Women's soccer team hosts 18 athletes from Mexico

The UC Riverside women’s soccer team took part in August in a student-athlete exchange, the second time a UCR soccer team has participated in the program. The exchange is part of UC Alianza MX, a systemwide initiative of the University of California that fosters engagement with Mexico across all 10 UC campuses. UC Alianza MX has supported the athletic collaboration between UCR and the National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM, The exchange welcomed 18 student-athletes from the UNAM women’s soccer team and five UNAM officials to UCR athletic facilities.

A primary goal of this collaboration was to promote academic exchange opportunities for student-athletes, while also strengthening ties with key partners like UNAM.

group photo ucr-unam exchange — The woman's soccer team from UNAM played against UCR athletes during an exchange.

The collaboration was established in July 2022 through an agreement between UCR Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox and UNAM Rector Enrique Graue. The student-athlete and coaching exchange program is part of a broader inter-institutional collaboration.

In June 2023, the inaugural student-athlete exchange was held in Mexico City with the UCR men’s soccer team. UNAM and UC Alianza MX welcomed 30 UCR student-athletes and eight UCR officials.

During the most recent exchange, the UNAM women’s soccer team trained daily, either in the morning or afternoon. All UNAM participants stayed at the Lothian Residence Hall on campus and the team played two matches, against UCR and Mt. San Antonio College. The student-athletes also had a guided tour of The Cheech museum, explored the Santa Monica Pier, and attended a Dodgers game.

"As women and student-athletes, I believe the impact of this experience for the new generations can be very significant,” said Ofelia Chávez Benítez, captain of the UNAM women’s soccer team. “I hope many young women athletes at UNAM can aspire to go far in the world of women's soccer, seeing the opportunities that are opening up for women and knowing that it is possible."

Benítez represented UNAM on the association soccer team for eight years, also participating in national and international competitions.

UC Alianza MX hosted a dinner reception in honor of the second-student athlete exchange on Aug. 5 at the Alumni and Visitors Center. The teams sat together and conversed following their match on Aug. 4. The reception included Rodolfo Torres, vice chancellor of Research and Economic Development at UCR, Wesley Mallette, director of UCR Intercollegiate Athletics, and Maximiliano Aguilar, director of representative sports at UNAM.

Looking ahead, the UNAM men’s soccer team is scheduled next to visit UCR, and UNAM is eager for their turn to welcome the UCR’s women’s soccer team in Mexico City.