After leading the Cerritos College women's soccer team to their second National Championship and third CCCAA State Championship in the last five years, Ruben Gonzalez was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Coach of the Year. Gonzalez was in Indianapolis, IN for the NSCAA Convention when he received his award.

"It is a great honor to be named the NSCAA National Coach of the Year," said Gonzalez. "I have been blessed to have the coaching staff working with me and also the players that have come through our program at Cerritos. I want to dedicate this award in the honor of my mother (Silvia Gonzalez), who lost her battle with cancer in 2006."

In the 2012 season, Gonzalez led his Falcons to their eighth straight South Coast Conference championship and then swept through the post-season, which culminated with a 2-0 win in the state championship game over previous #1-ranked and undefeated Santiago Canyon College, 2-0. Cerritos prepared for the state tournament's Friday-Sunday format by playing their first 10 games on the road, with three of those weekends set in that format.

"We have a great program at Cerritos with a great support staff," added Gonzalez. "The college and community are involved in our success and it just adds to the overall pleasure of working for Cerritos and coaching the Falcon teams."

Prior to receiving the national award, Gonzalez was named the West Region Coach of the Year, as well as the South Coast Conference Coach of the Year. The national award is the first for Gonzalez, who has spent the last eight years with the Falcons and has compiled a remarkable 170-17-13 record with three state titles and two National Championships.