MCCC Athletics Hall of Fame Spotlight

Cynthia Soffel, Women's Soccer

 

Cynthia Soffel played women’s soccer at MCCC in 1982 and 1983 and will be inducted into the MCCC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024.  Soffel was on the first MCCC women’s soccer team to compete at the National Junior College Women’s Tournament in 1982.  1982 also marked the first full season as a collegiate team for MCCC women’s soccer.  The Vikings went 11-3 in their first collegiate season and finished fifth at the National Tournament.

 

In the 1982 season, Soffel had 25 goals and 28 assists.  In the Vikings consolation win at the National Tournament, Soffel had a hat trick in a 6-1 win vs Essex CC.  In the 1982 season, MCCC outscored their opponent 95-4.

 

In 1983, MCCC reached the National Tournament semifinal thanks to two goals from Soffel.  Soffel who was known for her assists, took over as the “offensive hero” with teammate and All-American Elyse Eichman tightly guarded.

 

 

Soffel was a member of the first women’s soccer collegiate program at Rutgers University in 1984.  That team went 10-4-2 and earned a national ranking.  It’s a team that “helped to lay a foundation for the program” which has been to thirteen NCAA Tournaments.  “The success of Rutgers women’s soccer wouldn’t be possible without that original team.”

 

In 1984, Soffel finished with 6 goals and 10 assists and followed that with 9 goals and 5 assists in the 1985 season at Rutgers. Soffel finished her career at Rutgers with 15 assists, which is ninth best in program history.  Soffel is also tied for fifth most assists in a season with 10 in 1984.  Soffel was also awarded the Women’s Soccer Scholar Athlete Award in 1984.

 

Soffel who played at Steinert High School, was a 2003 inductee into the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame.  

 

Soffel returned to MCCC to serve as an Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach with former teammate Eichman from 2018-2022.