Beth (Liesen) Lagunas scored more goals in her stellar four-year career than any other women's soccer player in the history of Eastern Illinois or the Ohio Valley Conference. Twenty-six of her 62 collegiate goals proved to be the difference in an EIU victory, those 26 game-winners representing another program and conference record.
From 2000-03, all Lagunas and the Panthers did was win. She was part of four OVC championship teams during her playing career, helping EIU capture the regular-season crown in 2000 and the first three of four straight tourney titles from 2001-04. Eastern's 52-24-8 record during her career was highlighted by a 19-2-3 mark in OVC play.
While those records might suggest otherwise, Lagunas disagrees with the statement that winning came easy to EIU in those years.
“I wouldn't say it was easy, it never felt easy,” the Quincy native said. “My first year, we won the conference and didn't win the tournament. Every game, maybe it was supposed to be easy, but it wasn't. We were the team to beat in the OVC and everyone was coming after us. We worked hard as a team and wanted it. I felt like we had a winning mentality and a mentality where we didn't give up or give in.”
Lagunas tied the EIU single-season record with 20 goals as a senior, capping a four-year career that saw her develop from the 2000 OVC Freshman of the Year into the OVC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP in 2003. She was also twice named the EIU Female Athlete of the Year by the Daily Eastern News.
But after serving as an EIU assistant coach, earning a master's degree in education and beginning her teaching career, there's something resolute about those goal totals. Consider EIU has had only one player score as many as 10 goals in a season since Lagunas' 20-goal campaign.
That laundry list of program and OVC records, numerous honors and the team's success during her career made her a no-brainer for induction into the EIU Athletics Hall of Fame. She will be inducted in September, becoming the second women's soccer player in the exclusive club of EIU legends.
Lagunas served as an assistant under former EIU head coach Tim Nowak from 2005-07. Between the end of her playing career and transition to the coaching staff, she got the opportunity to spend the 2004 fall semester student teaching in New Zealand as part of EIU's study aboard program.
“It was a beautiful place and a wonderful experience,” she says. “I left here in the summer and got there and it was winter and cold. That's also when I started to miss soccer. It was the first season that I was officially done. It was kind of sad at first and there was a sense of loss, not going to training camp but instead getting on a flight to New Zealand. I missed it but tried to follow the team the best I could.
“I did my student teaching there. They called it 'year two,' which translated to second grade. I went by myself and stayed with a host family. They lived close to the school and I walked to work. I chose New Zealand because a lot of the research indicated the education system there was among the best in the world.”
Lagunas began teaching at the Crete-Monee School District's Early Learning Center in Chicago's south suburbs only a few weeks after the end of 2007 college season, her last as an EIU assistant coach. She became the leader of a new mixed-aged (3-to-5-year-olds) pre-kindergarten classroom thanks in part to a grant that became available to the district in late October of that year. She recently completed her third year in that classroom.
“I enjoy going to work and seeing the kids. They keep it fun and keep you active. Seeing their progress through a year and knowing you're a part of that. At the end of the year that's what makes you feel good, that you're helping those smiling faces.”
Lagunas married her college sweetheart, Julian Lagunas, in May 2008 in Quincy. A number of former Panther soccer players were in attendance to witness the nuptials. Julian is also a two-time graduate of EIU and is currently a teacher and soccer coach at Crete-Monee High School.
In a collegiate career that featured three NCAA Tournament appearances, 52 wins and 62 goals, it might be difficult to single out a favorite game or memorable moment along the way. Lagunas gave it some thought, but didn't have to ponder those questions for long.
“Senior year, senior day versus Samford at home,” she says selecting her most memorable game as a Panther. “I can still visually see it. It was a beautiful day and obviously we won (3-1). I remember scoring and assisting on a goal, and just all the hype of it being senior day. But all of the years were a lot of fun. It was a unique team every year. We would miss the players that left but the core chemistry that we had carried over. It didn't take long to get used to the new people. It felt like you played with all of your teammates for four years.”
And of the many ways a soccer player can score a goal – on a header off a corner kick or cross, with a free kick, on a breakaway, knocking home a rebound – her favorite way was?
“A header off a cross is the best way to score. The headers are the best, regardless off whether it's off a cross, corner or free kick.”
Lagunas got a chance to resume her scoring scenarios at EIU alumni games in the spring of 2007 and 2010. And there's a good chance she'll be back when the next alumni game rolls around. But next time, she'll take the field as an EIU Hall of Famer.
