WESTLAKE, Ohio – Both of Vanguard's soccer programs made history last week as men's player Adan Alvarado and women's player Rachel Penick became the first Lions to be named to a CCA All-West Region Team. Alvarado was voted to the All-West Region First Team, while Penick earned a spot on the All-West Region Second Team.

Alvarado, the 2025 Pacific West Conference Player of the Year, was the only sophomore in the West to secure a spot on the All-West Region First Team. His ability to hold the ball and create solo chances helped the midfielder lead the Lions in all offensive categories, as he netted nine goals, four assists (22 points), 36 shots, 20 shots on goal, and converted on four PKs. The sophomore ended the regular season fifth in the league in points, tied for sixth in goals, was 10th in shots, and third in shots on goal.  Alvarado had his first career multi-goal game in 2025, scoring a brace at home against Dominican, and also finding an assist, to set new career-highs across the board.  He averaged 1.29 points per game, had at least one shot in all but three games, and had 12 games of two or more shots. His best run of form in the season came from mid-October onward, as Alvarado tallied six goals and two assists in the final seven matches of the season.

Penick, who was an All-PacWest First Team performer on the women's side, also impressed in her senior season to clinch her position on the All-West Region Second Team. Penick produced a team-best 15 points in her final campaign, her highest since her 2023 debut campaign with the Blue and Gold, where she was an All-Conference selection and Golden State Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year. In 2025, she put up six goals to place her in a tie for fourth in the PacWest, and her two game-winning strikes put her in another tie for fourth-place in the league.  The senior was also fifth in the conference with 15 points and landed seventh with 17 shots on goal, good for an average of 1.13 per match.  Penick had 29 shots during the season, a 1.81 rate per game, leaving her just shy of the top 10 in the conference.  Her game at home against APU was her best statistically of the season, as she struck for a beautiful goal bent into the top corner before collecting an assist on the second to net three points on the day. She would score on another worldie for her final career goal, two matches later in a 2-2 draw against Dominican. Penick had a season-high four shots on the road at Westmont and had all three of her shots on the road at Hawaii Pacific go on net. The storied VU midfielder closes her career with 57 matches played, 53 starts, 16 goals, 15 assists and 47 total points. She also signs off with 51% (63-124) of her career shots placed on target, as well as five game-winning goals.