In leading up to the start of the 2016-17 athletics campaign at Irvine Valley, which starts on Aug. 26 with women's soccer hosting a match, the Laser athletic department will count down the top 10 IVC sports stories from the 2015-16 school year.
The No. 5 story on the list includes a special season put together by the men's soccer team, one that included the fourth Orange Empire Conference title in program history. The team made it all the way to the So. Cal. Regional Final, and finished ranked ninth in the nation and fifth in the state. The Lasers had a 16-match unbeaten streak at one point during the season and to top it off, long-time coach Martin McGrogan picked up his 300th victory during the year. McGrogan was also named the CCCSCA Southern California men's coach of the year.
Irvine Valley's 2015 fall season was one to remember.
IVC finished the 2015 season ranked ninth in the nation and fifth in the state.
Irvine Valley ended with a record of 16-3-5 overall.
The team won the fourth conference title in program history, coach Martin McGrogan earned his 300th victory, the team had a 16-match unbeaten streak this season and made the Southern California Regional finals.
The Lasers were picked fifth in the state in the final California Community College Athletic Association rankings.
Oxnard, which won the state title, was first. Evergreen Valley ranked second and Mt. San Antonio was selected third.
Lake Tahoe was fourth and Irvine Valley placed fifth.
The rest of the top 10 included West Valley, Hartnell, Santa Rosa, Rio Hondo and Feather River.
In the National Soccer Coaches Association of America national poll, Irvine Valley came in an impressive ninth.
The Lasers were 11th in the final regular season poll.
Nassau Community College was first overall, Oxnard took second and Evergreen Valley was third.
The Lasers were the fifth best team out of California squads - behind Oxnard, Evergreen Valley, Mt. San Antonio and Lake Tahoe.
McGrogan was also named the California Community Colleges Soccer Coaches Association Southern California men's coach of the year.
McGrogan, who guided Irvine Valley to state titles in 1993 and 2003, won his 300th match at the college when his side defeated Norco, 4-0, on Oct. 23.
Irvine Valley had a 16-match unbeaten streak until its 2-1 loss to Mt. SAC in the regional final.
The Lasers went unbeaten in their conference, ending with a record of 11-0-3. McGrogan was also named as the Orange Empire Conference coach of the year. Star freshman forward Toby Waterman was selected as the Orange Empire Conference player of the year and also picked all-state.
Waterman was one of eight Lasers that earned spots on the all-OEC team.
Waterman paced the conference with 19 goals and nine assists for 47 points.
Waterman scored in 15 of IVC's 24 matches and had a three-goal game at home against Norco on Oct. 23.
Besides leading the conference in goals and points and finishing tied for second in assists, Waterman ranked second in the state in goals and points.
Waterman was just one of eight IVC players who earned all-conference honors, including first-team selections Manuel Zamora, Jose Rivera, Cesar Ortiz and Albert Chavez.
Zamora, a sophomore goalie, allowed just 19 goals in 1,661 minutes of action, earning 10 wins and four shutouts along the way.
Rivera, a freshman midfielder, was the perfect second weapon for IVC, notching 13 goals (third-best in the OEC) and 31 total points (third-best in the OEC).
Ortiz, a sophomore defender, and Chavez, a freshman midfielder, helped anchor the middle and the back of the IVC alignment, a defense that allowed just 26 goals the entire season. Chavez also contributed one goal and one assists this season.
Irvine Valley's all-conference second team players included freshman forward Connor Elder, freshman midfielder Jose Gamboa and freshman forward/midfielder Joseph Ferguson.
Elder recorded 10 goals and one assist this past season. He ranked third on the team in goals and third in points with 21. Gamboa paced the team and the conference with 10 assists. And Ferguson had five goals and five assists for 15 points.
