(Photo By: Hazel Foubert/WCSN)
Transferring from one school to another can be a daunting task for any collegiate athlete. The transfer portal is a chaotic and unpredictable place that can either help their development flourish or disrupt them. Take Arizona State’s very own junior forward Cameron Valladeras, who made the move from Arizona before the beginning of the 2024 spring season.
“The portal was crazy,” Valladres said, “There were so many people in it, I think everyone is kind of getting accustomed to using it so it was definitely an interesting experience.”
Valladeras had many reasons for choosing ASU as her next destination.
“I really liked (ASU Head Coach Graham Winkworth)’s style of play, I really liked the girls, Valladeras said. “It’s not too far from my family. I like the city of Tempe.”
The forward has certainly come into her own during her first month in maroon and gold. Valladeras has tallied four goals and three assists In her first seven matches. Her best performance came just a couple of weeks ago when the Sun Devils traveled to Baton Rouge and took on the Tigers of LSU. Valladeras starred, notching two goals and two assists en route to a 5-2 ASU victory.
Valladares is a pacy striker with a knack for trying to sprint past opposing defensive lines and outrace them to get to the end of through balls toward the net.
“She offers something different than what we already had,” Winkwroth said. “She loves to get behind. Other teams know we like to play a possession style of soccer. They knew they could defend against us in a certain way because we didn’t have the ability to get behind, Cam gives us that ability to get behind and she is very good at it.”
Not only does the coaching staff see the difference on the field, but the players are happy to have her out there as well.
“She is very good at taking players on and getting us at least in the final third,” senior midfielder Lauren Kirberg said.
Not only has Valladeras been an immense addition on the pitch, but she also seems to be fitting in just fine with her teammates even if she is from a rival school.
“She’s awesome,” Kirberg said. “She is really sweet, she tunes in, she is really active with everybody, she’s a great person off the field.”
Valladeras has been one of the biggest reasons ASU has yet to lose a game this year. The Sun Devils hold a 5-0-2 non-conference record through the first month and look to build on that success as they take on their first Big 12 opponent this week. That opponent is a tough one in the BYU Cougars. BYU has struggled through the first part of the season but has arguably played the toughest strength of schedule in the country up to this point. They have played four teams ranked in the top 25 of the United Soccer Coaches Poll: No. 23 Saint Louis, No. 22 UCLA, No. 9 Utah State, and No. 4 Arkansas.
The feeling around this game is one of excitement for an ASU squad looking to put itself on the map with a victory over a very quality Cougars team. Winkworth believes that Valladeras will play a crucial role
“Our ability to counterattack with Cam,” Winkworth said. “We need to be able to exploit the spaces that BYU gives us and she can do that.”
Valladeras looks to lead the charge into ASU’s inaugural season in the Big 12 conference with a three-game road trip that starts with BYU, before heading to Houston on September 19, then concludes in Central Florida on September 22.
