Star Distance Racer, Southpaw Pitching Ace 2018-19 CCCSIA State Athletes of Year
CCCSIA Athletes of the Year Award
The CCCSIA Athlete of the Year program is coordinated and was created in 2011 by the California Community College Sports Information Association (CCCSIA). The award recognizes one male and female student-athlete each year for their on-field accomplishments.
PASADENA, Calif. - Brenda Rosales-Coria, a state individual champion distance racer for both Los Angeles Harbor College in cross country and West LA College in track and field, and Robert Gasser, an ace pitcher for the San Joaquin Delta College baseball team are the California Community College Sports Information Association 2018-2019 State Athletes of the Year. The awards, voted on by members of the CCCSIA Executive Board, are in their eighth year of existence recognizing a top student-athlete from each gender.
CCCSIA 2018-19 WOMEN'S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Brenda Rosales-Coria, Sophomore, LA Harbor College-Cross Country/West LA College-Track and Field (Long Beach Poly High)
Rosales-Coria had one of the most remarkable seasons in community college history as a team member of two different colleges in two different sports. In the Fall, she scored the 2018 CCCAA state individual cross country title, winning in under 18 minutes (17:59.4). Her performance at the 3.1 mile Woodward Park course in Fresno helped LA Harbor to achieve its first-ever state team championship in the sport. She was also a repeat All-American in cross country as she finished state individual runner-up at the 2017 state meet.
Rosales-Coria also was the South Coast Conference and SoCal individual champion in a trifecta of victories for the talented runner.
In track and field, she competed for West LA only because as a student-athlete of a Los Angeles Community College District school she was allowed to compete for the Wildcats since Harbor does not host a track and field team. Rosales-Coria proved again to be a force in the Spring.
At the 2019 CCCAA Track and Field Championships, Rosales-Coria was named the Women's Track Athlete of the State Meet by capturing three gold medals. She was champion in the 800 meters (2:11.74, only .03 of a second off the top national mark), won the 1,500 meters (a top national time of 4:30.76), and took first again in the 5,000 meters (17:14.96, second-fastest time in the nation). Rosales-Coria also was a 2-time champion in the 1,500 and 5,000 meter events.
CCCSIA 2018-2019 MEN'S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Robert Gasser, Sophomore, San Joaquin Delta College Baseball, Pitcher (Oakridge High, El Dorado Hills)
A 6-foot-1, left-handed pitcher, the appropriately named Gasser posted an amazing perfect record of 14-0 in helping the Delta Mustangs reach the CCCAA State Baseball Tournament.
Gasser finished with a 2.39 ERA and the southpaw led the state in strikeouts with 139 in just 102 innings pitched. He not only averaged 12.26 Ks per 9 innings but allowed a stingy 72 total hits, or 30 more innings than hits allowed.
Gasser helped Delta to a 39-9 overall record, a Big 8 Conference title and the regular season No. 1-ranking in the CCCSIA sports information poll. He was named the State Northern California Pitcher of the Year as well as being selected as the ABCA/Rawlings National Pitcher of the Year for the Pacific Division of colleges.
At the Region Sectionals, he threw a 3-hitter over seven innings of work, striking out a season-high 12 in a playoff win over Los Medanos.
Gasser signed a scholarship to pitch and attend the University of Houston this coming season. He transferred to Delta for the '19 season after playing his freshman year at the University of New Mexico.
Release by Robert Lewis, for the CCCSIA
PREVIOUS ATHLETES OF THE YEAR (began in 2011-12 season)