2026 Hall of Fame Class: Simone Ferrara
Alex Roberts-Croteau
1/20/2026
Simone Ferrara joins the UC Irvine Athletics Hall of Fame for the class of 2026 as the fifth member of the women's soccer program.
A four-year player, Ferrara was a main cog in the program's first Big West title during the 1997 season helping the team reach consecutive Big West Finals.
Ferrara played 81 matches starting 78 teaming up with fellow hall-of-famer Nicole Bucciarelli on the scoring side as she totaled 53 career points with a program-record 27 assists over her career which still stands No. 1 today, and scored 13 goals of her own.
The Anteaters spotlight SImone and her journey at UC Irvine to start off our look at the 2026 Hall of Fame Anteater class.
Marine Cano was the coach of the Olympic Development Team I played for. He also happened to be from my hometown. He recruited me to play at UC Irvine. I was mostly recruited to run in college, I won CIF in the mile my senior year and Vince O’Boyle was at that race. He approached me and talked to me about running at UCI. It made it feel like I was meant to be an Anteater. UCI is a great school, in a great area, and to have the opportunity to be a Division 1 athlete was a dream come true.How did you first hear of UC Irvine and what drew you to becoming an Anteater?
I came into the program with a large recruiting class. We quickly became very close, like family. We played for each other and fought together to be ranked nationally. Cano built a program around commitment, trust, believing in each other, and working hard. I have nothing but the best memories of my time at UCI.What are some memories of the program or with your teammates from playing days at UCI?
Winning the Big West title was unreal. We were always the underdog. No one knew UCI. When we would beat teams that were ranked higher than us or had a bigger name, Cano always celebrated us. He challenged us to be better, to make our school known. Winning that title was a very proud moment for all of us.Anything of significance to you to bringing the first Big West title to UCI women's soccer?
Every time I played for my country, there was an immense feeling of pride. It was a true honor to be 1 of 11 players to step onto the pitch. My time at UCI developed me into the player that was selected to represent my country in the World Cup. I credit being an Anteater as a significant contributor to my success in soccer.What pride did you have representing as the first Anteater to play in the World Cup?
Being inducted into the UC Irvine Hall of Fame is an incredible honor. I have read the bios of some of the other HOF inductees and I am truly humbled. I see myself as one of many that have had the honor of wearing the Anteater on their jersey. I am a soccer player who loves the game and loved representing UC Irvine for 4 years. Cano took a chance on me and UCI gave me the platform and support to be successful. To me this award also represents my journey. All that were involved deserve a piece of it, my family, my coaches, and my teammates. I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to play soccer for UC Irvine. I am incredibly proud to receive this award.What does it mean to you to be inducted into the UC Irvine Hall of Fame?
