Aiken High’s Naomi Huerta gave a unique answer when asked how she was feeling at Friday’s ceremony honoring her for signing to play college soccer:
“Shocking.”
Huerta didn’t think she’d ever want to play in college, but after transferring to Aiken for her senior season she found something that made her want to continue her soccer career. She’ll do that at Louisburg College in North Carolina.
“I saw how these girls impacted my life and how well our team bonded and how everything just fit like a puzzle,” she said, “and I want to do that again with a new team and just build more relationships.”
Huerta transferred last summer to Aiken from Jack Britt High in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and became a veteran influence on a Hornets team loaded with youth – and talent. Head coach Victor Tice said she came aboard and bonded with her teammates instantly, something he said showed her character, maturity and confidence.
“It was good to have another veteran, maybe not of South Carolina high school but of high school soccer in general, to have there to be able to lean on,” he said.
She helped the Hornets make history this spring with their first region championship in 20 years and possibly the program’s first-ever undefeated region title.
“I’ve never won region with any other team because we didn’t go that far, unfortunately, in my last three years at my old high school,” she said. “Being here and seeing how hard the girls worked and how well they fit together, again like a puzzle, it seemed almost like magic was happening because all the girls were super excited and just so involved with each other that it worked perfectly.”
Louisburg offered a home-like feel and an accommodating program that she feels will be a good next step both athletically and academically.
She wants to be a biology major and eventually become a physician assistant, and on the pitch her new Hurricanes coaches want her to start at the goal-scoring striker position.
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