Football's Triplett, Track and Field's Lauderdale Named PCC '25-26 Athletes of the Year
The selections made by PCC Athletics and the sports information office through the PCC Foundation are part of the annual, season-ending Elizabeth Jensen Scholarships as well as a few other awards designated for acceptance for Lancers student-athletes.
Jensen, who has a bronze bust in her likeness as part 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.
Nearly $19,000 were allocated to a total of 25 student-athlete scholarships through accounts created through the PCC Foundation.
Lauderdale, a sophomore from South Pasadena High, helped the Lancers to a Top 10 finish (ninth as a team) at the Southern California Championships as she won the 100-meter dash title. She placed fifth at the 3C2A State Championships and helped the squad qualify for the 4x100 meter relay as the anchor racer all season.
She had a best of 11.84 seconds in the 100 and she helped PCC soar to the seventh fastest in the relay at 47.86. A 3.4 GPA student, Lauderdale competed for head coach Innocent Egbunike her two seasons at PCC.
Men's basketball sophomore guard Darrius Freeman won the President's Award after an All-South Coast Conference North Division First Team selection. A gifted 3.8 GPA student, Freeman was a 2-year starter for the Lancers, helping PCC advance to the SoCal Playoffs as a freshman. In his second season, he excelled in leading the 12-team SCC in assists average at 5.9 per game. He kept a streak going by Lancers players of leading the conference in assists average, now at four straight seasons.
The 6-foot-2 product of Palmdale's Pete Knight High finished his 2-year Lancers career scoring 621 career points, 55th on the PCC All-Time Scoring List, in 57 career games. Freeman earned a playing scholarship to DII Southwestern Oklahoma State.
The High GPA Award for men's sports went to baseball outfielder Jacob Escamilla, who had a 4.0 in more than 100 units of educational work. Escamilla hit two home runs and drove in 25 RBI as a sophomore this past season. Escamilla played for head coach Pat McGee. He is headed to attend USC for his education.
The women's sports High GPA Award went to soccer player Rachel Mentaze, a 2-year starter who accomplished a 4.0. Mentaze was a 2-year starting defender on Lancers teams that made two straight trips to the Regional Playoffs. Mentaze played under head coach Terryn Soelberg.
The Freshman of the Year was awarded to women's volleyball outside hitter Bobbie Torres. Torres was the SCC North Freshman of the Year after averaging a team-high 2.93 kills per set with 2.75 digs and 32 aces as PCC's top overall player in the regular season. She carried a 3.6 GPA. Torres played under head coach Mike Terrill.
The Myron Tarkanian Award, named after the PCC Hall of Fame football/multi-sport coach, went to men's soccer player Ronaldo Garcia, a 2-time, All-SCC Second Team selection. The midfielder scored three goals this season and helped PCC advance to the Regional Playoffs both of his seasons. A 3.7 GPA student, he played for head coach Francisco Cantero.
Women's water polo goalie Rae Jiao earned the Sandi Iverson Award, named after the Lancers PCC Hall of Fame long-time softball coach. Jiao, a 2-year starting goalie from China, was an All-SCC First Teamer who averaged nearly nine saves a game as a sophomore. She held a 3.4 GPA. Jiao played under head coach Terry Stoddard.
The PCC Courage Award went to women's volleyball outside hitter Sabiya Esquivel. The sophomore started her journey as an All-SCC Second Team freshman on the Lancers SCC undefeated champion squad from 2021. She eventually found her way back to participation on the 2025 Lancers as a valuable part of the team's regular rotation. Esquivel, a 3.3 GPA student, helped PCC to two trips to the Regional Playoffs. Esquivel is playing at the next level as she will attend DIII Nichols College (Massachusetts).
Distinguished Jensen Transfer scholarships are awarded to:
- Jake Adkins, football, 3.7 GPA, earned All-SCFA Second Team honors as an offensive lineman and was a 2-year letterman who played on an 11-0 undefeated American Division champion team as a freshman in 2025. He is on his way to NAIA Central Methodist (Missouri).
- Nadia Aguilar, women's soccer, 3.4 GPA, a 2-year letterman midfielder who totaled six goals and 10 assists in her two seasons.
- Jeremiah Alomo, men's soccer, 3.85 GPA, a 2-year starting defender who scored five goals in his sophomore season.
- Ava Chang, women's basketball, 3.2 GPA, a 2-year starting guard helped PCC advance to the Regional Playoffs.
- Cooper Creamer, men's basketball, 3.96 GPA, an All-SCC honorable mention and 2-year letterman forward at forward. He plans on attending UC San Diego as a math major as he ends his playing career.
- Juyeon Lee, women's volleyball, 3.8 GPA, a 2-time, All-SCC First Team libero who closed her PCC career with 503 digs and 86 aces. Coach Terrill's team made the SoCal Playoffs for the eighth straight season.
- Yahaira Martinez, women's water polo/swimming, 3.4 GPA, who was an All-SCC Second Team selection in water polo and advanced to the SCC Finals as a mile swimmer.
- Paris Ngeam, women's basketball, 3.3 GPA, an All-SCC Second Team forward and a 2-year letterman.
- Adamari Polanco, women's soccer, 3.9 GPA, was a 2-year letterman midfielder.
- Sergio Robles, baseball, 3.2 GPA, earned All-SCC First Team honors as a reliever this past season with three wins and a team-leading five saves and was a vital part of the program as it made the SoCal Regionals in both of his seasons.
- Joaquin Salcedo, baseball, 3.7 GPA, a 2-time, All-SCC Second Team choice as a catcher/utility player, he set PCC's career RBI record with 83 while hitting 12 home runs, 26 doubles and batting .325 overall. He earned a playing scholarship to Cal State Monterey Bay.
- Sione Suliafu, football, 3.3 GPA, a 2-time, All-SCFA defensive lineman, he earned All-State honors as a freshman when he made four quarterback sacks.
- Marissa Moreno, softball, 3.5 GPA, a starting outfielder on the 2025 Lancers, she had to miss her second season of PCC softball in 2026 after the college's difficult decision to pause the program until the 2027 season due to a lack of a home playing/practice facility.
Other Scholarship Winners
Jasun Ridley, football, was selected for the Horrell Scholarship. It's named in honor of the Horrell brothers who excelled in sports at Pasadena High, which was then a part of the Pasadena Junior College campus. A redshirt transfer to PCC, the sophomore defensive tackle earned All-SCFA Second Team honors as he made 45 tackles, 1.5 sacks, blocked two kicks and made two breakups. Ridley carried a 3.3 GPA. Ridley just earned a playing scholarship to NCAA Division I University of Akron (Ohio).
Omar Cisneros, baseball, was chosen for the Thomas O. Mallory Scholarship, named after the former PCC football coach and athletic director whose bust in his image is part of the Court of Champions. A 2-year, starting infielder on the Lancers, Cisneros was chosen All-SCC Second Team as a sophomore. He earned SCC Gold Glove, the highest honor of all conference defensive players, as he turned 30 double plays and led all conference shortstops in fielding percentage at .969 in 2026. He led the Lancers in batting with a .341 average to go with 34 RBI and a .458 on-base percentage, both second on the squad. A 3.7 GPA student, Cisneros, earned a playing scholarship to DI Akron.
He helped Coah McGee's Lancers advance to the Southern California Playoffs in each of his two seasons as part of an 8-year streak of PCC making it into the postseason.
Josh Meza, football, accepted the James O'Mara Scholarship, an award specific to a Pasadena High graduate who becomes a PCC student-athlete. Meza earned a 3.9 GPA in more than 105 units as he played two seasons as a running back and special teams player. He is transferring to play at DII New Mexico Highlands