By Connor Lālea Hampton, April 22, 2025
After winning their first NCAA Division II National Championship, Cal Poly Pomona women’s soccer team celebrated April 12 at Bronco Bound, wrapping up the fall semester’s season.
“I don’t think it’ll hit till I retire,” said head coach Jay Mason. He said the team stood out to him this year because of its sisterhood and the respect the girls had for each other.
During the trophy ceremony the crowd cheered each team member. Students and faculty were able to get posters signed by the team members and exchange a few words with the athletes.
Mason said it was a nice reminder the university is there to support them and it’s great that prospective students were able to see the ceremony and discover what Broncos can achieve.
The win itself is a testament to what the Broncos have tried to build at CPP, according to Mason.
“They had some moments during the final game that they made really difficult decisions without our guidance, and I was telling the staff, ‘We’ve done our job,’” Mason said. “That’s exactly what I wanted to create was just confident young women that can lead themselves in difficult moments without looking over their shoulder and saying, ‘well what do you think?’”
“The team’s job now is to defend the title,” Mason said.
President Soraya M. Coley said she’s confident the Broncos are ready for whatever life throws at them next.
“They are the epitome of what I think a Cal Poly Pomona student achieves,” Coley said. “I’m very excited. Regardless of the sport, it just happens to be soccer, but it is something that I hope all our students can take away in their own way of feeling good about themselves.”
Midfielder Marisa Salazar said she feels like her work ethic changed this season — soccer felt like a job before, but now it’s more about putting in the hard work to get results and have fun on the field. The harder she works, Salazar said, the more she gets to be in the moment and stay in the game.
The greatest award from this season, according to the athletes, has been the comradery they’ve earned from each other. The Broncos’ NCAA Division II National Championship win showed opponents that it’s not just what games you win, but how you play with your team, Salazar said.
Salazar said this team was different from other teams she’s been on because each member was supportive no matter what. The athletes on the team are friends on and off the field, and that contributed to the quality of the game the team played. Next season she hopes the team can work hard enough to pull off another championship run.
Goalkeeper and team captain Bella Hara said outsiders could tell what made the team different from others in the bracket.
“We would just light up a room, and I think that we could be good or mediocre soccer players but that kind of love and bond we have for one another with all 33 of us really brought out the grind and grit that was our team,” Hara said.
Even as she graduates and moves on from CPP this year, Hara said she would always choose team’s morals and close relationship over winning another championship.
Hara said she believes that if the girls can manage what they can and be good teammates next year, they will have connections for the rest of their life, regardless of whether they win.
Feature image courtesy of Connor Lālea Hampton
