Women's Soccer Team at LTCC ranked #1 in national coach's poll

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In 2018 the Lake Tahoe Community College's Women's Soccer team made an impression on coaches around the country and they became the #2 ranked Division III team during the season. Their epic season took them to the state finals.

Fast forward to this year and the 2019 Lady Coyotes made it to the number one on the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 NJCAA poll for Division III this week. Fresno City College is currently in the second spot, a team they tied during a September 20 match-up, 1-1.

There have only been three other California community college women's soccer teams to make it to the #1 spot on the nationwide poll since its inception in 2001: Santa Rosa in 2011, and Fresno and Folsom in 2017.

The team the women lost too in last year's state final, Santiago Canyon College, dropped from the third to the fourth-ranked team.

The Coyotes are on the South Lake Tahoe field Friday afternoon against Butte, a team in their Golden Valley Division of the California Community College Athletic Association. The Boy's team is also hosting Butte this afternoon.

LTCC Coach Jeremy Evans (who coaches both the men's and women's teams) said they have to work on focus every game as the talent is there.

"Every season is different," said Evans. "We hope to be successful and win a third conference title."

He had both teams out at Bijou Community School Friday morning for the school's annual walk-a-thon. They walked and ran with students during the two-hour-long event.

The Bijou students were excited to run/walk with the college students. Principal Cindy Martinez said it was good for her kids to be with the players from LTCC and see a possible path as they graduate high school.

One of the women's team's three captains, Lauren Wolcott, was enjoying a morning at Bijou. She is unique on the team because the 25-year-old already graduated from a four-year college in Colorado and moved to South Lake Tahoe and enrolled in the EMT program at LTCC. Since she never played in Colorado she is eligible at LTCC before she heads off to medical school.

"We can win it," said Wolcott of the team's chance to capture the state title. She said she told Coach Evans they were going to the Final 4 before the season even started last year. "I am confident again and we can win this year."

South Tahoe High graduate Jenny Valdiva (Class of 2017) plays center-mid for the Coyotes. She was out at the walk-a-thon as well. She red-shirted in 2018 so is playing this year even though she already earned an AA in Psychology. As she continues school at LTCC and playing soccer, Valdiva is looking to transfer to a college, hopefully in the Bay Area, where she can continue to play and study.

"There is a lot more talent and dedication this year," said Valdiva. "We have to keep the energy going and stay on the same page."

The Coyotes play soccer games twice a week, normally an away game on Tuesday and a home game Friday. They play on the LTCC fields on campus, adjacent to the South Lake Tahoe Community Fields. It is free to attend and there is a concession is open to sell snacks.
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