Women’s Soccer: Roadrunners celebrate another standout season

It was another impressive season for the nationally-ranked Rio Hondo College women's soccer program under the direction of head coach Jennifer Tanaka-Hoshijo. On Feb. 29, the team celebrated its many successes on and off the field at its annual awards banquet that was attended by over 120 individuals.

The Roadrunners, who were ranked as high as No. 10 in the nation, closed the 2019 season with a 15-2-3 overall record and went a perfect 8-0 in South Coast Conference play to capture the SCC championship. Rio Hondo ended the regular season having won nine games in a row, including a 3-0 victory over Cerritos College on Oct. 25 that gave the Roadrunners an outright conference title and ended the Falcons' 13-year run of consecutive South Coast Conference championships.

The Rio Hondo defense posted 12 shutouts on the year, including in six straight conference games to close out the regular season. The Roadrunners allowed just one goal in conference play and outscored its opponents by a 52-11 margin during the entire season.

Rio Hondo made its fifth straight postseason appearance, earning the Southern California Regional Playoffs' No. 2 seed. But the season was cut short after the Roadrunners were upset by No. 15 seed Saddleback College 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs.

The Roadrunners totaled 11 All-South Coast Conference postseason awards, sweeping the top three honors as sophomore Vivian Viramontes was named the Offensive Player of the Year, freshman Brianna Valdez took home Defensive Player of the Year honors, and Tanaka-Hoshijo was tabbed the SCC Coach of the Year.

Earning first-team All-SCC honors were sophomore defender Victoria Galindo, freshman defender Janessa Gallardo, freshman forward Alice Hernandez, and sophomore forward Serina Vargas were named to the All-SCC first team. Sophomore midfielder Zitlali Jimenez, freshman goalkeeper Anaguisel Ramos, freshman defender Eileen Rosales, and sophomore defender Lismed Salcido were all second-team selections.

Even more impressive than its play on the soccer field was the program's academic success in the classroom. Rio Hondo earned its seventh United Soccer Coaches Association Team Academic Award while six members of the squad received CCCSCA Scholar-Athlete team recognition by earning over 24 units and a 3.3 minimum GPA. As a program in the fall semester, 17 women's soccer student-athletes achieved a 3.0 GPA or better while seven of those obtained over a 3.5 GPA.

CCCSCA Scholar Athlete Team (3.3 GPA + and 24 units)
Serina Vargas
Serena Rosas
Janessa Gallardo
Taly Jimenez
Toni Gonzalez
Janelle Piraino

4.0-3.5 GPA
Alice Hernandez 4.0
Serina Vargas 3.8
Taly Jimenez 3.78
Cheyenne Tucker 3.78
Eileene Rosales 3.75
Serena Rosas 3.6
Lauren Enriquez 3.53

3.49-3.00 GPA
Janessa Gallardo 3.46
Brianna Valdez 3.38
Isabel Rivera 3.25
Lismed Salcido 3.2
Sarah Mansur 3.07
Toni Gonzalez 3.06
Jasmine Vital 3.06
Danielle Moore 3.0
Kealani Ng 3.0
Ana Ramos 3.0