COD Women's Soccer midfielder April Contreras (Palm Desert H.S.) has signed a letter of intent with West Virginia State University.

The 5-7 midfielder from Palm Desert H.S. played her freshman and sophomore seasons with the Roadrunners, starting in 20 of 21 games during her second season. Contreras had four goals and five assists for the 2019 season, collecting a total of 13 points.

Contreras commented on moving on to the next level, by stating, "First off I'd like to thank my dad for being my number one fan and for always having my back, and pushing me to work harder and to never give up when it gets rough."

Roadrunners Women's Soccer head coach Garrett Estrin commented, "April is the prime example of what a Community College Student Athlete experience can be if you fully commit to the process, she invested in herself in the classroom, on the field and in the gym".

Her versatility on the soccer field allowed Contreras to play nearly all positons, spending time throughout the 2019 season playing Wing Midfielder, Striker & even spent time as a match-up Defender. Which led to her being named a first team All-Conference selection in the inaugural season of the Inland Empire Athletic Conference.

Estrin continued, "As an athlete after April's first season of competition, she really tapped into her athletic ability and her competitive spirit, giving a very solid effort in all her playing opportunities. As a coach I am very proud and excited for her future endeavors as a student athlete as April moves onto the four-year level".

The All-Conference selection provided Contreras with the opportunity to play in the annual Sophomore Showcase held every year at the location of the CCCAA Soccer State Championship in December, marking the third COD Women's player to play in this match in recent years.

Contreras continued, "I'd like to thank Coach Estrin for making my time at College of the Desert that much more enjoyable by being a part of the team. And of course I also want to thank my teammates, thank you all for making each season a blast, and I'll cherish the memories and friendships I've made with you all."

Contreras also played Beach Volleyball for COD and was a key contributor to the team, being set as a part of the "Three's" team for the 2020 season. Unfortunately, the Roadrunners bid to win a South Coast Conference title was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

West Virginia State University is located in Institute, West Virginia, which is about 130 miles west of the Virginia-West Virginia state line and about 190 miles east of Cincinnati, Ohio. The WVSU Yellow Jackets play in the Shawnee Sports Complex and the team is coached by 2nd year head coach, Lisa Mann. The 2019 season was the first for WVSU Women's Soccer, accumulating an impressive 10-1 overall record. WVSU is in the Mountain East Conference of NCAA Division II.

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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.

Information, Photo & Story provided by COD Sports Information.