5CTCA announces Coach of the Year honorees during annual convention
MONTEREY - The California Community College Cross Country and Track Coaches Association announced their Coach of the Year winners during their recent convention in Monterey Bay, recognizing outstanding individuals for their achievements in 2022• 23.
Honored were:
CROSS COUNTRY
WOMEN'S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Green (El Camino College)
• First-year assistant coaching at El Camino with Dean Lofgren
• Immediate impact on the women’s program\
• Team placed fifth at the state championship
• Two women earned 3C2A All-American honors, three earned All-State honors
• Team placed fifth at the Socal championship
• Team placed second at South Coast Conference Championship w/ three all• conference runners
CROSS COUNTRY
MEN'S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
Cesar Mireles (Bakersfield College)
• Former BC athlete now assistant coach
• BC men finished fourth at the Socal Championship w/ two all-Socal runners in top 6 overall
• BC men finished second by one point at the Western State Conference Championship to Moorpark, who they outplaced at the state championship
• Renegades enjoyed a fifth place state finish lead by two 3C2A All-Americans
CROSS COUNTRY
WOMEN'S HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR
Cj Albertson (Clovis Community College)
• Beginning his 5th XC season at Clovis Community College
• His women are 4x CVC Champions, 2022 NorCal Champions, 3x ‘Top 3’ NorCal team Finishes, 2x 4th-place State finishes’.
• He is not only a great coach, he was a great athlete.
• 7th at the U.S. Marathon Olympic Trials 2020
• Top 10 at Boston Marathon 2021
• 50k World Record Holder
MEN'S HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR
Tim Seaman (Cuyamaca College)
• He is in his 14th year at Cuyamaca College.
• His men were 6th place overall, 5 of his 7 transferred to compete at the 4• year level.
• His college has an enrollment of 8,000 students. Most of his competitors have 3• 4x that.
• This is the second-highest finish at the college.
• He was a 2x Olympian, 47x National champion. 4x Pacific Coast Conference Coach of the Year
TRACK AND FIELD
WOMEN'S ASSISTANT CO-COACH OF THE YEAR
Valerie Brisco-Hooks (West Los Angeles College)
• West LA finished 10th in the state
• All-American top 4 finishes in the 200 meters, 4x100 relay, 4x400, and all-state finish in the 400mLH
• Won the 4x400 relay in exciting fashion at the line
TRACK AND FIELD
WOMEN'S ASSISTANT CO-COACH OF THE YEAR
Eric Wright (College of the Redwoods)
• Redwoods finish 6th at state, highest in program history
• Three state titles by Hannah Hartwell in the 800, 1500, and 5000m
• Two qualifiers in the javelin
• Redwoods women were sixth at NorCals
• Redwoods won the 2023 Golden Valley Conference title
TRACK AND FIELD
MEN'S ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
Nick Robinson (Riverside City)
• RCC men finished third as a team at the state championship
• 10 state podium finishes for RCC throwers
• Four 3C2A All-American performances
• Discus state champion by 12 feet
• RCC was third at the SoCal Championship
• Won three of the four throws at the Socal Championship
• RCC was the Orange Empire Conference Champion by nearly 300 points
• Swept the top 3 spots in shot put, discus, and hammer at the OEC championship
TRACK AND FIELD
WOMEN'S HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR
Christopher Richardson (Cerritos College)
• On the women’s side this coach has been at Cerritos College for 13 years.
• He has been team USA coach for the Capitol Cup, Pan American Jr Championships and Thorpe Cup USA vs Germany.
• He is the vice chair for USATF coaching education and lead instructor for level 2 jumps.
• This season he had 3 state champions, won the SCC Team title, and was 2nd in SoCal and state.
• Has 13 women transferring to 4-year institutions.
• His 4x100 relay team set school, conference and regional records.
TRACK AND FIELD
MEN'S HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR
Giovanni Lanaro (Mt. San Antonio College)
• This coach is in his 17th season with Mt Sac
• Has been the head coach men’s coach for two years.
• As an athlete he has competed in 4 world outdoor championships, 2 indoor championships, and in two Olympic games representing Mexico.
• This season his team had 22 men receive scholarships and transfer.
• The men had 14 conference champions, 10 regional champions, and eight state champions. The men scored a total of 175.5 points at the state meet for the second-highest score of all time only to last year ‘s state championship team.