In a magical season that culminated with the Cerritos College men's soccer team winning the 3C2A State Championship, being named National Champions and having the nation's Player of the Year, the coaching staff was just announced as the top staff in the country. The Falcons, who defeated Hartnell College, 2-1 in overtime of the 3C2A State Championship game, have been honored, as head coach Benny Artiaga and his staff were named the United Soccer Coaches Staff of the Year for Division III (non-scholarship) community colleges, in the country. Artiaga's staff includes includes Chris Lekavich, George Artiaga, Alex Diaz, Tony Leone and Jeffrey Payeras and Arna Kilikarslan.

The award used to be limited to just the head coach, where Artiaga has received the honor in 2006 and 2014. It's the first time since they switched to a staff award, that the Falcons have been the recipients.

The staffs at all levels will be honored at the United Soccer Coaches Awards Ceremony on January 16, 2026, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA, in conjunction with the United Soccer Coaches Convention. Each Regional Staff of the Year appeared on the ballot for National Staff of the Year, along with the addition of staffs from all schools which reached the semifinals of their respective championship.

On the year, the Falcons posted a 17-6-3 record, placed third in the South Coast Conference South Division and came in fifth place in the SCC Tournament. Seeded #8 for the Southern California Regional Playoffs, the Falcons turned things around and went 4-0-1 in the postseason, which included a shootout win over rival Long Beach City College.

Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Kansas City, MO, United Soccer Coaches is the trusted and unifying voice, advocate and partner for coaches at all levels of the game. The largest community for soccer coaches in the world, they unite coaches of all levels around the love of the game and elevate the game through advocacy, education and service.