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Aztec athletics Wraps up 2008-09 with National Recognition
July 13, 2009 Tucson, AZ - Pima Community College athletics concluded 2008-09 in 25th place in the National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators’ President’s Cup - Scholarship Division, which ranks colleges based on team finishes in national championships. Seven of Pima’s 16 teams placed in the top 25 nationally. In addition, Pima had one individual national champion and two teams that finished in the top five nationally. Aurora Trujillo won the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NJCAA Track and Field National Championship in May, earning First Team All-American honors. She won the event by 20 seconds and also placed sixth in the 5,000-meter run. In addition, she repeated as a NJCAA Coaches Association All-American in both Track and Field and Cross Country. Pima finished fifth nationally in Women’s Cross Country, while its Women’s Track and Field team was 10th nationally. In addition to Trujillo, Pima had 12 All-Americans, including Cherise Price, who repeated as an NJCAA Coaches Association All-American in Cross Country and, with 4x800-meter relay teammates Brittany Delker, Danielle Higgins and Leandra Treusch, was an NJCAA Third Team All-American in that event. Other First Team All-Americans for Pima are Tia Morrison (Women’s Basketball), Travis Sanchez (Men’s Soccer) and Logan Hall (Softball). Price also was one of three Aztecs named an NJCAA Academic All-American, with a 3.67 grade point average. Pima’s two other Academic All-Americans were Codie Wintrode (Women’s Golf; 3.77 GPA) and Academic All-American with Distinction Dane Dehler (Baseball; 3.89 GPA). Academic All-Americans must have at least a 3.6 GPA in 45 hours of completed course work at their college. Those with a 3.8 GPA or higher earn distinguished Academic All-American status. The Women’s Basketball Team was the top PCC team performer for 2008-09, finishing third in the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Morrison was named to the All-Tournament Team and received the Cat Power Player Award, which goes to the player “who most represented quality, reliability and durability”. She also was a NJCAA First Team All-American. Teammate Abyee Maracigan was a Third Team All-American and was named MVP of the Region I Tournament, which Pima won. Nine of Pima’s 16 teams received NJCAA All-Academic Team recognition for having 3.0 or better cumulative GPAs for the year. The Women’s Tennis Team’s 3.57 GPA was one of the highest in the country for women’s junior college tennis. Individually, 76 of Pima’s 331 athletes made the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for the spring semester. Nine of them had 4.0 GPAs. To make the honor roll, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.0 GPA while completing 12 credits. Other highlights of the year include: Two Region I titles (Women’s Basketball and Men’s Golf), with Men’s Golf having its only first-place finish of the season; and four Region I runner-ups (Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Soccer, Softball and Women’s Tennis), with the Softball and Men’s Soccer teams losing to Yavapai College, the eventual national champion. At least 26 Pima athletes are transferring to four-year colleges or universities, including seven to The University of Arizona. At least 16 of those transferring will receive athletic scholarships and one will receive an academic scholarship. For details on Pima’s athletics accomplishments, contact Rachelle Howell at (520) 206-4850. CONTACT:
A. Rachelle Howell, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Marketing
(520) 206-4850
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