Charlotte, N.C. - Johnson & Wales Charlotte head women's soccer coach Matt Hisler is excited to announce the signing of Tanya Urrutia Romero as the first member of the 2026 recruiting class.

Urrutia is an attacking midfielder that attends C.G. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Va. She has been a member of Cavalier girls soccer teams that captured an Occoquan Regional Championship in 2025 and have advanced to the VHSL state playoffs each year. She plays club soccer for VA Valor ECNL-RL 08 Girls 2023-26, and was chosen as an ECNL All-Region player in 2024-25.

She is the daughter of Maria and Omar Urrutia, and plans to major in Health Science at Johnson & Wales. She is a member of the Key Club at WHS, and also participates in the Doctors of Tomorrow program that provides hands-on experiences, and educational resources to help students build skills, gain exposure to the healthcare field. When asked why she decided to become a Wildcat, Urrutia replied, "I chose JWU Charlotte because of its close knit community, while having a supportive education system, and allowing me to continue to play the sport I love."

Coach Hisler feels that Urrutia will add punch to the Wildcat offense. "Tanya will be force in our attack!. Her work ethic and creativity will allow her to be a consistent threat in the final third. I am thrilled to have Tanya as our first member of the 2026 class."