Daniel Palomino, the current captain of Southern Oregon University’s men’s soccer team, has played a significant role in the team’s success as the Raiders seek to improve on their 12-5-2 record from 2024.
Despite some late-season injuries, the Raiders stand at 9-3-3 in 2025, and remain in the mix for a possible Cascade Conference title or NAIA playoff berth.
“It’s all because of our bondage with one another and our willingness to work hard and keep fighting adversity any way we can,” said Palomino.
Palomino has been on the team for three years. He has previously played semi-pro at Lane United in Eugene, and guides the team throughout matches with his keen sense and leadership.
Palomino has been playing soccer since he was a child, drawing inspiration from his family and keeping the passion alive in the men’s soccer team by creating a family of his own.
“Danny’s a great team captain,” said Raider forward Papa Yasane. “He works hard, and he’s always there for us when we need him.”
After a recent Raider victory of 4-1 against the University of Providence, Palomino confessed that he had been worried prior to the game, since the team’s morale had been lowered after two consecutive losses.
Yet, volunteer assistant coach Jin Inoue was not surprised by the victory.
“What was so special about the game Saturday was that it was Alumni Day weekend for SOU soccer,” said Inoue. “Our players knew there would be many alumni in the stands, and they understood how meaningful that was. As we’ve now seen, the players made our alumni proud.”
Palomino also expressed renewed hope in the team.
“The ultimate goal for us is to win the championship and win the league and conference,” Palomino said. “We’ll do it one tournament—one game—at a time.”
Photo by Sukhprit Kaur/The Siskiyou
