History Made With SCC 2022-23 Coach of the Year Selections
Cerritos College women's wrestling state champion head coach Dustin Kirk and Mt. San Antonio men's track and field 3C2A champion HC Giovanni Lanaro were named the South Coast Conference 2022-2023 Coaches of the Year for all sports after being selected at the conference's athletic director's zoom meeting held on Wednesday.
Kirk won in the inaugural season of women's wrestling as his Falcons captured the Team Dual State title in March, then the 3C2A State Championship in April.
Cerritos had seven wrestlers advance to the championship round, with four of them coming away with titles. In addition, Kirk was voted the state's Coach of the Year while freshman 148-pound division champ Aine Drury picked up Most Valuable Wrestler honors.
He becomes the first SCC Coach of the Year to win the award in a non-sponsored SCC sport (women's wrestling falls under the Southern California Wrestling Association) in 28 years. The last was the late Larry Reisbig for Long Beach City College football when the Vikings were a member of the Mission Conference for the 1994-1995 school year.
Lanaro also made some conference history becoming just the second coach to ever win both the men's and women's awards. Lanaro was the women's COTY for the 2022-23 season for both cross country and track and field. The other double gender award winner was LBCC's Chris Oeding for men's and women's water polo and men's and women's swimming in 2006-2007. He won the men's award outright and shared the women's award with Mt. SAC softball coach Kelly Ford.
In '23, Lanaro directed seven individual event champions on the Mounties way to capturing the 3C2A team title. Mt. SAC distance runner Jonathan Zavala was the state track MVP.
Lanaro also saw Mt. SAC capture the school's 30th men's track and field conference championship as the Mounties won a staggering 14 events.
LIST OF PAST SOUTH COAST ALL-SPORTS COACHES OF THE YEAR
2021-22--M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer); W-Giovanni Lanaro (Mt. San Antonio, cross country/track and field)
2020-21--Sports Season Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019-20: M-Fall-John Mosley (East Los Angeles, basketball), M-Spring-Nate Fernley (El Camino, softball)
W-Fall-Jennifer Tanaka (Rio Hondo, women's soccer), W-Spring-Le Valley Pattison (El Camino, beach volleyball)
2018-19: M-Nate Fernley (El Camino, baseball); W-Ruby Rojas (Mt. San Antonio, softball)
2017-18: M-Ron Kamaka (Mt. San Antonio, track/field); W-Ruby Rojas (Mt. San Antonio, softball)
2016-17: M-Pat McGee (Pasadena CC, baseball); W-Ruby Rojas (Mt. San Antonio, softball)
2015-16: M-Ron Kamaka (Mt. San Antonio, track/field); W-co-winners Brian Crichlow (Mt. San Antonio, basketball) and Alvin Kim (Cerritos, tennis)
2014-15: M-Ron Kamaka (Mt. San Antonio, track/field/cross country), W-Jessica Rapoza (El Camino, softball)
2013-14: M-John Mosley (East Los Angeles, basketball), W-Ruben Gonzalez (Cerritos, soccer)
2012-13: M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer), W-Brian Crichlow (Mt. San Antonio, basketball)
2011-12: M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer), W-Ruben Gonzalez (Cerritos, soccer)
2010-11: M-Dean Lofgren (El Camino, track/field/cross country), W-Mike Goff (Mt. San Antonio, track/field)
2009-10: M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer), W-Tammy Silva (Pasadena CC, volleyball)
2008-09: M-Benny Artiaga (Cerritos, soccer), W-Joe Peron (Pasadena CC, basketball)
2007-08: M-Alvin Kim (Cerritos, tennis), W-Kodee Murray (Cerritos, softball)
2006-07: M-Chris Oeding (Long Beach CC, water polo/swimming), W-co-winners Chris Oeding (Long Beach City, water polo/swimming) and Kelly Ford (Mt. San Antonio, softball)
2005-06: M-Casey Crook (Long Beach CC, baseball), W-Laura Beeman (Mt. San Antonio, basketball)
2004-05: M-Chris Oeding (Long Beach CC, water polo/swimming); W-Kelly Ford (Mt. San Antonio, softball)
2003-04: M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer); W-co-winners Laura Beeman (Mt. San Antonio, basketball) and Mauricio Ingrassia (Long Beach CC, soccer)
*Historical Note--Award winners were not kept between 1995-2003. Previous winners were recorded from 1969-1995 with single all men/women sports selections done only until 1985-86 when the SCC decided to name a selection each for men and women.
Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID