There is a new assistant coach of the Pepperdine women’s soccer team. Head Coach Tim Ward announced newcomer Ariana Martinez would come on board to complete the Waves’ coaching staff for this upcoming season. Martinez has played at the collegiate and national levels, and is highly experienced from coaching the youth and prep ranks. She will replace Mary Grace Schmidt.
“We are very pleased to announce the hiring of Ariana,” said Ward in a statement provided by Pepperdine. “I’ve known and watched Ari play for over 10 years now, and I’ve always been impressed not only by her ability as a soccer player, but equally with her character as a woman. She has a wonderful ability to fiercely compete at the highest level on the field, while still maintaining the respect of all who play with and against her. She has a strong desire to teach and with her unique set of playing experiences, we feel she is well qualified to help our girls here at Pepperdine reach new levels.”
Martinez played four years of Pac-12 soccer, starting her collegiate career at UCLA in 2010 before transferring to UC Berkeley in 2012, finishing her career there. She was also called up to the Mexican National Team as a college sophomore in 2011 and played in the 2012 U-20 World Cup in Japan with Team Mexico as well.
“I am incredibly honored and excited about the opportunity to join the Pepperdine women’s soccer staff and look forward to working for such an accomplished head coach as Tim Ward and coach Max Rooke,” Martinez said in the statement. “I am just as excited to work with the high caliber student athletes that Pepperdine University attracts and hope to contribute in their development on and off the field.”