Four Women's Soccer Broncos Pick Up All-Region Recognition

By: Doga Gur, BroncoAthletics.com Contributor

POMONA, Calif. - Auburn Burnett, Jaclyn Cuevas, Tara Oper and Liberty Ortiz of the Cal Poly Pomona women's soccer program have garnered All-West Region selection for the 2023 season.

Oper is the lone unanimous honoree, as the junior was initially chosen last week to the 13-player Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-West Region Second Team as one of four forwards. This week, the Riverside product made it onto the 12-player United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Second Team.

Ortiz joined Oper on the United Soccer Coaches' second team as one of three defenders. Burnett and Cuevas were put on that association's 11-player third team as one of four midfielders and one of three forwards, respectively. All four Broncos are first-time all-region choices.

The foursome helped lead the Broncos to their first-ever California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular-season title with a mark of 8-2-1. CPP wound up 11-5-3 overall after dropping the championship game of the CCAA Tournament in Seaside on Nov. 12.

Oper was one of five Broncos to start all 19 games this past season. She finished second on the squad with 16 total points from six goals and a four assists, producing three game-winning tallies and a team-leading 33 shots. Oper just wrapped up her second season in the green and gold after spending her freshman campaign at Division I Idaho.

Burnett is a fourth-year junior from Placentia and Bronco newcomer who played at Fullerton College a season ago after beginning her college career at Division I Army. She was one of nine Broncos to appear in all 19 games, sharing the No. 2 spot on the team chart with Oper at four assists apiece from her central midfield position.

A true junior out of Ramona, Cuevas led CPP with eight goals, 18 total points, four game-winning tallies and 18 shots on goal. She was second to Oper in total shots (30), and added a pair of helpers. Cuevas in fact finished in a five-way tie atop the CCAA in goals, having entered the campaign with none collegiately. She started 18 of 19 matches played, and also shared the CCAA lead in game deciders. Cuevas provided a pair of early-season two-goal braces, both in 2-0 road triumphs, at area rival Azusa Pacific on Sept. 2 and at previously-undefeated and then-nationally-ranked Cal Poly Humboldt on Sept. 29.

Ortiz is a true sophomore center back from Chino Hills who started all 18 matches she appeared in, missing just the Sept. 23 non-conference finale versus Cal State San Bernardino. She aided in seven Bronco shutouts, playing every minute of six of them, and contributed her first collegiate assist offensively on the opening goal during a 2-1 home victory over rival Chico State on Oct. 6.

Burnett, Oper and Ortiz all were chosen to the 2023 All-CCAA First Team, with Cuevas making the second team. Eighth-year head coach Jay Mason was voted by his peers as the CCAA Coach of the Year for the second time. Ortiz was a 2022 all-conference second-teamer, with Oper picking up an honorable mention as a first-year Bronco.

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