After a solid high school athletic career, Montezuma-Cortez High School student Taren Lanier will play soccer at Colorado State University-Pueblo next season.
Surrounded by family members, coaches and school administrators, the senior signed his national letter of intent at M-CHS on Feb. 4. Lanier became his school’s first college soccer signee since head coach Sean Fitzgerald took over the M-CHS program two years ago.
“Ever since I was a freshman, I wanted to go to college,” said Lanier. “I just worked my butt off. I’m excited.”
CSU-Pueblo’s men’s soccer team is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). The team finished eighth in the RMAC last season with a 7-11 record.
“I like how the campus is not that big and everything is within walking distance,” said Lanier. “Everyone seems friendly.”
“Taryn comes with a good foundation and will just continue to get better,” Fitzgerald added. “He has the physical and mental tools to make the transition to the college level.”
Over the course of his four-year career at M-CHS, Lanier scored 16 goals and registered eight assists. His senior season proved to be his best as he scored a team-high 11 goals and registered four assists. Lanier was named first-team all-conference for the Southwest League in 2014.
“(Lanier) has done a lot for our program,” said Fitzgerald. “He was a captain for the two years that I’ve been coaching and the boys look up to him. I’m sure they will look still look up to him now being a college player now.”
Lanier said that he plans to suit up for the M-CHS baseball team this spring before continuing to hone his soccer skills throughout the summer.