Hall of Fame
Before Roberta Pelarigo turned 20, she was making national news in her home country of Brazil as a member of the Brazilian U19 National Team. The standout soccer star left Brazil to play at Union College in Kentucky, but after six months transferred to Young Harris College.
Roberta brought a new energy to the team and her two-year career at YHC is testament to this. She netted an impressive 130 goals with 43 assists for a total of 303 total points during her time as a Mountain Lion. During her freshman year, Roberta broke the National Junior College Athletic Association record for most goals in a season when she scored an astonishing 74 goals.
Roberta’s abilities garnered her All-America status from Soccer America and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in both 2003 and 2004.
Roberta went on to play collegiate soccer at the University of Central Florida. Once again a vital member of the team, Roberta was selected to the C-USA All-Conference First Team and the C-USA All-Tournament Team in 2005. The following year, Roberta was selected to the All-Conference USA First Team and the All-Southeast Region Second Team by both the NSCAA and Soccerbuzz.
There aren’t many players who can claim to have started every game during their collegiate career, but Roberta can. It was her love and dedication to the sport—not to mention her tremendous ability and kindness—that spurred Roberta to continue a career related to soccer.
Today, she lives in Miami with her partner, Adriana, and works for Soccer City Miami managing numerous soccer facilities. Roberta is quick to remember the value of community and works to plan events benefitting non-profit foundations assisting those with autism and South American families in need. Roberta still finds time to return to Young Harris to help women’s soccer head coach Kathy Brown with soccer camp.
