Head coach and several players on Pellissippi State’s brand new women’s soccer team awarded by the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association

Pellissippi State Community College's women’s soccer team, including the head coach and several of its players, have been recognized by the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association. While being awarded by the Association is an honor in itself, it is especially exciting for these players and this coach because of the fact that this is the school’s first women’s soccer team and it has only existed for a handful of months.

This inaugural season has proven fruitful, with an 8-6 record and 4-4 in conference play. As a result of this great playing, the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association has named head coach Mariana Diaz Lopez as Coach of the Year. Several players were also recognized: Sade Lee is Player of the Year, Lauren Lemmo earned a First Team All-TCCAA recognition, and Isabella Altorfer, Yuri Garcia, Paige Janoyan, and Kelly Velasquez Cruz all received honorable mentions.

According to an article on Pellissippi State Community College’s website, Coach Diaz said of her team, “They are fantastic human beings that have created relationships in the locker room and bought into each other and to this program. We have laid the right seeds as we continue to further our future. The memories we have made and the foundational seeds that we have laid are the biggest accomplishments for our program.”

Diaz was recently hired to be the new team’s head coach after Pellissippi State announced it would be offering competitive sports for the first time beginning in Fall 2023. In another article on the school’s website from August of this year, Diaz stated, "I have a love for developing players by enhancing the fundamentals of the game. I bring experience in creating training plans. I believe that challenging and improving single players will ultimately lead to team success." 

In that same interview, Diaz mentioned that she was looking forward to coaching at a community college to give the opportunity for women who were excited to continue playing soccer after high school but weren’t planning to attend a four-year college.

Brock Evans, who serves as the school’s Athletics Director, had high praise for Coach Diaz, saying, “Coach Diaz promotes a culture of perseverance, excellence and service to your teammates, and these athletes have embraced the culture their coach has instilled from the beginning. The future of Pellissippi State Women’s Soccer is in great hands.” 

Sade Lee discussed her reasons for choosing to play soccer at Pellissippi State following her recognition as Player of the Year, saying, “Without the encouragement of the Pellissippi State Soccer community, this achievement would not have been possible. This award is a testament to the collective effort that we share on and off the field. I knew from the beginning Pellissippi State would be the best decision for me. The staff here has pushed me to achieve great things and always strive for more,” she said. “I have learned what it is like to be held to a high standard, to pay attention to the details and to work hard even when nobody is watching.”

The Pellissippi State women’s soccer team has one game remaining in the season, and it will be played on Halloween. The match is against the University of the Cumberlands at Emerald Youth Foundation’s Lonsdale fields.

For more information about Pellissippi State Community College, visit the school’s website.