Freshman Martinez Scores a First for Columbia College

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Freshman Jessica Martinez (Williamstown, NJ) received Southern States Athletic Conference Women’s Offensive player of the week in soccer.  Martinez is the first soccer player at Columbia College to receive the conference honor. 

Martinez started off the week with an impressive display of offensive ability against Montreat College, a future Appalachian Athletic Conference Match, scoring two goals in the first half and finishing her hat-trick with a third goal late in the second half. Columbia went on to defeat Montreat 4-0. Martinez finished the week with a dominating performance against Conference Carolinas member Converse College.  The matchup highlighted the two top women’s colleges where Martinez scoring a second hat-trick as she led the Fighting Koalas past the Valkyries 3-0, on Friday, September 17th at the Hayden Abney Fulp field.

Martinez graduated from Williamstown High School in New Jersey in 2010. When asked, ‘What the best thing about being a Columbia College Athlete is?” She simply responded, “My Team”. The Columbia College soccer team couldn’t be looker any better, as a freshman Martinez has had 10 goals in the last 8 games and continues to break Columbia College records as only half of the season has passed. Columbia College Fighting Koalas looks to continue their winning streak at Coker College this week on September 21st @ 7:00 p.m.

Head Coach Josh Kiper notes, “Her athleticism and offensive creativity is remarkable and I see her accomplishing so much more.  Jessica receiving player of the week just shows that we are a small college that it is capable of accomplishing big things. With the conference make-up of 16 teams it is a great honor for Columbia College to be recognized and it shows that our program is moving in the right direction.”  The Southern States Athletic Conference is a perennial NAIA powerhouse in women’s soccer.  Currently, four of the sixteen teams are in the NAIA top-25, with back to back national champion Lee University holding the #3 spot in the polls.