Women’s soccer program looks to continue state of predominance with new coaching staff
When it comes to having big shoes to fill, new Hill College Head Women’s Soccer Coach Jason Bond has accepted the challenge and will help guide the Rebels to new future successes as they gear up for the 2025 season.
Bond, who joined the Hill College family in June, has 18 years of experience in coaching (13 years at the NCAA Division I level) and has led teams to five Regional Championships and two District Championships. More recently, Bond coached at Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri, where he served as the head soccer coach for both the men’s and women’s teams for three years. During his time at Crowder, both the men’s and women’s teams won Regional Championships in 2023 and 2024.
“The junior college world sees Hill College Soccer as a championship-caliber program,” Bond said. “The previous coach built, and had maintained, a JUCO powerhouse for the last decade. The success of the program here was a major draw for me as a coach. Also, the soccer program has a tradition of success and is in a great recruiting location. This helped a lot in getting the caliber of players we needed.”
Bond said in about seven weeks, he added nearly an entire recruiting class.
“It was certainly a challenge,” he said, “but the staff and support here was amazing. Big hats off to our admissions staff for helping get all these student-athletes through the admissions process.”
According to the 2025 NJCAA Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll, which was published on Aug. 11, Hill College sits at No. 16 in the county.
“Right now, our goal is to defend both our Region 5 Championship and District Championship,” Bond said. “That is the standard for Hill College Soccer, and we will continue to push for success at both the regional and national levels. That being said, these goals have to be accomplished one step at a time. Step One is qualifying for the Region 5 Final – therefore getting us prepared for regional play is where our focus is right now.”
Since accepting the position in June, Bond has been working diligently to put together his team which consists of 11 freshmen and nine sophomores. Three of the nine sophomores are transfers from other soccer programs.
“I have been extremely happy with both the returners and newcomers,” Bond said. “The returners have been wonderful to work with and have been natural leaders from Day One – having gone out of their way to welcome and build connections with the transfers and incoming freshmen. The sophomore class has appeared in nearly 100 college games combined last year - so we do have a veteran presence who knows what is required to win at the college level.”
Sophomore returners Nadia Bailey, Estrella Arriazola, Rylee Bennett, and Emily Guerro combined for 11 goals and 11 assists last year, and they are expected to lead the charge offensively along with the incoming freshmen and transfers.
As the beginning of the 2025 season looms around the corner, Hill College will once again be facing a gauntlet of nationally ranked opponents prior to beginning regional play including No. 5 Navarro (Aug. 29 at Navarro) and No. 18 Rose State (Sept. 4 away; and Oct. 7 home).
“We have a strong schedule with a lot of tough opponents,” Bond said. “I think Region 5 is going to be as competitive as it has been in a long time. Ranger College (which also has been voted to finish No. 1 in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Region 5 Preseason Poll this season) is bringing back a strong core group and gave last year's team some trouble in conference play.
“As for the rest of the conference,” he added, “both Cisco College and Western Texas College have head coaches that had won Region 5 Championships as assistant coaches. They have both seen what it takes to win in this Region and will continue to raise the profile of their programs...and I'm excited for the challenge.”
Bond won’t be alone as he continues to set the bar high for Hill College Women’s Soccer. Brandon Flores was recently hired as an assistant coach and goalkeeper coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer programs.
“In my short time working with Brandon he has done a great job connecting with the players,” Bond said. “I have also been really impressed with his goalkeeper training sessions. He is going to be a big asset for both our soccer programs.”
The Rebels open their 2025 season with six consecutive away games – the first being Aug. 22 against Blinn College beginning at 7 p.m. in Brenham. The first home game is Sept. 16 against National Park College beginning at 2 p.m. in Fort Worth.
“When accepting the job here at Hill College, I was excited to learn that we play our home games at Gateway Park,” Bond said. “It is a great soccer specific facility and stacks up well when compared to what many colleges play at. Most teams at the junior college level do not have access to a turf field, and the ones that do are mostly covered in American Football lines.”
All Hill College home soccer games are played at Gateway Park in Fort Worth. The address to the Soccer Complex is 751 Beach St., Fort Worth, Texas, 76105.
“Overall, I'm ecstatic and impressed with these young women,” Bond added. “It takes a level of heart and grit to stay at or commit to a school in a year with a coaching transition. It requires a leap of faith and a willingness to face challenges head on. I'll forever be grateful to these student-athletes for putting their trust in me and Hill College. The goal is to do everything in my power to compete for championships and help these student-athletes graduate and find a great fit at their four-year university after their time here.”
2025 Hill College Women's Soccer Roster
0 Bella Saenz, sophomore, GK
1 Raelynn Smith, sophomore, GK
2 Carla Sanz-Jorquera, freshman, M
3 Madisson Duran, freshman, M
4 Kennedi Robertson, freshman, D
5 Daisy Alanis, freshman, D
6 Karli D’Spain, freshman, M
7 Bree Gibbs, sophomore, F
8 Jade Taylor, freshman, M
9 Aitana Diez, freshman, F
10 Nadia Bailey, sophomore, M
11 Estrella Arriazola, sophomore, M
12 Rylee Bennett, sophomore, F
13 Cadie Coston, sophomore, F
14 Jaelynn Zelaya, freshman, D
17 Liha Williams, sophomore, M
18 Monai Barrientos, freshman, F
19 Rachel Delgado, freshman, F
21 Kiona Tuloach, freshman, D
23 Emily Guerrero, sophomore, F
Head Coach: Jason Bond
Assistant Coach: Brandon Flores
For more information on the Hill College women's soccer program, please visit https://hillcollegeathletics.com.