The fall of 2025 will mark the return of women's soccer to Cerro Coso Community College, and with it a new era will be ushered in with the hiring of Michelle Hernandez as the next women's soccer head coach. Coach Michelle Hernandez brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role, aiming to elevate the program's competitiveness and foster student-athlete development.  

Coach Hernandez comes to Cerro Coso by way of serving as an assistant coach for UC Santa Cruz women's soccer team. Michelle helped lead the team to their first-ever conference championship win during the 2024 season, which earned them a spot in the NCAA first-round playoffs. In this role, Coach Hernandez served as a lead assistant with primary duties relating to player development and recruiting efforts. Prior to her stint with UC Santa Cruz, Michelle began her coaching career with Sacramento city College, where she made a significant contribution over five years. Rising from assistant coach to associate head coach in 2022, she played a pivotal role in leading the program to its first playoff appearance in two decades. 

Michelle Hernandez will be entering her first position as a collegiate head coach, but said the she feels well prepared for this next challenge, one where she can execute her own vision as a head coach. "My goal immediate goal at Cerro Coso is to build a program that people will be excited to get talk about and one that the community can get to know and support. I look forward to rebuilding the women's soccer program and I want people to begin talking positively about our direction".

Athletic Director John McHenry is encouraged by the previous experience that Michelle Hernandez brings to the program. "Building any program from the ground up is a challenge in any circumstance, but we have seen that it can be done. Coach Hernandez was brought in specifically for her skill set as it pertains to collegiate women's soccer as well as her strong recruiting network throughout the central valley. I look forward to the immediate results that she will bring through recruiting this spring as she builds a program that Coyote faithful will be excited to support come fall 2025."

Coach Hernandez added that her foundations are firmly rooted in a community and family first culture, "these ladies as teammates will be 20 best friends, playing for the fun of the game…with a  focus on winning of course. We must always have our eyes set on working towards the playoffs, and it will be a first year goal for this team to finish the season with a  winning record."

The Men's and Women's Coyote Soccer teams will return to competition in the Fall 2025.