OEC Champ Saddleback Receives Bulk of the All-OEC Honors

The 2025 regular season is in the rear-view window, and the Southern California Regional Tournament starts this week with five programs from the Orange Empire Conference qualifying for the tournament. The coaches convened this weekend to do some post-season housecleaning and to choose an all-conference team.

Saddleback won the conference title on the final day of the season and as a result was rewarded with nine player selections and a conference coach-of-the-year. Jinan Said was named the Orange Empire Conference Co-MVP after leading the Bobcats with 11 goals and seven assists. Joining Said on the Orange Empire Conference First Team were Araylia Holiday, Hannah Allen, Karissa Franco and Samantha Arce.

Santiago Canyon and Orange Coast were both awarded six players on the all-conference teams and one player with special distinction.

Santiago Canyon's Karen Pedraza was named the OEC-Defensive Player-of-the-Year after leading the team's defense to 11 shutouts during the season. Pedraza was joined on the first team by Mia Lussier, Ayleen Jimenez and Makayla Worcester.
Orange Coast had the Orange Empire Conference Co-MVP in Chantelle Sanchez, who is tied for fifth in the state with 18 goals for the season. Joining Sanchez on the first team were Kenzie Marker, Jazmeen Serratos and Olivia Hostetler.
Cypress, Golden West, Irvine Valley and Fullerton were all awarded two players on the first team while Santa Ana had one.

Saddleback's coaching staff led by head coach BJ McNicol were named the Orange Empire Conference-Coaching-Staff-of-the-Year.

The Orange Empire Conference had five teams selected to play in the 3C2A Southern California Regional Tournament, which starts this week. Saddleback (1), Santiago Canyon (2), Cypress (4), Orange Coast (8) and Golden West (12) all made the field.

Orange Empire Co-MVP: Jinan Said, Saddleback, Chantelle Sanchez, Orange Coast
Orange Empire Defensive MVP: Karen Pedraza, Santiago Canyon
Orange Empire Coach-of-the-Year: BJ McNicol, Saddleback

First Team Selections
Araylia Holiday, Saddleback
Hannah Allen, Saddleback
Karissa Franco, Saddleback
Samantha Arce, Saddleback
Mia Lussier, Santiago Canyon
Ayleen Jimenez, Santiago Canyon
Makayla Worcester, Santiago Canyon
Kenzie Marker, Orange Coast
Jazmeen Serratos, Orange Coast
Olivia Hostetler, Orange Coast
Jasmin De La Torre, Cypress
Alexa Green, Cypress
Giana Ortenzo, Golden West
Kiersten Mahan, Golden West
Ku'uipo Laumatia, Irvine Valley
Ashley Reina, Irvine Valley
Gicela, De La Rosa Fullerton
Edie, Pfefferkorn Fullerton
Alexis Chavez, Santa Ana

Second Team Selections
McKenna Pugh, Saddleback
Maycie Pugh, Saddleback
Kaiya Biller, Saddleback
Danielle Pirnat, Saddleback
Jordyn Gallegos, Santiago Canyon
Rayleen Chairez, Santiago Canyon
Melanie Salazar, Santiago Canyon
Grace Boyce, Orange Coast
Tess Doucette, Orange Coast
Madelyn Valdez, Orange Coast
Alisa Kangas, Cypress
Naomi Lee, Cypress
Kaylee Gomez, Golden West
Sierra Carter, Golden West
Nikki MacDonald, Irvine Valley
Emily Orosco, Irvine Valley
Layla Barnhart, Fullerton
Shiann Rivanis, Fullerton
Anneliz Zuniga, Santa Ana

*Story by Brad Hoiseth, Saddleback College