (pictured, left) started in 11 of her 16 games, but also missed the last nine games due to injury. She will have three seasons of eligibility at Briar Cliff.

"Poof (Cibrian) is a tireless worker and a gamer," added Gonzalez. "She was a big loss for our team last season because you can put her in multiple positions on the field and she will respond. Poof would have brought more depth to the team, which would have made us so much better. She's going to add a lot to Briar Cliff and I believe she will earn a starting spot."

While Cibrian had all season to recover from her injury, Ramirez feels as though she still has a lot to prove and saw that her injury forced several schools to shy away from taking a chance on her. During her rehab, Ramirez's main focus point was to "get back on the field". Ramirez feels as though the injury has made her hungrier to get back on the field and play, while her positive attitude toward her injury and subsequent rehab has fueled her motivation.

"When I first came to Cerritos (after a red-shirt season at Cal State Fullerton), I thought I was going to be a center back," added Ramirez. "But when my coaches told me I was going to be a forward, I was a little shocked, but I went for it. Then, out of nowhere, I started scoring goals. I want to thank my coaches for seeing something in me that I didn't see in myself. I've grown so much at Cerritos, from switching positions, to gaining confidence in myself as a player and person. I will miss my teammates the most because we were more than just a team. I will definitely miss my trainer, Maria (Castro). I can't explain how much she has help me with, not only my injury, but my life, as well. She pushed me every day for three months to get me stronger and I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for her."