New season, new team for Sunjoon

Sunjoon Tenorio, second left, dribbles in front of a Lesley University defender during their game in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference of the NCAA last year in Boston. (Suffolk University)

After leaving a mark in the NCAA in his rookie season, the CNMI’s Sunjoon Tenorio is taking his acts to another collegiate competition after signing up with the Warner Pacific University.

Tenorio, who had an outstanding freshman year with Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts, is moving to Portland, Oregon to suit up for the WPU Knights in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, a 251-member institution.

“It was a very tough decision for me to leave Suffolk University. I made unforgettable memories there and met some friends that I will have for life. That being said, I made the decision based on what was better for me. I enjoyed my time at Suffolk and in Boston, but Warner Pacific felt like a better option,” Tenorio said.

At Suffolk, Tenorio became the first Ram to have earned three straight Rookie of the Week awards from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. He was eventually named Team Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player after finishing the season with a squad-high 10 goals and playing in 15 of the Rams’ 16 matches (starter in 12 games).

“My decision came down to the opportunities, location, and scholarship that I will be receiving there,” the 19-year-old player said.

With his transfer, Tenorio is expecting to meet new obstacles, but with the things he learned from Suffolk, his teammates, and his coaches, he believes he is up to the tests.

“I am looking forward to the challenges that I will face at Warner, and I am ready to beat those challenges and continue to improve and prove myself as a student and an athlete,” the many-time CNMI National Team player said.

Warner Pacific competes in the Cascade Collegiate Conference against the University of British Columbia, Corban University, Eastern Oregon University, Evergreen State College, College of Idaho, Multnomah University, Northwest Christian University, Northwest University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Southern Oregon University, and Walla Walla University.

The Knights are mentored by former Tajikistan Soccer Federation technical director and United States Soccer Federation A license coach Troy Ready, who announced the signing of Tenorio and former Concordia University Nick Evans last weekend.

“Sunjoon is our first ever national team signee. His technical ability is first-class and he has a great feel for the game,” Ready was quoted as saying in the Knights official athletics website.

“We can’t wait to see him continue to develop as a Warner Pacific Knight,” the former Portland Timbers U23 coaching staff member added.

Tenorio is among the 11 new recruits of the Warner Pacific University and they will see action for the Knights in the Fall season. Warner Pacific finished last year’s competition with an 8-7-2 win-loss-draw overall record and 5-6-2 in the conference.