Siriana Gudino has been a model student-athlete during her four years at Ceres High School.

Gudino’s hard work paid off earlier this month when she was awarded a college scholarship.

The standout girls soccer player will continue her athletic career and education at Life Pacific University (LPU) in San Dimas.

 “I’m glad I get an opportunity to keep playing after high school,” the 5-foot-10 goalkeeper said. “It’s a true blessing. Playing collegiate soccer has always been a dream of mine.”

Gudino signed her national letter of intent with Life Pacific University in front of her mom and two younger siblings at home due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

“Even though I didn’t have a ceremony, it was still special,” she said. “I shared the moment with my family. They’ve been there for me since day one.”

Gudino will be a member of LPU’s inaugural women’s soccer team.

“Being part of the first roster is cool,” she said. “Hopefully, I can make the school well-known.”

Life Pacific University will carry three goalkeepers on its roster.

“It wouldn’t be fun without healthy competition,” she said. “That’s the next step of me growing as a goalie.”

Gudino took her recruiting trip to Life Pacific University last September.

She was invited to a baseball game after touring the campus.

“It’s a very small school,” she said. “Not a lot of people know about it. It’s similar in size to Ceres High. I didn’t expect to enjoy the time I had there that much. It was a cool experience.”

Gudino committed to LPU after being recruited by Shaun Harris at the 2019 San Diego Surf College Cup Showcase.

“I was speaking to other coaches,” she said. “Life Pacific’s showed more interest.”

San Dimas is located 30 minutes from Los Angeles.

“I always wanted to go somewhere outside of the Central Valley,” she said. “I’m a bit nervous. It’s a whole different environment.”

Gudino will major in communications at LPU.

“My dream is to work for ESPN in front of or behind the camera,” she said.

Gudino started playing soccer at the age of four.

“I actually didn’t like soccer when I first started,” she said. “My dad forced me to play.”

Gudino developed into a standout goalie under Ceres Earthquakes FC Elite Club head coach Miguel Larranaga’s guidance.

A host of Larranaga’s players have earned scholarships to college.

“I owe it all to coach Miguel,” she said. “I’ve been playing for him since I was nine. I started as a goalie in club and never looked back. As you get older, there’s more responsibility. You have to communicate with your defense. You have to read the game. You can’t hesitate for a second. You don’t want to be the reason why your team loses.”

Gudino filled a key role in leading Ceres High’s girls soccer program to new heights.

The Bulldogs amassed a 56-19-10 overall record, claimed one conference title, notched two playoff victories and quailed for the postseason four times during her tenure.

“Every season was memorable,” she said. “The team grew over the years. I grew from my freshman year. I became more confident. I was calm. I spoke more. It was amazing being a part of the program.”

Ceres High enjoyed its best season to date this past winter.

The Bulldogs went 18-1-1 overall, claimed the Western Athletic Conference championship with a 13-0-1 mark and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-III playoffs.

Gudino was selected to the WAC First Team.

“We were all very ambitious,” she said. “We got the results we wanted because we worked hard. Everybody got along. That made the chemistry better. It was a really fun experience.”

A straight-A student as far back as she can remember, Gudino suffered a setback when she earned grade-point averages of 3.5 and 3.8 her freshman year at Ceres High.

“I got off to a bumpy start,” she said.

Gudino has maintained a 4.0 GPA her sophomore, junior and senior years.

“I’ve challenged myself,” she said. “Some nights are harder than others. I stay up as long as I can to get homework done.”

Gudino will be the first person from her family to attend a four-year university.

Her mother Maria earned an A.A. degree.

Gudino would love to see her younger siblings follow in her footsteps.

“I really want them to go to college,” she said.