UC Merced Magazine | Commemorative Chronicle

Making History Again

Fourteen years and thousands of games later, Bobcat Nation gathered for another historic rst. On September 5, 2025, UC Merced hosted its rst NCAA Division II home game in front of a packed house. Bobcat fans arrived early for a FanFest event, tailgated, collected their NCAA Division II celebration T-shirts, and cheered the women’s soccer team as it hosted Simon Fraser University. e Bobcats battled to a scoreless draw against the Red Leafs. Modesto native Alicia Lepe was stellar in goal while NAIA All-American forward Trinidad Quiroz had the crowd on the edge of their seats with several scoring chances. Lepe was one of six Central Valley natives to start the game. Five more came o the bench for head coach Roman DuChateau. “ e NCAA celebration game was very special to me. Hearing the crowd roar every time we created a scoring chance or every time I made a save red me up and pushed me to keep going,” Lepe said. “I’ll admit, seeing the stadium lled with fans at rst made me a little nervous, but a er that rst big save and hearing the crowd cheer, the nerves faded away,” she added.

We were hungry and eager to win, and that’s what makes being a Bobcat so special. We play with heart, and I truly believe we showed that in the NCAA celebration game.

“We were hungry and eager to win, and that’s what makes being a Bobcat so special. We play with heart, and I truly believe we showed that in the NCAA celebration game.” e next day, UC Merced men’s soccer made a huge early splash in the NCAA, knocking o Western Oregon University 1-0 on the road behind an Omar Garcia goal and Angel Joaquin shutout. Western Oregon was ranked 22nd in the nation.

alicia lepe UC MERCED WOMEN’S SOCCER

UCMERCED MAGAZINE 72