Bobcats Bring Valley’s Love for Soccer to a National Stage

The significance of soccer in the San Joaquin Valley cannot be overstated. It's a sport that connects communities, bridges borders and stretches across generations of fathers and mothers and daughters and sons.

So it is fitting that the Valley's youngest university has already established a strong presence in collegiate soccer at a coast-to-coast level. Both of UC Merced's intercollegiate soccer teams are making return trips to national championship tournaments after stellar regular seasons.

Championship competition begins Saturday, Nov. 23. For the Bobcat men's side, it is the eighth straight appearance in the National Association of Collegiate Athletics tournament. For the women, it is the second tournament in a row .

Each team carries an impressive resume into the NAIA post-season. The women shut out eight of their last nine opponents; only four programs in the nation have a better goals-scored-against average than the Bobcats' 0.40. The men, meanwhile, powered through their schedule without a loss, winning 12 games and tying three.

The soccer teams' success is a bellwether for an athletics program undergoing a major transition. Earlier this year, UC Merced was approved to transition to membership in the National Collegiate Athletics Association. The Bobcats will start competition in the NCAA's Division II in 2025-26. Membership in collegiate athletics' premier organization means more opportunities for student-athletes and increased visibility for the university.

Notably, UC Merced will stand out academically as NCAA Division II's highest-ranked institution in the latest U.S. News and World Report list . Though competition in an NCAA conference is more than a year away, several Division II programs are on the Bobcats' nonconference schedules this fall.

The women's soccer team is 10-3-2 and sits 19th on an NAIA ranking based on record and schedule strength (RPI). The Bobcats' stingy defense is led Katy Flores and Preeya Singh - both selected to the California Pacific Conference's first team - along with goalkeeper Alicia Lepe. On the scoring side, Cal Pac Offensive Player of the Year Yareli Hernandez has nine goals and Yesenia Tijerina has 13.

"There is a ton of excitement around the athletic department and the women's soccer program these days," women's head coach Roman DuChateau said. "To qualify for our second consecutive national tournament is a testament to these ladies and their hard work, dedication and relentless spirit. The entire community has rallied around this team and we feel all the love. We look forward to representing our university and our city with the spirit of Merced."

The unbeaten Bobcat men are fourth on the NAIA's RPI ranking and won the Cal Pac championship tournament Nov. 9. Daniel Borges, who has scored 16 goals and made seven assists, was named Cal Pac Player of the Year . Defenders Andres Alonso, Xavier Barajas and Jaycob Walker all were named to the Cal Pac first team.

"We are excited about our opportunity to represent our university and community on the national stage," men's head coach Albert Martins said. "This team has worked very hard to get to this point. While we have began playing teams to prepare for our transition to the NCAA, it has also prepared us to be our best this season."