Future Lobo Gabriella Montoya bides time, becomes soccer star
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (BVM) 鈥� Many NCAA Division I soccer players were stars for all four years of their high school career. University of New Mexico commit Gabriella Montoya had to bide her time.
As a sophomore transfer from Valley High School, Montoya spent her first year at Volcano Vista on the junior varsity team.
鈥淚t was very frustrating,鈥� Montoya said. 鈥淚 would finish my JV game and go to varsity just to watch and there鈥檚 just such a difference between JV and varsity. But I knew that within a year I鈥檇 be playing varsity, so I just needed to stick it out and keep going no matter how frustrating it was at times.鈥�
Montoya entered high school with Division I college aspirations, but her parents realized that she would need a bigger challenge than that which she was getting at Valley, so the future Lobo transferred to Volcano Vista where she would face a higher level of competition. And the 5-foot-2 defender was up for the bigger challenge.
鈥淪he just wanted it,鈥� Volcano Vista head coach Samantha Lucero said. 鈥淪he was a very dedicated player. That sophomore year I just saw her work so hard, knowing that she should鈥檝e been on varsity, but she stuck with it鈥� You could tell she was hungry.鈥�
By the time her career with the Hawks was over, Montoya had become the team鈥檚 leader and an all-around star. As a senior, Montoya led Volcano Vista to a 19-2 record and the 2019 Class 5A state title. While she anchored a defense that allowed just six goals in 21 games, she also proved to be a dangerous weapon on offense, recording seven goals and seven assists.
鈥淪he was very diverse,鈥� Lucero said. 鈥淪he could play any position you put her at. She was a playmaker, but she was also one of the best defenders I鈥檝e seen throughout my coaching career.鈥�
Montoya, the Gatorade New Mexico Girls Soccer Player of the Year, didn鈥檛 land a scholarship with New Mexico until her senior season was over. She verbally committed to Division II Fort Lewis College at the end of her junior year, but she gained the attention of Lobos head coach Heather Dyche during Volcano Vista鈥檚 championship run.
鈥淪he didn鈥檛 know if I was committed or not,鈥� Montoya said, 鈥渁nd I made the decision that I really didn鈥檛 feel like I wanted to pursue Division II. It wasn鈥檛 at my level and I wasn鈥檛 going to be happy there, so I decommitted the day after we won state鈥� Heather called me three days later and I committed to playing Division I soccer.鈥�
Montoya will have to earn her spot with the UNM just as she did with Volcano Vista. But once she does, she could make a major impact for the Lobos.
鈥淪he could play a huge role anywhere,鈥� Lucero said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the type of player she can be. She鈥檚 dedicated and she鈥檚 willing to learn. As a coach, you want that type of player on your team and I think that she can be put anywhere and learn and just be a star.鈥�
