Earning top individual honors might have shocked Cheyenne Gautney, but Green River Community College’s record-setting women’s soccer season came as no surprise to the sophomore midfielder.

“I was extremely surprised about the MVP award, but I knew we had a good team this year,” said Gautney, an Auburn Riverside graduate and Northwest Athletic Association of Community College North Region Most Valuable Player.

Behind Gautney’s nine goals and five assists, the Gators enjoyed a record-breaking season, finishing second in the NWAACC North with a 9-4-3 record, 13-5-2 overall. Along the way, the Gators broke 14 school records, including most wins in a season.

Green River qualified for the playoffs, defeating Yakima Valley 2-0 in the first round for the program’s first-ever playoff win, before falling 1-0 in double-overtime to Clackamas in the quarterfinals.

“We worked well as a team this year, that’s for sure,” Gautney said. “We had a better defense than we did last year.”

The Gators, powered by improved play from their forward line, got off to a fast start and never looked back.

“We picked up some great players along the way, and they were a great asset,” Gautney said. “Our team just came together and played. Last year it took a couple of games for us just to get situated. But this year, coach (Stuart Snow) just had it figured out.”

Gautney led the way with her solid and steady all-around performance.

“I feel like I played better last year than this year,” Gautney admitted. “At the beginning of the season, I got a red card and it kind of took me out of my game. … But toward the end of the season, I really feel like I stepped it up.”

Gautney likely played her final college soccer match as a participant in Sunday’s NWAACC All-Star Game. A business major, she plans to attend the Gene Juarez Academy.

“It’s extremely weird,” Gautney said. “It hasn’t quite hit me yet. But if I dwell on it, it’s pretty crazy. I’ve been playing soccer for a really long time.”

Although she has no definite plans to coach in the near future, she would welcome the chance if the right circumstances came along.

“I’d probably go back and coach, just to keep in touch with soccer,” she said.