Juli La Rotta and Raiya Rumo have achieved significant recognition in their recent seasons, marking a historic moment for the women’s soccer program.
La Rotta earned a place on the conference All-Rookie team, while Rumo was named a Canada West First Team All-Star for the second consecutive year. This marks the first time in program history that two players have received All-Star honours from Canada West.
La Rotta, a promising winger from Calgary, made an impressive debut, leading her team in scoring during her freshman year.
With four goals, she topped the Pacific Division’s rookie scoring list and ranked among the top five scorers in the entire conference. Her selection to the All-Rookie team makes her the third player in the program’s history to achieve this honour.
In a press release, Head coach Mark Pennington expressed excitement about La Rotta’s potential, highlighting her unique abilities and contributions to the team.
He noted that her talent in driving past defenders and her effective finishing set her apart. Pennington emphasized that the recognition she received was well-deserved.
Rumo, recognized as one of the program’s most accomplished players, added another accolade to her impressive resume by being named a first-team all-star once again.
The centre back from Courtice, ON, was the first player on the team to earn this distinction last year and continued to excel against some of the country’s top attacking players.
Starting in 12 games this season, Rumo’s defensive skills have garnered respect across the conference.
This recognition marks Rumo’s third accolade from Canada West in her four seasons, having previously been named to the All-Rookie Team in 2021 and First Team in 2023 and 2024.
Together, La Rotta and Rumo helped TRU achieve a record of 4-8-2 this season, just missing out on the Canada West playoffs.
Pennington reflected on the importance of these individual honours, recognizing them as a testament to the team’s overall progress and quality. He expressed optimism about the future and the program’s goals for continued development.