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SCC Midfielder Caires Headed East to Nyack College

Excerpt from Daily Republic, June 08, 2011 by Mike Corpos

ROCKVILLE - Sabrina Caires knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to go a long way to get it.

After two successful years playing soccer at Solano Community College, Caires is headed to Nyack College in New York state on an athletic scholarship that will see her through nursing school.

“We originally had three kids looking at that school, but Sabrina ended up being the only one,” SCC soccer coach Jeff Cardinal said. “It’s a sweet deal.”

A sweet deal indeed for a player who wanted to get out of California and see new places.

“I was really interested in going to school out of here,” Caires said. “New York is more exciting.”

Caires said she was turned on to Nyack by Cardinal, who had been in touch with Warriors coach Bill Findley.

“(Findley) knows that California players are really competitive,” Caires said. “He just found me through Cardinal.”

Cardinal said he initially recommended three players to Findley, Caires ended up being the lone Falcon to commit, however.

“It worked out really well because of nursing school,” Cardinal said. “She wasn’t going to consider a school that didn’t have her major. So this really worked out for her.”

Caires said she didn’t want to have to be wait-listed at one of California’s overpopulated nursing schools, making Nyack a perfect fit.

“I went for a visit, and they said they want to start building a good team, and I want to be a part of that,” Caires said. “They just made their nursing program out there.”

With nursing school, Caires said she’ll be at Nyack for three years, something the school took into consideration with her scholarship.

“They gave me scholarship that continues after two years, that’s a really big plus,” she said. “A lot of schools don’t do that.”

Cardinal said Caires will fit in nicely with the Warriors, an NCAA Division II program.

“She’s a very consistent, steady player,” Cardinal said of his main left midfielder. “Sabrina provided some very good consistency in training and in games. She started almost every game both years.”

Cardinal said Caires even started over some sophomores her freshman year because of her work ethic.

“She worked more and she earned it,” he said.

An Acalanes High of Lafayette graduate from Vallejo, Caires came to Solano in 2009 and had two solid seasons, finishing as the Falcons’ second leading scorer in 2010 with nine goals and 12 assists.

“She’s a real good kid,” Cardinal continued. “She helped the coaches out a lot, and she helped the younger players. She kind of led by example.”

Caires also got things done in the classroom, Cardinal said, maintaining a 3.5-3.6 grade-point average for her two years.

Caires said she liked the Nyack campus and the surrounding community, making her decision easier.

“I just liked how everybody was so friendly,” she said. “It’s a small community. I really like the environment, and I didn’t visit any other schools. It’s so different, it’ll be a new experience for me.”

Just what she was looking for.

Reach Mike Corpos at 427-6979 or mcorpos@dailyrepublic.net.