Arizona Western women's soccer coach Victor Verdugo was recently named the DI women's soccer Region 1 coach of the year. This season Verdugo led the Lady Matadors to an undefeated (13-0) regular season and the top seed in the Region 1 playoffs. Since taking over the head coaching reigns in October 2023, Verdugo has compiled a record of 38-2-3 and guided the Lady Matadors to back-to-back national tournament appearances.

"I'm really proud of his leadership," Arizona Western Athletic Director Jerry Smith said. "Proud of the team and all the commitment they put into the program."

This season, the Lady Matadors are ranked #2 in the nation, a spot they have held since the NJCAA preseason poll on August 11th, 2025. Under Coach Verdugo, Arizona Western has not been out of the NJCAA top five since the week three rankings were released on September 16th, 2024. The Lady Matadors also sport a 3.58 team grade point average, which is the highest of the seven Arizona Western sports teams. 

"Coach Verdugo's passion, competitiveness, and meticulous attention to detail are what truly set him apart from others in the field," Assistant women's soccer coach Joel Ibarra said. "Being part of his coaching staff has been an absolute pleasure and a tremendous learning experience."

Ibarra adds that Verdugo's approach to preparation and game strategy is second to none.

"What truly distinguishes Coach Verdugo is his unwavering commitment to placing the student-athlete first," Ibarra said. "His focus goes beyond the game — he is dedicated to preparing his players for the next step in their collegiate soccer journey, ensuring they grow both on and off the field. It's no surprise that he has been honored with this year's Coach of the Year award. Congratulations, Coach Verdugo and players!"

Assistant women's soccer coach Kourtney Celaya also shared praise for Verdugo's leadership.

"Victor brings a competitive mindset and clear direction to the team," Celaya said. "He holds everyone to a high standard, expecting focus, effort, and for each player to reach their full potential in every practice. This team is truly special, and being his first recruiting class makes it even more meaningful for him this year. He's clear about his expectations and keeps the team focused on our goals, which helps create a motivated and driven environment."

Verdugo and the Lady Matadors will start the journey to their third consecutive national tournament appearance this week when they host Mohave College in the Region 1 Semi-Finals on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at Matador Field.