History has been made for the Arizona Western College women’s soccer program.
For the first time in program history, the Lady Matadors are ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Poll, receiving all eight first-place votes and earning 120 total points in this week’s national rankings.
The top ranking marks the culmination of a steady rise for Arizona Western, which spent the entire 2025 season and the opening weeks of the 2026 campaign ranked No. 2 nationally. After more than a year knocking on the door of the top spot, the Lady Matadors have finally claimed the nation’s highest ranking.
The shakeup at the top came after former No. 1 Daytona State College, a two-time NJCAA national champion, suffered a 2-0 loss to then-No. 8 Miami Dade College on Tuesday.
Arizona Western also strengthened its national standing with a scoreless draw against ACCAC rival and No. 19-ranked Cochise College on Saturday. The result kept the Lady Matadors among the nation’s unbeaten teams and reinforced their growing reputation as one of the country’s premier programs.
For head coach Victor Verdugo, the achievement reflects years of commitment from the players who have helped elevate the progra...