STOCKTON, Calif. – It was September 16, 2023 in Orem, Utah. The Pacific men's soccer team was playing a non-conference game at Utah Valley. The Tigers finished the match in a 2-2 draw against the Wolverines. You may not be surprised that both goals were scored by the team's leading scorer. That player was Derick Roque.
 
Not only did the South Gate, Calif. native notch the Tigers' two goals, but he earned his first multi-goal performance of his career. As a result, Roque was selected as the West Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
 
"It feels good to have that recognition," said Roque. "But when I'm playing, I don't think about these awards. It's more about performing and to help the team. To do and be the best I can for the team." 
 
For the last four years, Roque has appeared in 59 games and made 47 starts. He tallied 41 points on 16 goals and three assists. Roque recorded his best season in 2023 with 21 points on nine goals and three assists. The forward almost didn't play college soccer in the beginning. Roque pursued his high school career at Downey High School. With no offers on the table, he planned on going to college as a student. But then everything changed when Adam Reeves, who was head coach at DII Cal Poly Pomona at the time, recruited him.
 
Reeves was friends with Roque's club head coach. He watched the forward play in the State Cup game where he scored two goals. Reeves knew right away that he wanted Roque to come play for the program.
 
"After watching Derick a number of times and meeting with him and his parents, he said. "I was convinced this was the case."
 
Roque signed with the Mustangs on May 23, 2019. But a month later, when Reeves was named the head coach at Pacific, he decided to follow him to Stockton.
 
The rest was history.
 
 "Initially, Derick was supposed to be at Pomona with me," said Reeves. "But we both felt the opportunity at Pacific was too good to pass up. I still remember his visit to Pacific during my first week on the job.  Derick and his mom made the 10-hour round trip drive in the same day to visit campus and meet again."
 
Roque started strong in his freshman season, leading the Tigers with seven points on three goals and one assist. But a curveball would halt his playing career his sophomore season.
 
During the summer of 2021, Roque was in West Virginia playing in the USL League Two. He suffered an MCL sprain in the last game of the season, which forced him to sit out three games for Pacific.
 
Following that, in 2022, Roque would find himself on the injured list for the second time after pulling his hamstring. He sat out three games before returning against UNLV on September 15. But after playing 28 minutes, Roque reinjured his hamstring and was forced to sit out another couple weeks.
 
"It was very difficult," he said. "It's hard mentally, it's hard physically. You're not there for the team. So, say you have a good game and you're injured. And then you got to work your body all over again. It's a little bit tough, but you get stronger and you learn from moments like this."
 
Roque returned to action against Loyola Marymount on Oct. 8 and appeared in the final seven games.
 
Fast forward to 2023, he started in 16 out of 17 contests for the Tigers while leading them in scoring.
 
 Roque ended his collegiate career on a high note with his first postseason accolade, Second Team All-WCC. Roque was also recognized as one of the top 100 players by Top Drawer Soccer.
 
From being the leading scorer as a freshman to battling injuries to becoming the leading scorer again in his final year, the forward has faced a lot of adversity, but it has made him into the player and person he is today.
 
What's next after Pacific? Roque just finished his major in Mechanical Engineering. He hopes to continue playing soccer at the professional level before pursuing a career with his degree.
 
During the summer, he was a part of a co-op with the San Joaquin County Public Works. Roque worked with the Field Division, surveying and conducting inspections on construction sites or projects.
 
"You get to see how the contractors work, how the county and other construction companies work with each other so you get a different feel from different spots," he said. "It's good experience overall to help build my career. Maybe it's not something I would want to do forever with the county, but it's something that's definitely helped me to choose what I want in the future."
 
As Roque enters the next chapter of his life, the legacy he wants to leave behind is for him to be remembered not only as a soccer player but also as a good person. 
 
"I just want to be able to have my name out there," he said. "Just somebody that the freshmen and these new people can look up to. I just want to leave knowing that I was happy, hardworking and a dedicated player for the sport and the program."
 
"Derick has definitely had his ups and downs," said Reeves. "But as he departs us after a great senior year and an engineering degree in hand, I couldn't be more proud of his development as a player and person.  Derick had a great impact on the field. His impact this season with his goal scoring form was very important to us, especially early in the year.  He showed with his goals this season that he has the tools to be a complete forward at the next level and I hope, like I did five years ago, somebody is willing to take a chance on him. I am sure, as I have been, they will not be disappointed."

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