Monday, November 12th, 2018 -- The National Junior College Athletic Association DI Men's & Women's National Championships kicks off today with 46 Arizona players in action.
The 46 players are divided up between one men's team, Pima, and two women's teams, Paradise Valley and Arizona Western. 13 compete for Pima, 11 for Arizona Western, and 22 for Paradise Valley. The Men's Soccer Championship is being held in Daytona, Florida, and the Women's Soccer Championship is being held in Foley, Alabama.
Community colleges from Arizona have performed well at the NJCAA Championships. On the women's side, Paradise Valley won in 2010, 2012, and 2016. On the men's side, Yavapai was the last team to win in 2008. Last year, Phoenix College (women), Pima (men), and Yavapai (men) all were eliminated in the semifinals.
This year, Pima Men are seeded #1 in Group A with #8 Northeast Texas and #12 Muskegon (MI). Arizona Western Women are seeded #4 in Group D with #5 Eastern Florida State and #9 Laramie County (WY). Paradise Valley Women are seeded #10 in Group C with #3 Iowa Western and #6 Navarro (TX).
The semifinals for both the women and the men will be held on Friday, November 16 and the championships will be held Saturday, November 17.
Monday, November 12
Pima (5) vs Muskegon (0)
Paradise Valley vs Iowa Western - 2:00PM
Arizona Western vs Laramie County - 4:30PM
Tuesday, November 13
Paradise Valley vs Navarro - 2:00PM
Wednesday, November 14
Pima vs Northeast Texas - 7:30AM
Arizona Western vs Eastern Florida State - 4:30PM
Pima (Men): Daniel Suazo (Tucson), Abraham Espinoza (Phoenix), Isaias German (Phoenix), Luis Gonzalez (Tucson), Edson Vazquez (Tucson), Kaskile Zawadi (Tucson), Alex Nguyen (Tucson), Martin Cardenas (Tucson), Jose Irra (Phoenix), Alberto Villegas (Tucson), Osvaldo Miranda (Tucson), Hunter Knox (Tucson), Ricky Gordillo (Phoenix)
Arizona Western (Women): Nastia Loughran (Tucson), Valeria Carrera (Yuma), Maesy Ramirez (Yuma), Yazmin Gonzalez (Yuma), Isabel Coronado (Yuma), Kelsey Ramirez (Yuma), Michala Vereen (Casa Grande), Karen Melendrez (Yuma), Katya Loughran (Tucson), Makayla Zendejas (Yuma), Arleth Islas (Yuma)
Paradise Valley (Women): Tessa Alexopolous (Anthem), Madison Bateman (Gilbert), Ashley Gibson (Phoenix), Sydney Griffin (Phoenix), McKenna Richards (Phoenix), Katie Townsend (Prescott), Mikayla Thomas (Chandler), Riley Dinnigan (Glendale), Kiara Ventura (Glendale), Yulissa Rascon (Florence), Marisela Labansat (Surprise), Karina Lopez-Martinez (Phoenix), Bailey Rozendaal (Prescott Valley), Lucy Acosta (Phoenix), Ally Becerra (Surprise), Paola Sanchez (Glendale), Serena Sanchez (Surprise), Haley German (Peoria), Justine Cardwell (Phoenix), Emily Ellison (Surprise), Gabi Senior (Chandler), Bridgett Birss (Glendale)