KLAMATH FALLS — Klamath Community College now has two collegiate-sanctioned soccer teams — men’s and women’s — that will compete in the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) in the 2026-27 academic year.
The KCC women’s soccer team was accepted into NWAC on a unanimous vote by the NWAC Board Dec. 11.
The women, like the men, will play in the southern district of the conference for the regular season, from mid-August until early November 2026.
“This is a monumental step for KCC athletics and a testament to the support of KCC President Dr. Roberto Gutierrez and his leadership team,” KCC Athletic Director Lupe Gonzales said. “KCC is thrilled to provide our student athletes an incredible platform for competitive play and academic excellence at our school. Another chapter in KCC athletics is about to begin.”
The NWAC is the parent sports organization for 37 community colleges in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, Canada. In a letter to the school, NWAC President Marco Azurdia confirmed the unanimous vote.
Tiffany Poe, a Henley High School soccer coach and teacher, will coach the KCC Lady Badgers.
“I’m feeling super excited. It has been a whole year watching the guys get going. Now we will be able to keep some of our local girls around to play since we are a collegiate team,” Poe said. She said she hopes to have at least five local women play on the new team.
This is her first foray in the collegiate level, but she has been coaching soccer at the high school level for close to 20 years at Henley High School.
“When I started, Lupe was my soccer coach in high school,” she said. “My daughter, Emma, attends KCC, and she’ll be signing on with the team.” Emma is in the Badger-to-Owl track, too, studying for an associate’s in science at KCC for her transfer to Oregon Tech.
The women will be playing Chemeketa, Umpqua, Portland, Lane, Clackamas, Southwestern Oregon, and Rogue community colleges. There are 30 teams in NWAC that cover the Pacific Northwest.
This fall, the women’s team had two community college scrimmages: Rogue in Medford, and Centralia in Washington state.
Athletic Director Gonzales will be recruiting 18 to 24 full-time students to be on the women’s soccer team, including current members and graduating high school seniors. To qualify as a full-time student, a student must be taking 12 credits a term. This spring KCC will hold a tryout session for recruitment, similar to one held for the men at Mike’s Fieldhouse Nov. 22.
The KCC men’s team recently completed its first season under the NWAC. It had been a club soccer team for about 1 ½ years before being accepted in the conference. There are four NWAC regions. KCC is in the Southern Region and went 2-7-1 for its inaugural season. It had three players on the All-Star team: Luis Serrato, Geovanni Cazarez and Lello Sguera.