LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. --- Soccer has been a central part of Anika Piburn's life for about as long as she can remember. The sport she's played for 15 years has led her to join some of the premier girls soccer teams in Southern California and its developed her resilience as she's overcome brief injuries over the past few years. 
 
Piburn has the opportunity ahead of her to play one more varsity season at Los Alamitos High and has already picked up an assist in the Griffins' first match of the year. But she's brimming with excitement about her commitment to Biola Women's Soccer for Fall 2020. 
 
The journey soccer has taken Piburn on has made getting to this point all the sweeter: 
 
"To finally sign [an NLI] for the sport I'm passionate about and to a school I love is the best feeling," said Piburn. "As soon as I spent time on campus, Biola felt like home to me. The women's soccer team was so nice, warm and talented that I immediately knew I wanted to be part of the team."
 
Piburn is a midfielder who has made some of her biggest athletic strides at the Champion Quest Athlete Academy and with her CDA Slammers Huntington Beach club team. She was featured in a Champion Quest success story back in 2016 and won the Southern California Developmental Soccer League Playoff Championship in 2018 with the Slammers. 
 
Additionally, Los Alamitos advanced to the CIF sectional and regional championships in 2019, finishing last year as the No. 5-ranked team in the nation and the No. 2 team in California according to MaxPreps.com.  
 
Piburn plans to pursue her teaching credential at Biola to become an elementary school teacher. After her final year at Los Alamitos, she will join her new teammates at Biola in August 2020. More information on the incoming 2020-21 class that will join Piburn at Biola can be found on the Committed Athletes page.