SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis senior soccer player Savannah Tijerino-Santos has committed to play for American River College and will join the local program to play and attend school next fall.

“I am very excited and I am glad I get to keep playing soccer,” said Tijerino-Santos. “I would have been upset if I had stopped playing after high school. Doing it with one of my best friends, I am super excited.”

Savannah will joins classmate Monet Lopez in joining the ARC program coached by Paul Arellanes.

“The ARC program is a good team and they connect real well,” said Tijerino-Santos. “But they need a goal scorer and someone that can finish. He offered me a spot to hopefully help change that.”

Tijerino-Santos was second on the team and seventh in the league in goals (10) and second and points (22), earning All-Delta League first-team honors as a senior. Overall, she scored 16 varsity goals in two seasons and totaled 59 over her four-year career, including 29 as a freshman and 16 as a sophomore. She was a 10-time Maxpreps Player of the Game during her career.

“I loved my JV season” said Tijerino-Santos. “I loved Coach Justin (Boyer) and Arturo (Jacobo). They were my favorite. My freshman year was also a good year for me.”

Tijerino-Santos produced a six-goal game in her first season as a Troubie.

“I am looking forward to playing my two years there and see what happens,” said Tijerino-Santos, who plans to study forensic science in college.  

“Savvy set the standard in terms of work rate and intensity in training sessions and games,” said Head Coach Maryclaire Robinson. “Savvy led by example with her hustle and work on and off the ball.  She is a great addition to a team & has a gift if making herself dangerous in the attacking third. “On the defensive end, she can be a real ball winner. She is a great teammate, hard worker, pleasure to coach.”

“I am open to any options,” said Tijerino-Santos. “I never thought of the next step or level. Academically, I wanted to go to college but never expected to be at that level to play collegiate soccer. It was nice to be recognized by ARC and the other schools (that recruited me).”

Tijerino-Santos will be recognized as one of 11 Troubadours who have made college commitments for the spring signing period at a ceremony at St. Francis on Wednesday, April 12 at 9 a.m.