For only the third time in California Community College women’s soccer history a school won the state championship two seasons in a row. After winning the school’s first state championship in 2007, Ruben Gonzalez led the Falcons to back-to-back titles when they defeated Santa Rosa College, 5-2 in overtime last season. In addition to the second state championship, the team was ranked #1 in the national by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) after the team finished #2 in the country in 2007. In just four seasons as the head coach, Gonzalez has turned the Cerritos program into a national powerhouse. Over the course of his four seasons with the program, Gonzalez has compiled an 88-8-9 record, including the school’s first unbeaten season, with the team posting a 22-0-4 record last year. He has led the team to three straight South Coast Conference championships along the way and has posted a 40-3-5 SCC record during his tenure. In 2007, the team recorded a stunning 2-1 win over Santiago Canyon College in the state championship game, while the Hawks entered the game ranked #1 in the country.

    Gonzalez has led the team to the Southern California Regional Playoffs each year, while the team has won 20 or more games each season. In his inaugural year, they won their first playoff game in the program’s history, while they came within one win of advancing to the state tournament his second year. The team has gone from 20 wins in 2006 (ranked #19 in the country) to 22 in 2007 (ranked #15 in the country), 24 (ranked #2 in the country) in 2007 and then their unbeaten record and national title in 2008.

    Prior to coming to Cerritos, Gonzalez spent three seasons serving as the head women’s soccer coach at Rio Hondo College and led them to two Foothill Conference championships and a combined 44-11-1 overall record. In addition, his conference record was a remarkable 32-3-1, as the team won their conference championship in his first and third year, while they placed second the other season. His combined coaching record at both colleges is 110-19-5, while he is 62-6-4 in conference play.

    Gonzalez played his college soccer at Cal State University, Los Angeles from 1989-92 under the direction of former World Cup International Mexican National Team player Leonardo Cuellar. In two of his seasons at CSULA, the college played at the Division I level, with the last two being at Division II, while Gonzalez was an All-Conference defender. He then graduated from CSULA with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education.

    Prior to coaching at Cerritos College, Gonzalez was an assistant coach at California State University, Los Angeles in 1993 before being named the head coach at Pius X High in Downey from 1994-95. He then moved on to St. John Bosco High in Bellflower from 1996-2000 as their assistant coach. In 1997, he became the men’s assistant coach helping to begin the first men’s soccer program at Rio Hondo College, which was the inaugural season for the team that went on to the state finals and ended the season ranked ninth in the nation. He remained at Rio Hondo College from 1997-2002 as their assistant coach and helped the team reach the Southern California regional Playoffs every year. While coaching at Rio Hondo College, Gonzalez helped to develop players that went on to play professionally, as well as at Division I and Division II universities. While coaching in college, Gonzalez has been actively coaching club soccer teams which include Whittier Soccer Club, Cerritos United Soccer Club and is currently coaching the San Gabriel Valley Flyers Girls Under 17 and Boys Under 15.

CERRITOS COLLEGE WOMEN’S SOCCER YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORDS

YEAR  HEAD COACH          OVERALL                  CONFERENCE         POST SEASON

1995     Debbie Jensen     4-13-1                     4-12-0
1996     Debbie Jensen   12-8-0                     12-6-0
1997     Debbie Jensen     4-12-2                     2-6-2
1998     Debbie Jensen     2-16-0                     2-14-0
1999     Debbie Jensen     5-11-2                     3-9-2
2000     Debbie Jensen     6-11-3                     4-10-2
2001     Debbie Jensen     6-11-0                     5-8-0
2002     Debbie Jensen   13-7-1                       9-4-1             Lost 1^st Round
2003     Debbie Jensen   12-6-1                       6-5-1             Lost 1^st Round
2004     Debbie Jensen     4-10-5                     1-8-3
2005     Debbie Jensen/  20-4-2                       9-2-1             Lost 2^nd Round
            Ruben Gonzalez                                                      Ranked #19 Nationally
2006     Ruben Gonzalez 22-2-0                      12-0-0            Lost 3^rd Round                                                                                          Ranked #15 Nationally
2007     Ruben Gonzalez 24-2-3                        9-1-2            State Champions
                                                                                                                       Ranked #2 Nationally
2008     Ruben Gonzalez 22-0-4                      10-0-2            State Champions
                                                                                                                       National Champions