A year of transition, success in athletics
FAIRFIELD — The 2025-26 school year at Solano College brought a change in leadership, the end of one outstanding coaching career, the beginning of another and a new venue for a fast-growing sport.
Karen Yoder took the reins as athletic director on March 16 after leading Cal Poly Maritime in Vallejo since 2020. Eric Visser retired in July of 2025 after 11 years. Alison Aubert led the program on an interim basis before returning to her role as assistant athletic director.
Solano began the school year with interim head coaches in Diego Reyes (men’s basketball), Lizzy Roark (women’s basketball) and Alonso Frias (women’s soccer). Rafael Rovira became the full-time head coach of the men’s and women’s tennis teams.
Softball returns in 2026-2027
Bonita Allen was the most recent hire as the new head softball coach called on to revive the softball program after a three-year absence.
Allen joins the Solano staff after successfully coaching at the NCAA Division I, Division II, NAIA, travel softball and professional levels.
Solano hasn’t fielded a team since 2023. The Falcons went 12-0 in the BVC and 17-22 that year. At the time, many BVC teams were struggling to field programs. It would have required a jump to a stronger Big 8 Conference and Visser said at the time that the school was not ready to compete on that level.
Williams leaves legacy
Head women’s volleyball coach Darla Williams retired in May as one of the college’s most successful leaders. She led the Falcons to 10 Bay Valley Conference championships since 2003 and finished as a runner-up seven times.
Williams’ teams have a 106-1 record since 2016 in league play. Her overall record is 604-499 after 38th season as a head coach at both the high school and college level and 406-200 at Solano. Williams was Coach of the Year in the BVC nine times.
Williams was also instrumental in bringing beach volleyball to Solano, including the development of a new on-campus facility. Her assistant, Makayla Johnson, now leads both programs.
Beach-front property
Four beach volleyball courts were constructed at the back of the Solano campus adjacent to the gymnasium and the swimming pool as a new facility for its newest program.
The completed construction made Solano one of four schools in the nine-team Big 8 Conference to have on-campus facilities. The Falcons debuted beach volleyball in 2025 and had to play its first full season on the road with the nearest practice facility in Napa. The new facility was a huge step in the continued development of the program. The team went 18-6, 11-5 in the BVC this season and sent one pair, Kaylie Reyes and Giana Guintu, all the way to the state championship tournament.
Team of the Year
Women’s volleyball. The Falcons posted an overall record of 22-12 and won their 10th BVC title with a perfect 12-0 record. Solano defeated Clovis in Northern California regional playoff opener in five games before falling at powerhouse Taft in the second round in three straight.
Female Athlete of the Year
Kaylie Reyes. The sophomore and Armijo High School graduate was named the Bay Valley Conference Most Valuable Player during the indoor volleyball season. She led the team in kills (373), finished second in assists (305), led the team in digs (374), was second in aces (56) and was one of the top passers on serve receive. Reyes also had an outstanding beach volleyball season that resulted in a trip to state with Guintu.
Male Athlete of the Year
Jace Parkinson. The freshman and Rodriguez High School graduate earned first team All-Bay Valley Conference at second base after putting together one of the top offensive seasons in the league. The second baseman batted .383, collected 44 hits, 24 runs and 45 RBI while adding 14 walks and posting a .460 on-base percentage. Defensively, he was just as reliable, finishing with a .961 fielding percentage.