Baseball's Jakob Guardado and softball's Jaimie Harris were deemed the best of the best in the South Coast Conference in their respective sports this season as league most valuable players. The pair were selected as the Pasadena City College Athletes of the Year for 2022-2023.
The selections made by PCC Athletics are part of the annual, season-ending Elizabeth Jensen Scholarships as well as a few other awards designated for acceptance by Lancers student-athletes. Jensen, a member of the college's Dick Ratliff Court of Champions, spent nearly 40 years as a women's athletic director at Pasadena Junior College and later PCC. The awards are designed primarily for graduating sophomores at PCC.
As the PCC Men's Athlete of the Year, Guardado, a sophomore pitcher-rightfielder, batted .305 overall with three home runs and 34 RBI and pitched his way to six wins (one save) in a team-high 83 innings with 65 strikeouts and a 3.80 earned run average. Guardado twice was selected as a CCCBCA State Player of the Week and he had the distinction of throwing two, 9-inning complete game victories in a span of six days, one a shutout. A righthanded thrower but lefthanded hitter, he was twice an All-SCC selection and this year was chosen South Coast MVP to become the first Lancer to win the award in a 9-team conference.
Guardado helped Coach Pat McGee's Lancers to a 25-16 overall record, a second place finish in conference with a school-record 17 league wins, and the program's fifth straight appearance in the Southern California Regionals. Guardado is also solid in the classroom with a 3.53 grade point average.
Named the PCC Women's Athlete of the Year for all sports, Harris is the first SCC MVP in softball in 18 years as she set both the single season and all-time school records for home runs (12 this year) while also setting the single-season runs batted in record with 48. The sophomore helped the Lancers (24-18) to the SoCal Regional Playoffs and her play was recognized by the 3CFCA as an All-State selection.
In the postseason, she hit a big home run that gave PCC a late lead in an eventual loss to Cypress, a team that went on to win the 3C2A state championship. Harris led the Lancers a number of offensive categories, including batting (.409), doubles (14), and hits (56). Carrying a 2.9 GPA in the classroom, Harris was guided by head coach Monica Tantlinger, who recently retired from coaching.
The President's Award, presented to the student-athlete that combines successful playing performance with classroom excellence and sportsmanship, goes to baseball sophomore first baseman Jake Trabbie. A straight A, 4.0 GPA student, Trabbie could have just as well been the conference MVP if not for Guardado's dual success as a pitcher and hitter. An All-SCC First Team selection, Trabbie broke the school record for doubles in a season (20), batted .343 with two home runs, and led the Lancers in hits (59) and RBI (46). Trabbie also was a gold glove selection from the SCC with a .991 fielding percentage.
The High GPA Awards went to another baseball player in third baseman Toshiki Kuriya and women's badminton sophomore Basil Kintanar. Kuriya, from Japan, hit a team-best .347, had a team-high .468 on-base percentage and tied for the Lancers lead in home runs with six to go with 38 RBI. Kuriya, named to the All-SCC First Team, carries a cumulative 3.92 GPA. As a middle-ladder singles player, Kintanar helped the Lancers win the South Coast title with a 10-0 conference record as the team finished state runner-up. She has a solid 3.9 GPA. She persevered in the program as she played as a freshman on the 2019 SCC champion and state runner-up Lancers, played in the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season, took the '22 season off, and then returned for her final year this season. Just 4-foot-11 in height, Kintanar played for PCC head coach Jen Ho.
Basil Kintanar
JENSEN PERFORMANCE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS:
Jonathan Tchengang, men's basketball, 3.0 GPA: The sophomore transfer wing player from MiraCosta College was the team's leading scorer and rebounder (13.3 points and 8.5 rebounds averages) and helped PCC finish one of the great turnarounds ever in Lancers sports history. The team went from 1-26 in 2021-22 to a highly successful 22-9 in '22-23 as Pasadena won two playoff games and reached the SoCal Regional Finals under first-year head coach Ryan Frazer. Tchengang made the All-SCC North Division First Team and was named All-State honorable mention.
Jayden Winfrey, men's basketball, 3.7 GPA: Another sophomore transfer from MiraCosta, Winfrey excelled as the team's starting point guard and was also an All-SCC North First Team selection in helping PCC place second in the division and earn a state #22 final ranking. Winfrey finished fourth in the state in assists average (6.3) and led the Lancers in steals as well.
Nigel Wilson, men's basketball, 2.6 GPA: An All-SCC honorable mention, Wilson also transferred his talents to PCC from Frazer's previous college MiraCosta, playing on a team that reached the 3C2A State Championship final eight as a freshman. The starting center for the Lancers, the 6-foot-9 Wilson averaged 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and led the team in blocked shots. He made big news in being selected the prestigious 2023 CalHope Courage Award winner as he overcame depression to become a top-flight player both at MiraCosta and then at PCC.
Bia Silva, women's volleyball, 2.8 GPA: As the lone sophomore on the 2022 Lancers, she became one of the state's best setters, earning a CCCWCA State Player of the Week and then All-SCC First Team honors. Silva tallied five triple-doubles in kills, set assists and digs, a feat that is rare at this level. She helped the team to a 17-8 season, a postseason playoff berth as a #8 seed, and a state #17 final ranking. As the most versatile player to ever play under head coach Mike Terrill, she is the only Lancer in school history to total at least 700 assists, 300 attack kills, 300 digs, 90 aces and 50 block kills in a career. She was part of a SCC champion team as a freshman. Silva is headed to NCAA Division I UC Riverside on a playing scholarship.
Tena Ikidi, women's basketball, 2.86 GPA: An All-State First Team selection, the sophomore transfer, originally from Nigeria, broke the Lancers single-season rebounds record (448) and led the state in boards. A 2022-23 All-SCC North First Team selection, Ikidi averaged 14.6 points, 15.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game in helping PCC make a return to the postseason after a season absence in 2021-22. Her play ignited a first-round playoff upset over San Diego Mesa as the Lancers also placed second in conference. She was coached by Joe Peron, who became PCC's all-time wins leader in all sports with now 564.
Liz Ghazanchian, women's track and field, 3.2 GPA: The sophomore thrower came within just one inch of the PCC record in the discus (144-feet, 5 inches) giving her a third-ranking in the state. While she settled for a fifth place medal at the 3C2A State Championships, she became the first Lancers thrower to score at a state meet since the 1990s. Ghazanchian participated under head coach Innocent Egbunike and throwing assistant coach Grace Apiafi.
Olivia Nanez, softball, 3.0 GPA: A returning sophomore from the 2019 and 2020 pandemic seasons, the veteran player excelled as one of the state's best fielding outfielders in left field. She was a clutch hitter at the plate, batting 4-for-6 in the playoffs. She batted .306 overall with 21 RBI. In her time as a Lancer, she played on two postseason squads and was a starting player as the team had a winning 61-43 overall record.
Jonathan Tchengang (10) and Nigel Wilson (20)
JENSEN TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIPS
Olivia Aguilar, women's soccer, 3.89 GPA: A 2-time, All-SCC First Team selection, she finished her PCC career with 39 points to tie her for 16th on the school's all-time scoring list. A midfielder, Aguilar scored six goals and added five assists this year under head coach Terryn Soelberg.
Sam Regan, men's swimming, 3.87 GPA: Twice, he swam All-American Top 16 times in the 1,650-yard freestyle event in his freshman and then sophomore seasons under head coach Terry Stoddard. Regan was 12th at the 3C2A State Meet each season. His best finish in conference was second place in the 500 freestyle in 2022.
Nickey Hale, women's swimming and women's water polo, 2.95 GPA: A 2-sport student-athlete, she was a 3-time conference individual champion in swimming and won three state top 8 medals over two seasons. At this year's state meet, she won the consolation title heat in the 400 individual medley and then had the fastest time in the B flight 1,650, earning an eighth place medal overall. Hale also was an All-SCC honorable mention in water polo.
Marcella Ordonez, softball, 3.83 GPA: An All-SCC First Team selection as a first baseman, the lefty batter hit .371 and led the Lancers in on-base percentage (.500), triples (five), runs scored (42), walks (21), and stolen bases (19).
Maiya Villanueva, women's basketball, 3.7 GPA: A 2-time, All-SCC North First Team selection, the sophomore guard scored 633 points in her career, 29th on the program's all-time scoring list. Villanueva averaged 12.5 points and 3.1 assists this season and totaled 142 baskets from beyond the 3-point circle in her two seasons.
Michelangelo Loretto, football, 3.64 GPA: The All-State Region IV defensive end amassed 44 tackles, 8.5 sacks, three hurries, two fumble recoveries and an interception. Loretto was the model of consistency for the Lancers over his two seasons in making 88 tackles (44 each year), 15 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and three pass breakups. The 2-time, All-SCFA selection played on an American Mountain League champion team as a freshman.
Osvaldo Raigosa, football, 3.62 GPA: The All-State sophomore safety led the 2022 Lancers in overall tackles (58) and solos (38) with two interceptions, two breakups and a sack. In his career, the twice All-SCFA chosen defensive back totaled seven interceptions, seven pass breakups, 71 tackles and two fumble recoveries. Raigosa played for Director of Football Operations and head coach Robert Tucker.
OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS
Baseball leftfielder Aryonis Harrison earned the Horrell Scholarship for outstanding athletic achievement and sportsmanship. The Horrell award is named after the Horrell brothers, who excelled in athletics at Pasadena High School (part of then the campus of Pasadena Junior College) and had the program's old football stadium named in their honor--Horrell Field.
Harrison, an All-SCC First Team selection and gold glove choice, is arguably the best defensive outfielder in PCC baseball history. Blessed with superior range, he made diving catches, running catches into foul territory and balls caught over the shoulder and in the gaps a routine in a Lancers career that dates back to being a freshman during the 2020 shortened season. This season, he hit .301 (.464 on-base), set the school record for walks (42), was just one run from tying the PCC record for runs scored (52 plated), and was the first Lancer to steal as many as 20 bases (21) in 14 years. With a 3.06 GPA at PCC, he is a product of Muir High.
Football defensive tackle Carlos Ramirez was selected for the Thomas O. Mallory Scholarship. The Mallory award is named after the former PCC football coach (coached 20th century sports legend Jackie Robinson) and athletic director who also has a bust in his image in the Court of Champions. An All-State selection and a 2-time, All-SCFA choice, Ramirez made 46 tackles, a team-high 11 sacks (sixth in the state), and three QB hurries. His 16.5 tackles for loss was eighth best in California. In his career, Ramirez totaled 16.5 sacks and 27.5 of his 83 tackles were made behind the line of scrimmage. He added 11 hurries, a team-high eight as a freshman. He has a 3.2 GPA. Like Harrison, Ramirez also played his prep ball at Muir High.
Women's basketball center Tatiana Ayala is winner of the James P. O'Mara Scholarship. The award is specific to a PCC athlete who excelled after also attending Pasadena High. Ayala totaled 223 points, 418 rebounds, 65 blocks, and 62 assists in her two seasons and the 6-2 post player was one of the most improved players under Coach Peron. She grabbed 10 rebounds in the team's playoff victory over San Diego Mesa.
More than $17,000 have been allocated for these '22-23 student-athlete scholarships through accounts created through the PCC Foundation.
Aryonis Harrison
