Rancho Santiago Community College District has named Jaymie Baquero as assistant professor, kinesiology/women's soccer coach for Santa Ana College. Baquero joins the kinesiology and athletics division, bringing 14 years of coaching experience along with her.

Baquero will take over a Dons team with several impressive games late in the season despite finishing 2013 with a 3-15-3 overall record. The end-of-season finish included a 9-4 win over Fullerton College followed by a scoreless tie with Cypress College, the Orange Empire Conference's third-place team.

Joining the Orange Empire Conference is a challenge that Baquero welcomes, as she departs the South Coast Conference, home of the two-time defending state and national champions, Cerritos College.

"Coming into this, I know what I'm up against," Baquero said. "The Orange Empire is extremely strong. Santiago Canyon and Cerritos always battle it out for state, so that's a level of competition I'm familiar with."

But Baquero looks to a series of goals to make her first season a success.

"My goal is to improve on [last season] in every element," Baquero said. "I think winning one more game, tying one more game, which equals two less losses, would be a great start."

Baquero also stated that off-field goals like graduating one more student-athlete can help make the season a success. She is also looking to team bonding and helping the student-athletes create their own goals for the season.

Avie Bridges, dean of kinesiology and athletics, shared her excitement to have Baquero joining the staff.

"She comes to us with a lot of soccer experience, both as a player and a coach." Bridges said. "And I think she will bring a lot of enthusiasm to our program."               

For the past seven seasons, Baquero has held several coaching positions at El Camino College, including co-head coach of both the men's and women's soccer teams. Originally starting as a volunteer assistant coach, Baquero worked her way up the ranks, eventually being named the co-head coach of the women's team prior to the 2011 season. She also served as the co-head coach of the men's team for the 2012 season.

Prior to her time at El Camino College, Baquero spent five seasons at West Torrance High School where she served as the head junior varsity coach and as an assistant coach with the varsity program. Baquero is currently a member of the Olympic Development Program coaching staff where she is an assistant coach with the U-16 team and has been the head coach of the South Bay Soccer Club as well as the Palos Verdes Soccer Club.

As a student-athlete at El Camino College, Baquero was a two-time, First-Team All-South Coast Conference selection in soccer while also being named the Pepsi Scholar Athlete of the Year. Baquero also played for the Warriors softball team, earning Second-Team All-SCC honors while also winning the doubles state championship in badminton. Her athletic accomplishments earned her a place in the El Camino College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Baquero earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Loyola Marymount University and her master's degree in kinesiology from California State University, Long Beach. She also holds a National "B" License from U.S. Soccer.