Patriot Profile: Mia Arevalo-Delcid

When the call-up to El Salvador's Senior National Team finally came through, Mia Arevalo-Delcid didn't need a moment to let it sink in. She already knew exactly what it meant. "That's the big leagues right there," said the George Mason women's soccer standout. "It's all eyes in the country on you. It's going to be amazing."

Home and Away: Arevalo-Delcid, a Manassas, Virginia, native and dual citizen of the United States and El Salvador, has been representing El Salvador on the pitch since earning her first call-up to the Salvadorian U20 National Team in 2022. That experience gave her a taste of something she hadn't expected: the electricity of playing in front of family. "Family means everything to me," she said. "Everyone was so excited for me. We were in the newspaper, and my family bought like 50 papers. Representing my country was one of the best moments of my life."

Ready for the Big League: This summer, she did it again-only on a much bigger stage. She traveled south in early June to train with El Salvador's top players for several weeks before a series of friendly competitions against neighboring countries. "I love playing for my family's home country," she said. "It's a way to honor my heritage."

"It's really pretty amazing," said Aaron Brunner, George Mason women's soccer head coach. "It's such a tremendous honor to represent your country. But I'm not surprised because Mia is so amazing."

Homegrown: The road to San Salvador ran through some familiar Northern Virginia zip codes first. Arevalo-Delcid was a four-year letterwinner and team captain at Colgan Senior High School in Manassas, earning All-District First Team, All-Region, and Honorable Mention for the Washington Post's All-Met honors. She also starred in club soccer with the Virginia Development Academy (VDA), one of the top programs in the region, earning ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference First Team honors in her junior year and a ranking of No. 16 prospect in the Mid-Atlantic region by Top Drawer Soccer. She went on to James Madison University before transferring to George Mason in spring 2025. The decision was personal. "I wanted to be closer to home," Arevalo Delcid said, "and I believed in what Coach Brunner was building here."

A Team Player: Arevalo-Delcid quickly established herself as not only one of the team's best players, but as one of its leaders. A natural attacking midfielder, she willingly shifted to a more defensive role to fill a need for the Patriots-and still managed to contribute a goal and two assists in her first season. "She had a great year for us and was always willing to do whatever the team needed of her," said Brunner. "She's grown a lot, she's learned a lot, and her confidence is high."

Turning Pro: The national team call-up is just one line on a resume that's been filling up fast. This spring, Arevalo-Delcid signed with Loudoun United in the USL W semi-pro league and landed an NIL deal with Tinycup Coffee, a George Mason alumni-owned company.

"A dynamic and tireless presence in the midfield," Loudoun United Head Coach Christian Cziommer said at signing. "Known for her relentless work rate and creative flair, she brings significant high-level experience to our roster."

Beyond the Pitch: When she's not training or playing, Arevalo-Delcid-a civil engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computing-works as a substitute teacher at Woodbridge High School, tutoring Latino students and helping them prepare for AP exams, and holds down a part-time job at a Starbucks near campus. "Yes, it's a lot," she said. "But you have to work for anything worth having."

Eyes on the Future: Arevalo-Delcid turned 21 in June, right around the time she boarded a plane for El Salvador. She's already thinking about what comes next and a professional soccer career is squarely in her sights. "I want to try," she said. "I want to see whatever opportunity I can get. Going to El Salvador has definitely been a game changer for me."

Brunner likes her chances. "She's going to be ready," he said, "and I think she's going to do awesome."