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Athletic News Articles fromWomen’s Soccer PV Women Capture Opener The 2010 PVCC Women’s Soccer team blanked ACCAC foe Cochise 4-0 in Douglas yesterday in the season opener for both teams. The Pumas (1-0), ranked #3 in the NJCAA pre-season national poll, led by a 1-0 score at intermission after possessing the ball for much of the first half. “We struggled to connect in the final third in the first 30 minutes,” said head coach Kacey Bingham, “but after some halftime adjustments we figured it out and were much more dangerous in the second half.” PV’s women tallied 3 second half goals and were led by a pair of returning All-Americans. Sophomores Alyssa Flores (G, 2A) and Ally Oelschlager (2G) each appeared on the score sheet multiple times as did freshman Jordan Davidson (G, A). Sophomore Amy Eyden notched an assist. Bingham added that, “it was nice to have all of our forwards contribute and to have our returning All-Americans start the season in a good way.” Time in the PV goal was split by freshman Natalie Kintz (1st half) and sophomore Reilee Reed (2nd half). In posting the shutout, each keeper faced only 1 shot on goal in her respective half of work. The Pumas return to action this weekend on Shoenhair field with a pair of home ACCAC contests. PV hosts Pima on Saturday afternoon at 2:30. The Pumas then face Chandler/Gilbert’s Coyotes on Monday at 3:30pm.
STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - LYNDSEY GRINSTEAD Lyndsey Grinstead of the women’s tennis team has been named the Puma Student-Athlete of the Year. Lyndsey, a sophomore from Greenway High School, has been a member of the tennis team for the past two seasons and has lead her team on and off the court. A two-year tennis scholarship recipient, Lyndsey has performed at a high level in the classroom as well as in competition. Lyndsey reached the 2009 Regional Finals and performed well in the 2010 season. In addition to being a part of the women’s tennis team at PVCC, Lyndsey has been tireless in her involvement on campus. She has been President of the Student Honors Advisory Council, an Emerging Leaders Facilitator, a student worker in the Honors-Service Learning Office and a leader within in the SLICE program. Because of her campus involvement, Lyndsey was also awarded this year’s Golden Puma Distinguished Student Leadership Award. The Golden Puma award is the highest honor bestowed upon three students annually at PVCC. This award recognizes model students who have integrated academic excellence with achievement in areas such as leadership, athletics, community service, fine and performing arts, entrepreneurship and career achievement. Lyndsey will transfer to Iowa State University next fall.
PUMAS HOST MESA IN ROUND 1 OF PLAYOFFS After a regular season ending series sweep of GateWay, PV's Pumas now turn their thoughts to the post-season. The Region I - Division II baseball tournament begins Thursday with the four highest Division II colleges from the final ACCAC standings participating. The #2 seed Pumas, 22-16 ACCAC play, will host the #3 seed Mesa (21-17). GateWay, the #1 seed (23-15) will host fourth seeded Chandler-Gilbert (21-17). Each series will be a best-of-three affair, with games Thursday and Friday at 3pm and Saturday, if necessary, at 12pm. All games are played at the site of the high seed. Admission will be charged at each home site. Adults are $5, students with ID are $3 and children under 12 are free. No family passes will be accepted. This week's winners will play a best-of-three series next week for the Region I championship and berth in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Enid, OK May 29-June 5. The championship series will be held at the site of the highest remaining seed.
FOUR PUMAS EARN REGION I ACCOLADES Finishing their regular season with a 35-17 record overall and a 20-16 conference record, highlighted by a final regular-season game win against Gateway, 11-0, four PVCC Baseball players have earned 2010 NJCAA Region I accolades. Sophomore catcher, Jake Saylor, racked up three awards, including spots on the 2nd Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-Region, and was a nominee for a Region I ‘Gold Glove.’ Fellow sophomore, Mike Ciombor, joined Saylor on the 2nd Team All-Conference and 1st Team All-Region, while sophomore, Devin Thaut, and freshman pitcher, Brian King, earned places on the 2nd Team All-Region. Thaut also earned a Region I ‘Gold Glove’ nomination for his work at 2nd base giving the Pumas eight total awards earned. With their regular season complete, the Pumas begin their playoff run against the Mesa Community College Thunderbirds, May 6-8 (3 pm, 3 pm, 12 pm), with a best-of-three match-up at home. Congratulations to each of the above Pumas for their honors and best of luck to PVCC Baseball in the Region I Playoffs!
PUMAS FIFTH AT REGIONAL; EHNES EARNS ALL-REGION HONOR PVCC Men’s Golf concluded their 2010 season over the weekend at the Region I Championships, finishing fifth in the seven-team field. Firing a four-round total of 1273 (321/308/314/330), the Pumas fought through four days of windswept conditions on a firm and fast Palm Valley GC layout in Goodyear. They failed to make it into the top two teams -- the number of teams that advance to the NJCAA DII National Championships -- by quite a margin after struggling in their opening and closing rounds. As Coach Jon Levy notes, though, the team gave it their all in the final event of the season. “This is not obviously how we wanted to finish,” Levy said, “but the guys kept a great attitude all week, despite the conditions, and gave it everything they had until their final putts dropped.” Battling gusty winds all four days, Sunday’s final round saw wind gusts reach over 50 mph. “There’s no doubt it was just a matter of survival out there,” said Levy of the last round. “The wind was affecting every shot you played, all the way down to a tap-in putt. “But if you could accept that fact teeing off, knowing the whole field would have to face the same thing, you’d be much better off in handling the conditions.” Puma sophomore, Trenton Ehnes, led the squad individually with an impressive 15-over par effort (79/66/76/82-303), landing fifth place and an All-Region accolade. His bogey-free second round of 66 (6 under) was the lowest round of his life, and best of the tournament by two shots. “I’m very proud of how Trenton played this week,” said Levy. “He finished his PVCC career in style and really stayed in there mentally all week, which was very tough to do.” The team’s remaining finishers were as follows: Tyler Pang - 73/79/86/83-321 Tom Wareing - 81/81/80/81-323 K.C. Barter - 88/87/78/84-337 Kyle O’Meara - 93/82/80/86-341 Congratulations to the Puma Men’s Golf team for concluding a hard-fought year, and to Trenton Ehnes for earning NJCAA Region I All-Region honors! Pictures from the 2010 Region 1 Championships
BASEBALL TRAVELS TO ENID, OK FOR DII WORLD SERIES The PV baseball team will travel to the NJCAA DII National Tournament in Enid, OK this week. Their first game will be against Lenoir CC of North Carolina on Saturday, May 29 at 7:30pm EST. The game will be broadcast via the web and may be heard on CTBSports. The Region 1 Champion Pumas, in just their second season of existence, were 40-19 on the year. They swept the Round 1 playoff series against Mesa CC and beat Chandler-Gilbert CC two games to one in Round 2. This will be the first National Championship Tournament appearance for the program. To view the tournament bracket and all other tournament details please click here. GOOD LUCK IN ENID PUMAS!
DUEDE, BAILEY COMPETE AT NATIONALS; DUEDE ALL-AMERICAN Competing as individuals off of their merits from the 2010 season, two Puma Women’s Golfers, Kylee Duede and Rachel Bailey, recently played in the NJCAA Women’s Golf National Championship at the LPGA International Golf Club in Daytona Beach, Fla. Hosted by Daytona State College, who won the team portion of the Championship, Puma freshman, Duede, shot rounds of 80/77/74-231 (15-over par) to take solo 12th place and earn NJCAA ‘All-American’ honors. Bailey, a sophomore, didn’t quite match the steadily improving tournament Duede displayed, with rounds of 89/91/89-269 (53-over), but still finished in respectable 59th place out the 112-player field. Duede’s final round of 74 in fact tied the fourth lowest round of the day to move up the leaderboard and solidify her place within the top-15 -- the number of players honored as All-Americans -- four shots ahead of fellow ACCAC player and South Mountain C.C. Cougar, Amanda Gregg. So, congratulations to both Duede and Bailey for their play at the NJCAA Women’s Golf National Championship, and to Coach Janet Budke for concluding a successful 2010 season!
BASEBALL BEATS CGCC; ADVANCES TO NATIONAL TOURNAMENT! After getting shutout in their first game of a best-of-three, 6-0, PVCC Baseball rebounded with two-straight wins against Chandler-Gilbert CC in the Region I Playoffs Finals, 10-2 and 3-0, to advance to the NJCAA DII World Series. Now 40-19 on the year, hurler, Brian King, accounted for the win in Game 2 after throwing seven innings, while giving up just two runs, and Matt Anderson pitched into the eighth inning in Game 3, keeping CGCC at bay, while Jordan Flittie earned the save. Offensively, the Pumas were ignited by first baseman and tournament MVP, Kyle Webber, who had seven-straight hits, including four doubles and a home run. Webber knocked in all three of the Pumas’ runs in Saturday’s nationals-solidifying win. Off to Enid, Okla. next week for a run at NJCAA baseball glory, the Pumas will play their first game Saturday, May 29th. They have already reached the elite level of becoming one of the final eight teams standing in the nation, so stay tuned and cheer on PVCC Baseball as they vie for a National Championship in the nation’s heartland! Good luck, Pumas! Pictures from Round 2 vs. Chandler-Gilbert
PUMAS FINISH 4TH AND 5TH AT REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS Highlighted by no less than 35 personal bests, one Championship meet record, two school records and three additional new qualifiers for the upcoming 2010 NJCAA Outdoor National Championships, the Pumas’ Women’s and Men’s Track & Field teams finished in fourth and fifth place, respectively, at the recently contested NJCAA Region I Championships. Each squads’ highlights were as follows: - Mariah Bowers won the 800m, with a school and Championship meet record time of 2:11.71 to rank 6th in the nation. Bowers dominated the race right from the start, leading by as much as 40m early in the run. - Alan Thomas led a 2-3-4 finish in the Men’s 800m, with a near-school-record time of 1:52.86 to rank 5th in the nation, with fellow Pumas, Chad Standifer and George Alex, finishing close on his heels with times of 1:53.39 (8th in the nation) and 1:54.28. Standifer’s time was his first national qualifying time of the season. - George Alex, ranked 1st in the nation, finished second in the 1500m by .3 of a second in a hard-fought battle against Central Arizona’s Isaiah Ward. - The Women’s 4 x 400m relay team of Noel Brown, Sarah Stemm, Arona Spader and Mariah Bowers finished second, with a school record time of 3:53.76 - The Women’s 400m Intermediate Hurdlers, Noel Brown (1:03.55), Arona Spader (1:04.37) and Sarah Stemm (1:04.55) finished 2-3-4, respectively, seeing each run personal best times to rank sixth, 10th and 12th in the nation. - Ranked 2nd in the nation, Matt Vipond held his ground in the Pole Vault, finishing second to the national leader. - Keona Jones finished second in the Triple Jump, with a personal best of 35’6”. - Tiea O’Niel finished fourth in the Women’s Shot Put, with a personal best throw. - Brittany Warren finished fourth in the Women’s Pole Vault. - Noel Brown finished third in the Women’s 100m dash, with a personal best time of 12.54. - Ryan Jones finished third in the Men’s 110m Hurdles, with a personal best time of 15.45, while Jose Olague finished sixth, with a personal best of 15.85. Other notable personal best performances included: - Alan Browning: Pole Vault (ranked 12th nationally) - Jared Ritter: Pole Vault - Matt Hann: Triple Jump - Fernando Arce: Triple Jump - Kaycee Corbell: 800m - Ryan Jones: Decathlon (ranked 11th nationally); High Jump; Discus; 1500m; 400m - Jose Olague: Decathlon (ranked 10th nationally); Javelin; Discus, Pole Vault; 1500m - Tracey Abrego: Hammer - Tiea O’Niel: Hammer - Cody January: Decathlon; Pole Vault; 1500m; 400m - John Weaver: Decathlon - Sarah Stemm: 100m Hurdles (ranked 17th nationally) Ready to depart for the NJCAA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships, this Thursday-Saturday (May 20-22), in Hutchinson, Kan., 20 Pumas will compete for national honors against the best junior college competition in the nation. Congratulations to the forenamed PVCC Track & Field team members for their superb efforts at the Region Championships and best of luck in Kansas!
PUMAS SWEEP MESA; ADVANCE TO REGION I PLAYOFF FINALS Beating the Mesa CC Thunderbirds 3-2 and 7-6 in two exciting extra-inning battles last week in the first round of the NJCAA Region I Playoffs, PVCC Baseball has advanced to the Region I Playoff Finals. Commencing this Thursday-Saturday (May 13-15; 3 pm, 3 pm, 12 pm) at home, they will face Chandler-Gilbert CC in a best-of-three game match-up to vie for a berth in the 2010 NJCAA National Championship. Recounting the first-game marathon against Mesa that endured 12 innings before the Pumas finally earned the W, Mario Carrasco pitched a solid 9 1/3 innings to earn the win, while Jordan Flittie kept the Thunderbirds’ offense at bay to finish the game, with no runs against and just one hit allowed. PVCC could only muster six hits during the game offensively themselves, but made efficient use of runners in scoring position to earn the deciding edge. Game two saw the Pumas’ offense loosen up as their 13 hits led to seven runs, punctuated by Cory Perreault’s game-winning base-knock -- a 3-2 pop down the left field line -- that allowed Kyle Weber to score and break the 6-6 tie. The Pumas put seven different hurlers on the mound defensively, seeing Brian King pick up the win, with seven innings pitched, one earned-run and five strikeouts, while Efrain Felix, Devin Lange, Brian Foster, Michael Ciombor, Jordan Flittie and Aaron Copfer each contributed to hold Mesa to six runs. Winning their 37th and 38th games of the season with the Mesa victories, PVCC Baseball hopes to continue the momentum right into the NCJAA World Series. Congratulations to Coach Victor Solis and his staff on advancing through Round 1, and best of luck against Chandler-Gilbert this week! Admission will be charged at each game. Adults are $5, students with ID are $3 and children under 12 are free. No family passes will be accepted. Pictures from Round 1 vs. Mesa
TACK SHINES AT NATIONAL LEVEL The Pumas Indoor Track and Field teams performed admirably last weekend at the national indoor championships. PV's men finished 4th, while the women finishing 18th. Over 30 teams competed at the meet. Sophomore Tailhar Hasson won the race at 1,000 meters and is a National Champion! Mariah Bowers (800m), George Alex (3000m), Matt Vipond (pole vault) earned 2nd place finishes. Alex (mile), Aaron Sherf (5000m), Jose Olague (pole vault) and the men's distance medley relay team of Denis Patrick, Kyle Wentzel, Alex Evans and Humberto Gonzales all posted 3rd place finishes. In addition to those above, Alan Thomas, Bryce Bergevin, Erin Sesemann, Kaycee Corbell, Noel Brown and Jessica Ernst also scored points. No less than 14 different Pumas finished in the top 8 in their respective events, earning points for PV teams.
PUMAS ACCOUNT FOR A 4-0 WEEK AFTER CANCELED GAME With an extra few days off because of the rainout against Neiji University of Japan on Sunday, PVCC Baseball successfully avenged the loss against Glendale last week with four-straight wins on the field this week. Starting with the solid 9-4 win over the Phoenix College Bears on Tuesday at home, the Pumas’ pitching combination of Ben Dorman, Aaron Copfer and Jordan Mitchell were able to hold Phoenix to just seven hits, while offensively, PVCC was able to secure a solid 14 base-knocks en route to their nine runs on the board. PVCC then repeated the feat again a day later with an 11-1 rout at home against Phoenix, before taking two more wins again on Thursday against Grays Harbor College of Washington, 14-5 and 7-2. Jacob Swift, Devin Lange, and Harlyn Griffiths each contributed on the mound to the Pumas’ victory in the first game against Grays Harbor, and Aaron Copfer, Jordan Flittie and Jordan Mitchell were PVCC’s successful hurlers in the second game. Hitting the field again at home Saturday (March 6th; 12 pm & 3 pm) with a double-header against Central Arizona College, PVCC Baseball looks to add to its impressive 17-3 record.
PUMAS SPLIT WITH CHANDLER-GILBERT TO SNAP LOSING STREAK After enduring a tough stretch of eight-straight losses over the past couple of weeks, PVCC Softball clipped Chandler-Gilbert CC on Tuesday for a solid winning effort, 7-3, before losing their second game, 6-2, to split on the day. It may have been short-lived, but the Pumas’ solid first-game win against CGCC, as Head Coach Nick Candrea states, can perhaps serve a bright spot the team can build upon during the remainder of the season. “Stephanie Bolt pitched well for us in that first game before Marissa Smith came in for relief at the end of the game,” said Candrea. “And our offense really got going in that game too with Tori Munhall’s two-run homer in the first inning that ignited Kimmie Simons, Lindsay Vollmer and Ashley Smith, to have two hits each. “But, besides (Vollmer) being the only bright spot in the second game, with three hits, a combination of defensive errors, base-running mistakes and a couple of missed pitches didn’t help our team’s outcome. Hopefully, though, we can now get back to showing some of those things we did in that first game and get some more wins.” PVCC Softball will have their next opportunity to do so at home on Saturday (March 5th) against Central Arizona College at 12 & 2 pm.
PUMAS STRUGGLE IN SEASON-OPENER AT HILLCREST Officially opening their season this week with a 36-hole event at Hillcrest CC in Sun City, PVCC Men’s Golf struggled to a 10th place finish after posting a score of 52-over, 628 (313/315). The Pumas were led by sophomores, Trenton Ehnes (72/79-151) and Tyler Pang (73/80-153), who secured respectable finishes of 18th and 22nd individually, but the team couldn’t find a way to fire on all cylinders as they had previously in a scrimmage against Colorado State University in February, when they posted a fine 7-over 291 at Stonecreek GC to lose the respectable DI NCAA program by just 12 shots. “We’re close to playing well but we just need to minimize our big mistakes out there,” said Coach Jon Levy. “We were able to do that (in the scrimmage) against Colorado State last month and we put up a great fight because of it, but when we don’t think our way around the course as clearly as we did that day, its amazing how quickly those extra shots add up. “We’ll take this week as a learning experience, though, and gear up for our next events with that in mind,” said Levy. PVCC Men’s Golf will compete again during Spring Break week with back-to-back events at Toka Sticks GC in Mesa (March 15-16), and Palm Valley GC (March 18-19) in Goodyear.
PUMAS TAKE WINNING STREAK TO FOUR WITH GATEWAY WINS After dropping a pair of games to both Eastern Arizona College (20-1 & 11-3) and Pima CC (2-0 & 2-1) on March 11th and March 16th, PVCC Softball has rebounded with four-straight wins over Monroe CC (5-1 & 9-0) and Gateway CC (6-4 & 8-3) in the past week to push their season record to 12-17 overall, and 5-5 in Region play. Stephanie Bolt and Marissa Smith each picked up complete game wins with solid pitching against Monroe, while offensively, the Pumas were led by Lindsay Vollmer and Kat Wardian. In the games against Gateway, the Pumas had a nice comeback win in the first game after trailing 4-1 through five innings. And in the second game, Stephanie Bolt was solid again on the mound with 11 strikeouts after having a perfect game through the first five innings, allowing just four hits total for the game. “The offense was once again led by Lindsay Vollmer, Whitley Cochran and Jordan Terp,” said Coach Nick Candrea. “And we also hit three homeruns in the game (Terp, Wardian and Ashlynn Thompson), which was a great boost to our offense when we needed it.” PVCC Softball returns to action Saturday (March 27th) at home against Glendale Community College at 12 and 2 pm.
PUMAS SHOW IMPROVEMENT DURING SPRING BREAK TOURNEYS After struggling in their first tournament of the season, the Scottsdale Invitational, PVCC Men’s Golf showed signs of improvement during their two tournaments over Spring Break. Starting with the Chandler-Gilbert Invitational on Monday and Tuesday, the Pumas finished 9th with a two-round total of 617, but as opposed to the SCC event at Hillcrest, they were able to count all four rounds in the 70s during the both days of the event. Freshmen Tom Wareing and K.C. Barter led the Pumas individually with rounds of 75/78-153 (8-over par) each, followed by Tyler Pang (79/77-156), Trenton Ehnes (77/81-158), Kyle O’Meara (81/78-159) and Adam Gieier (86/88-174), to round out the six-man squad. Then, at the Glendale Invitational on Thursday and Friday, PVCC started the final round in 10th after a first day score of 319 (31-over par), but their final round 308 moved them into 8th place, trailing 7th place Chandler-Gilbert by just a stroke. Although in the first round, just one Puma, Tom Wareing, broke 80 (77), PVCC was again able to count four rounds in the 70s in round two. Indivually, Wareing again led the Pumas with rounds of 77/75-152 (8-over par), while Trenton Ehnes (81/77-158), Kyle O’Meara (80/78-158), Tyler Pang (82/78-160), K.C. Barter (81/86-167) and Adam Geier (84/84-168) followed behind. “We still have a ways to go, but I’m starting to see improvements with how the guys are handling themselves out there,” said Coach Jon Levy. “It’s such a mental game, that if we can find a way to improve on eliminating those mental mistakes that give the guys big numbers and get them out of their rhythm, then we have a good shot at drastically improving our results quickly. “We’ve got some talent on our team, we’re just going through some growing pains right now to let it come out.” PVCC Men’s Golf will take a week hiatus before hosting its own event at Wildfire Golf Club March 29th and 30th. Admission is free and spectators are welcome, so come on out and support Puma Golf!
INDOOR TRACK SHINES AT NATIONAL LEVEL Performing admirably last weekend at the National Indoor Championships in Charleston, Ill., the PVCC Men’s and Women’s Track & Field teams placed 4th and 18th, respectively, within the 30-team field comprised of various junior college programs across the nation. It was a meet in which, after a fine “preseason” of sorts leading up to their first of two national championships (the NJCAA Outdoor National Championships will be held May 20-22 in Hutchinson, KS), the Pumas achieved what they had hoped to upon the first national championship gun sounding. “The guys just had a great meet and the girls performed well too,” said Head Coach Todd Lehman. “How can you argue against the 59 we scored, when we knew if we could get 60 or above we’d be right where we wanted to be. “And, that’s right where we were. We were definitely happy with that, but we also know we can score higher and that’s something to shoot for now.” Referring to the 59 points the Puma Men scored to finish in 4th behind Barton County CC (114.50), Iowa Central CC (113) and Rend Lake (110), the Women scored a respectable 12 points to finish near the middle of the pack behind champion Iowa Central CC. As far as individual accolades, it was Talihar Hasson who received the highest achievable for the Pumas, as he won the 1000 meter run with a time of 2:30.62. “Watching Talihar win the 1000 (meter) was awesome,” said Lehman. “I think he’s the 41st or 42nd National Champion we’ve had in the history of the program, and with everyone who has done it, it’s just really cool to watch one of our guys finish across the line first and earn that honor.” Nine other Pumas also turned in impressive runner-up or third place efforts, coming up just short of Hasson’s elite achievement. Mariah Bowers (800m), George Alex (3000m) and Matt Vipond (Pole Vault) each earned second place finishes in their respective events, while Alex (Mile), Aaron Sherf (5000m), Jose Olague (Pole Vault) and Men’s Distance Medley Relay team comprised of Denis Patrick, Kyle Wentzel, Alex Evans and Humberto Gonzales, all posted third place finishes. “The others were just so close,” remarked Lehman of the aforementioned Pumas’ efforts. “What great races they ran and it was nice to see such high level performances from so many of our athletes.” In addition to the above Pumas, Alan Thomas, Bryce Bergevin, Erin Sesemann, Kaycee Corbell, Noel Brown and Jessica Ernst also scored points for PV. A total of 14 different Pumas ultimately finished in the top-8 of their respective events to earn points for the team. With the Indoor season now complete, PVCC Track and Field turns its attention to the remainder of the season and Saturday’s upcoming ACCAC meet, hosted by Pima Community College in Tucson. ‘We’re looking forward to shifting gears now because even though some of our athletes have just been through an intense week with the Indoor Nationals, some have been off for three or four weeks and others were redshirted for the Indoor season, waiting for the Outdoor season to begin,” Lehman said. “So, it’ll be a good meet and it’s all in preparation now for the Region Championship (May 11-13, hosted by Mesa CC) and Nationals.” Congratulations, Pumas, and keep up the great work! * Click here for official results from the 2010 NJCAA National Indoor Track & Field Championships...
SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH CENTRAL ARIZONA AND MOTT CC Coming off of last week’s split double-header against Chandler-Gilbert, PVCC Softball spilt two more double-headers against Central Arizona College on Saturday, and Mott CC (non-conference) on Wednesday. While Wednesday’s games featured a fine 10th inning comeback win (3-2) against Mott after losing 11-3 in the first game, the Pumas’ first game victory over Central Arizona, an NJCAA Division I school, was just the second time in the history of the program PVCC has ever defeated a DI team. As it played out, they beat the Vaqueras 5-2 before succumbing to a 7-0 loss in the second game. “Stephanie Bolt pitched the entire (first) game and she was outstanding,” noted Head Coach Nick Candrea of the team’s winning effort. “The team defense was flawless and key hitting contributed to the victory. Unfortunately, the second game was not as exciting, though,” he continued. “We were close until (Central Arizona) hit a grandslam in the 4th inning and we just couldn’t recover. But it was still a great day for the team.” Now 8-13 on the season, PVCC Softball rests until next Tuesday (March 11th), when they’ll travel to Eastern Arizona College for a double-header against the Gila Monsters at 12 and 2 pm.
RUN AT NATIONAL TOURNEY ENDS PV's 2nd year baseball Pumas saw their tremendous season end last week at the NJCAA Division II Baseball World Series in Enid, OK. The Pumas (42-21) finished 5th at the 10-team double elimination tournament and split the four games they played at the national championship event. PV posted a first round 9-6 victory over Lenoir CC (NC) and an elimination round 4-2 win Madison College (WI). The team fell twice to eventual national champion LSU-Eunice, once in the winners bracket (11-2) and again in an elimination game (12-4). Mario Carrasco and Matt Anderson earned the respective pitching victories, with Anderson also earning a save in game 1. Kyle Weber continued his torrid hitting streak at the national tournament, with 8 hits and 9 RBI in the team's four games. Anderson and Weber were named to the All-Tournament team. "We gave it a heck of a shot," said head coach Victor Solis, "all credit to Eunice, they are a tremendous team and deserving national champion." Solis also credited the players and coaches on his own club who, "came in to a brand new program, performed extremely well and set the bar extremely high for all PVCC players and teams that will follow." "Our guys played their butts off and had a great time along the way, they deserve to be proud of the kind of team they became and what they accomplished in just 2 years," he finished. 2010 World Series in Pictures Opening Ceremony, Home Run Derby, Practices & Misc. Game 1 vs. Lenoir - 5/29/2010 Game 2 vs. LSU-Eunice - 5/31/2010 Game 3 vs. Madison - 6/1/2010 Game 4 vs. LSU-Eunice - 6/2/2010
PUMAS FINISH 9TH IN NATYCCA CUP STANDINGS The Pumas finished 9th in the NATYCCA Cup standings this year. This program recognizes excellence in two-year college athletics based on success in championship competition. The national ranking is out of 330+ schools that offer athletic scholarships. 2009-2010 was a great year for the Puma men and women. Eight PV teams competed in national championships this year. NATIONAL FINISHES Men's Cross Country - 2nd place finish Women's Soccer - tied for 3rd place finish Men's Indoor Track - 4th place finish Baseball - 5th place finish Men's Outdoor Track - 10th place finish Women's Cross Country - 18th place finish Women's Indoor Track - 18th place finish Women's Outdoor Track - 26th place finish Complete final standings can be found at the following link.
NJCAA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN ACCOLADES Nine student-athletes and five teams were awarded NJCAA Academic All-American honors for the 2009-2010 academic year. The NJCAA awards students with a GPA of 3.6 or higher and a team with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher with the Academic All-American distinction. Those with a GPA of 3.8 or higher are designated Distinguished Academic All-Americans. ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS Rachel Bailey - Distinguished Amanda Brimie - Distinguished Matt Hann - Distinguished Michelle Hoekstra Michelle Martin Erin Sesemann - Distinguished Andy Silcox - Distinguished Lindsay Vollmer - Distinguished Brittany Warren ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN TEAMS Women's Outdoor Track & Field - 3.21 GPA Women's Indoor Track & Field - 3.18 GPA Softball - 3.17 GPA Women's Golf - 3.10 GPA Women's Tennis - 3.06 GPA GREAT WORK PUMAS!
STUDENT-ATHLETES TRANSFERING TO FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS 39 PV student-athletes will continue their education next year at four-year colleges and universities. Many of these student-athletes will continue their athletic careers at their new schools while they all pursue their academic degrees. George Alex (Cross Country) - University of Oklahoma Tailhar Hasson (Cross Country) - University of Oklahoma Aaron Sherf (Cross Country) - University of Oklahoma Erin Sesemann (Cross Country) - Oklahoma Christian Trenton Ehnes (Golf) - University of Arizona Tyler Pang (Golf) - University of Missouri Nicole Acosta (Soccer) - Arizona State University Jessica Kettelkamp (Soccer) - Northern Arizona University Jose Olague (Track & Field) - Azusa Pacific/McNeese State Chad Standifer (Track & Field) - Northern Arizona University Kyle Wentzel (Track & Field) - Northern Arizona University Arona Spader (Track & Field) - Northern Arizona University/Grand Canyon Sara Stemm (Track & Field) - Northern Arizona University Brittany Warren (Track & Field) - Southern Utah/Utah Valley/Grand Canyon/Dickenson Kat Wardian (Softball) - Bellview University Kirstin Enos (Softball) - Jamestown University Stephanie Bolt (Softball) - Jamestown University Whitley Cochran (Softball) - Union College Lindsey Vollmer (Softball) - Kennesaw State University Adrian Abril (Softball) - Arizona State University Victoria Munhall (Softball) - Arizona State University Matt Anderson (Baseball) - University of North Carolina-Greensboro Eric Bond (Baseball) - Dixie State Selby Brummett (Baseball) - Coastal Carolina University Mario Carrasco (Baseball) - Northwest Oklahoma State Mike Ciombor (Baseball) - Northwest Oklahoma State Tim DeVito (Baseball) - Union University Ben Dorman (Baseball) - Northwest Oklahoma State Efrain Felix (Baseball) - Texas Southern University Jordan Flittie (Baseball) - Northwest Oklahoma State Devin Lange (Baseball) - William Penn University Cory Perreault (Baseball) - Union University Jake Saylor (Baseball) - University of Cincinnati Greg Solomon (Baseball) - Ohio State University Kyle Stiner (Baseball) - University of New Mexico Jake Swift (Baseball) - University of North Dakota Devin Thaut (Baseball) - Southern Polytechnic State University Kyle Weber (Baseball) - Northwest Oklahoma State Payden Yarmer (Baseball) - Rogers State University We wish you continued academic success Pumas!
7th ANNUAL SARAH SHARPE ALUMNI GAME Join us for the 7th annual Sarah Sharpe women’s soccer alumni game! Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010 Time: Kickoff at 9:00am warm up 8:30am Place: Shoenhair Field at PVCC Lunch after the game at Catch 22 Sports Grill (32nd Street & Union Hills). Lunch tickets can be purchased at the game for $5. Please RSVP, and for more information, please contact women's soccer head coach Kacey Bingham. (C)602-881-2428 (O)602-787-7189 kacey.bingham@pvmail.maricopa.edu See you there!
PUMAS START SEASON 3-0 AFTER OPENING WEEKEND Coming off of their 33-20 record in 2009, PVCC baseball begins their 2010 campaign 3-0 after winning each of their games against Pima Community College this weekend. On Friday, the Pumas held on for a close 3-2 win, and on Saturday, they shutout the Aztecs with 4-0 and 1-0 victories during their double-header. With a perfect start to their season, the Pumas and returning ACCAC Head Coach of the Year, Victor Solis, resume again Wednesday (February 3rd, 3:00pm) at home against the Arizona State University Club team. Congratulations and keep it up, Pumas! Photos from Opening Weekend 2010
OPENING WEEKEND FOR PUMA BASEBALL The PVCC Baseball team opens its 2010 season Friday at 3pm. The Pumas host Pima CC in a 3 game non-conference series. Friday's single game begins at 3PM. Saturday's double header begins at 12 noon. Admission will not be charged this weekend but will be charged at subsequent home games. All MCCCD and PVCC Faculty/Staff with ID are admitted free of charge. Beginning February 5th, admission for others will be $5 Adults and $3 students. Children under 12 are free. GO PUMAS!
Indoor Track Meet Information For information about the PVCC Indoor Invite being held January 30 please click on the following link. January 30 – PVCC Indoor Information
8 PUMAS EARN NAT'L CHAMPIONSHIP BERTHS AT PUMA INVITATIONAL Despite seeing a gigantic Pacific storm system engulf the Phoenix area in the days leading up to the PVCC Men’s and Women’s Track teams’ Puma Invitational -- the 2010 season openers for each team -- the meet launched as scheduled and eight Puma athletes earned qualifying marks for the 2009 NJCAA National Championships this spring. George Alex (3000 m), Talihar Hassen (3000 m), Denis Patrick (1000 m), Jose Olague (Pole Vault), Matt Vipond (Pole Vault), Mariah Bowers (600 m), Jose Olague (Pole Vault), Kresta Rogers (High Jump) and Natalie Nichols (Pole Vault) successfully hit the NJCAA’s qualifying guidelines in their respective events. As Coach Todd Lehman stated of his athletes’ performances, the weekend was a good start, and one he feels lucky to have had after the poor weather almost forced a cancellation of the event. “It was definitely a pretty good start for us,” Lehman said. “We hope to triple that number (of National Championship qualifiers) by the end of the year, but from early on in the week, not knowing if we’d even have the meet because of the weather, I’m very pleased to have these results.” “We competed well, though,” Lehman continued. “I saw a lot of our athletes having some mental toughness and was happy to see some improvements from them. I expect us to continue to improve as the season moves on.” The Pumas’ performances were highlighted by Alex, who currently holds the second fastest 3000 meter time in the country this season, Hassen, who holds the fifth fastest, and Bowers, who holds the third fastest 600 meter time nationally for the women. “They all ran exceptionally, and I expect them to get even faster as the season moves on,” Lehman remarked. The Pumas will see action again this Friday and Saturday, January 29th & 30th, with a portion of this past weekend’s Puma Invitational postponed to complete in full, as well as a part of the PVCC Track and Field team traveling to the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev. Stay tuned for results…
PUMAS EARN 13 NAT'L QUALIFYING MARKS AT AZTEC INVITATIONAL Competing at the Aztec Invitational at Pima Community College on Saturday, PVCC Track & Field continued their impressive ’10 season by seeing 13 Pumas secure national qualifying marks and a total of 17 Pumas earn personal records. Among the new qualifying marks were: George Alex - Mile ranked 4th (PR) Tailhar Hasson - Mile ranked 9th Paul Piazza - Pole Vault ranked 9th (third PR in two weeks) Allen Browning - Pole Vault ranked 9th George Alex - 800m ranked 16th Chad Standifer - 600m ranked 22nd (PR) Tailhar Hasson - 800m ranked 24th Denis Patrick - 800m ranked 25th Jessica Ernst - Pole Vault ranked 8th (third PR in two weeks) Other notable performances included: - Eight Pumas finishing in the top 10 of the Men’s 800m. - Nine Pumas finishing in the top 13 of the Men’s Mile. - George Alex winning the 800m and Mile. - Mariah Bowers winning the 400m and 200m. - Noel Brown and Keona Jones opening with fast times in the 60m Hurdles to put each close to national qualifying marks. - Sarah Stemm (200m) and Matt Hann (Triple Jump) securing big personal records. - PVCC notching its best time of the season in the Men’s & Women’s 4 x 400m Relays. Coming off of their hot performance in Tucson, the majority of the PVCC Track & Field team will be at Glendale Community College this weekend (Saturday, 12 pm) for the Glendale Indoor, while a select few Pumas will travel to the University of Arkansas for the Tyson Invite. Congratulations, Pumas! Click here for official results from the Aztec Invitational...
PUMAS SWEEP LUNA CC, MOVE TO 8-0 Following a pair of wins in Friday’s double-header against Luna Community College at home, PVCC Baseball repeated the feat again Saturday with 7-1 and 12-2 outings against the Las Vegas, NM-based Luna CC program. They now move to a perfect 8-0 on the season. “I was just very pleased with the team’s energy and how we played all weekend-long,” Head Coach, Victor Solis, stated of their four-win stretch in two days. “Offensively, we were able to complement our great pitching by finally putting a number of runs up on the board.” Allowing just one run in the first game, Ben Dorman was the winning pitcher for the Pumas while Mario Carrasco took the winning honors in game two, after allowing just two runs. PVCC will see action again Wednesday at home against the University of Arizona Club team at 3 pm. Keep it up, Pumas! Pictures from Saturday's Games
PUMAS MOVE TO 6-0; KING THROWS PERFECT GAME! With 3-0 and 7-0 routs of Luna Community College Friday, PVCC Baseball remains undefeated in 2010, now 6-0 on the season. Playing at home, The Pumas impressively notched three runs from just five hits in the first game while shutting out Luna CC’s scoring efforts, but the real story of their double-header was freshman Brian King’s perfect game in game two; the first in PVCC history. “Both games were pitched very well, with a lot of strikes thrown and good defense behind them” noted Head Coach Victor Solis,” but (King, in the second game) definitely gave the guys a lot of confidence because of how he was throwing and they were able to respond offensively to that.” “It was great to see (King) do that, but I was overall very pleased we were able to play hard in both games and minimize our mistakes because of that,” he added. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to play as hard again tomorrow as we did today and mentally be into it as much as well.” The Pumas face Luna CC in a double-header at home again Saturday at noon and 3 pm. “It’s still early in the season, but our goal is to be ready to play mentally, as well as physically, every time we have a game,” surmised Solis of the team’s plan. “And, I think we’re off to a great start, we just need to keep continuing to improve.”
PUMAS SPLIT WITH BOTH CHANDLER-GILBERT AND GLENDALE Trading blows with both Chandler-Gilbert CC and Glendale CC this past week, PVCC Baseball now stands 13-3 on the season. Starting with their game at CGCC on Tuesday, the Pumas lost a close one, 2-1, after Chandler-Gilbert scored both of their runs in the 9th inning to win. But, with Ben Dorman’s and Aaron Copfer’s stellar pitching on Wednesday, coupled with an offensive barrage that led to 13 runs, the Pumas returned the favor and beat Chandler-Gilbert 13-2 at home. On Friday, PVCC continued its winning ways by taking an extra-inning win over Glendale at home. Locked at seven runs each through 9 innings, the Pumas scored the eighth and winning run with their 15th hit of the game. Jacob Swift, Jordan Flittie and Efrain Felix each contributed the Pumas’ victory by their efforts on the mound. On Saturday, though, the Pumas lost a tight one at Glendale, 4-3, after slimly failing to come back from a 4-0 deficit created the 3rd inning. PVCC Baseball now looks to get back on track Sunday with a game against Neiji University of Japan, at Glendale Ranch (6:30 pm). Pictures - 2/24/2010 vs. CGCC Pictures - 2/26/2010 vs. GCC
PUMAS OPEN SEASON WITH LOSS TO MESA PVCC Women’s Tennis opened their 2010 season yesterday with a tough 9-0 loss against a very strong and talented Mesa CC program. The doubles pairs of Lyndsey Grinstead and Kim McConville lost their match 8-1, while Kellie Boule and Katelyn Neimeyer lost theirs, 8-3. And, in singles, all five Pumas lost tough, but spirited contests against the Thunderbirds. “We were very much outplayed in our doubles and my concern was that they not get hurt from the power and pace of Mesa’s shot-making,” noted Head Coach Kristin Fullam. “But our singles play, at certain positions was more competitive. “The Thunderbirds were good sports and very gracious, and our girls came away with some good things to work on.” PVCC Women’s Tennis hits the court again with a home match against Glendale on Tuesday (March 2nd) at 1:30 pm.
PUMAS STRUGGLE AGAINST ARIZONA WESTERN & SMCC Playing Arizona Western College in Yuma on Saturday, PVCC Softball lost both games of their double-header, 8-0 and 10-5. Then again on Tuesday, the Lady Pumas lost two more at South Mountain CC, 6-0 and 6-2. PVCC Softball has now lost their last six games straight and, although they undoubtedly house a talented team, as Head Coach Nick Candrea admits, they’re suffering from a combination of obstacles that are making it tough for the Lady Pumas to get back on track. “We are having a hard time finding a way to win right now,” Candrea said. “We are dealing with two of our three pitchers down with injuries, and both our offense and defense have been struggling.” Looking for redemption and a turn of the tide, PVCC Softball takes the field again Saturday (Feb. 27th; 12 & 2 pm) with two special home games against Mesa that will raise funds for the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation. Tickets will be sold at the event; admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. Children under 12 get in free, and all MCCD and PVCC faculty/staff with ID will be admitted free of charge. Click here for more information on PVCC Softball’s first Breast Cancer Awareness event…
PUMAS STRETCH RECORD TO 11-1 WITH MESA WINS Beating Mesa 4-3 and 1-0 on Friday and Saturday, PVCC Baseball now moves to 11-1 on the season; a season that, so far, accounts for nothing less than stellar results against their competition. Starting with their home win against MCC on Friday, PVCC scored four runs off of just four hits, while Mario Carrasco, Jacob Swift and Efrain Felix held the Thunderbirds defensively to three scores with their solid efforts on the mound. Then, repeating the feat again at Mesa on Saturday, the pitching combination of Selby Brummett, Matt Anderson, Brian Foster and Jordan Mitchell shutout the Thunderbirds, while offensively, PVCC managed to score the winning, and only, run of the game in the top of the 9th inning. PVCC hits the field again Tuesday (Feb. 23rd) with an away game against Chandler-Gilbert CC at 3 pm. Keep up the great work, Pumas!
PVCC DOMINATES PUMA INDOOR Carrying over the remainder of last week’s Puma Indoor Invitational to this past weekend because of the heavy rains that hit the Phoenix area, several Puma Track and Field team members made a national impact with fine efforts on their home turf. Specifically, starting with the women: - Mariah Bowers won the Women’s 600m run (1:46.50) and 1000m run (3:13.38). Her 1000m time was a national qualifier, which ranks her 7th nationally. - Erin Sesemann won the Women’s 800m run (2:32.89) and 1500m run (5:06.98). - Emily Donohue placed 2nd in the High Jump with a mark of 1.55 m, which was also national qualifying mark. - Alexandra Lundberg finished 2nd in the Women’s Pole Vault with a national qualifying jump of 9’ 6.25”. Moving on to the men: - Paradise Valley swept the top three places in the Men’s 600m run. Chad Standifer won with a time of 1:24.13, while Justin Butler finished 2nd and Alan Thomas finished 3rd. - Humberto Gonzales and Aaron Sherf placed 1st and 2nd in the Men’s 3000m, with national qualifying marks of 8:53.83 and 8:54.25. The Pumas swept all top five places with Denis Patrick, Robert Evans and Luis Figueroa rounding out the order in 3rd, 4th and 5th. - PVCC’s Distance Medley Relay team, consisting of Talihar Hasson, Rout Thac, Alex Evans and George Alex, not only won the event with a time of 10:11.77 to nationally qualify, but they set a PVCC school record with the fastest time in the NJCAA so far this year. - Alex and Hasson also finished 1-2 in the Men’s 1000m run, with nationally qualifying marks of 2:30.60 and 2:30.62. Each currently stands 1st and 2nd in the national rankings. - Matt Vipond finished 2nd in the Men’s Pole Vault with a national qualifying jump of 4.45m. - Finally, Jose Olague finished 2nd in the Men’s Heptathlon with a score of 4489, which ranks him 2nd nationally, while Ryan Jones finished 5th with a score of 4076, to rank 8th in the nation, and Cody Alexander finished 6th with a score of 3666, which currently ranks him 14th nationally in the NJCAA. Congratulations to each of the above Puma athletes for their impressive accomplishments!
PUMA SOFTBALL TO HOST BREAST CANCER AWARENESS GAME The Puma Softball team will host its first Breast Cancer Awareness Game on February 27 against the Mesa CC Thunderbirds. Join the team as they pay tribute to those affected by breast cancer and raise funds for the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation. All we ask is that you wear pink to the game to show your support of breast cancer awareness. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation. Special Puma Softball t-shirts will be for sale for $15 at the game to help raise additional money for the foundation. Almost everyone has been impacted by breast cancer, or any cancer for that matter, in one way or another. It is important to support those affected by breast cancer and promote awareness. Additionally, in the world of college women's sports, it is important to pull together and support such causes as this. Tickets will be sold at the event. Admission will be $5 adults and $3 students. Children under 12 are free. All MCCCD and PVCC Faculty/Staff with ID are admitted free of charge.
FORMER PUMA HARASYN BREAKS 4-MINUTE MILE FOR OU TRACK TEAM Eric Harasyn, an NJCAA ‘All American’ member of last year’s Puma National Championship-winning Cross Country team, broke the four-minute mark in the men’s mile this past weekend competing for the University of Oklahoma at the Husky Invitational in Seattle, Wash. His impressive time of 3:59.97 accounts for just the third time the feat had been accomplished in OU history and, along with his teammate who also ran a sub-four minute race, became the first and second to do so in the Big XII Conference this year. PVCC congratulates Eric for this amazing performance, as we’re proud to see former Pumas realizing continued success at the next level! Click here for a link to the recently posted release on the OU website referencing his accomplishment…
PUMAS NOW 5-4 AFTER YAVAPAI LOSSES Housing perhaps one of the most talented softball squads in school history, PVCC now stands 5-4 on the season after losing both of yesterday’s games, 3-0 and 13-6, in their double-header against Yavapai College. The Pumas began their 2010 campaign during the opening weekend of February with a six-team round robin tournament, faring 3-2 with wins over Scottsdale CC, Gateway CC and Chandler-Gilbert CC, and losses to South Mountain CC and Glendale CC. They then opened their ACCAC season with a pair of 2-1 and 7-2 wins over Scottsdale, before suffering the losses at home yesterday. “Our season is off to a good start and I believe we have the players and talent to be the best team PVCC has ever had,” conceded Coach Nick Candrea. “All aspects of the game are getting better for us, but we really need to continue to get better with the many mental parts of competition and playing the game of softball at this level.” “With this team this year, we’ll have a great shot at making the playoffs for the first time in school history.” Puma Softball continues their season with a double-header at Arizona Western College Saturday (Feb. 20th) at 12 pm and 2 pm.
PUMAS GREAT AGAIN AT GLENDALE Knocking out national qualifiers and personal records like they were going out of style , PVCC Track and Field continued their stellar 2010 campaign last weekend at the Glendale Invitational. Results were as follows: New National Qualifiers: Men: Bryce Bergevin - 1000m (2:36.21); ranked 17th Women: Erin Sesemann - 1000m (3:13.76); ranked 14th Brittany Warren - PV (10'0"); ranked 11th Mariah Bowers - 800m (2:20.55); ranked 11th Women's 4 x 400m relay, consisting of Noel Brown, Arona Spader, Sarah Stemm & Mariah Bowers - (3:59.69); ranked 9th Previous national qualifiers who improved their standings: Men: Matt Vipond - Pole Vault (15'1"); ranked 3rd Jose Olague - Heptathlon (4671 points); ranked 3rd Ryan Jones - Heptathlon (4345 points); ranked 6th Women: Mariah Bowers - 600m (139.46); ranked 17th Natalie Nichols - PV (10'0"); ranked 11th Others who achieved personal records: Men: Justin Butler - 600m (1:24.07) Alan Thomas - 600m (1:24.32) Women: Kaycee Corbell - 1000m (3:15.56) Keona Jones - Triple jump (34' 6") Said Coach Todd Lehman of his athletes’ performances: “We had a fantastic meet Saturday. It was exciting to see national qualifiers and personal bests happening one after the other.” “These athletes took advantage of great weather and showed how competitive they can be,” Lehman continued. “I was proud to see the level of competitiveness rise and look forward to seeing times and marks improve as we work toward the Indoor Championships early next month.” Referring to the NJCAA Indoor National Championships at Eastern Illinois University, March 5th and 6th, PVCC Track & Field will compete Friday and Saturday (Feb. 19th & 20th) at the Arizona Relays, hosted by Central Arizona in Coolidge, Ariz.
PUMAS SUFFER FIRST LOSS TO SALT LAKE CC After starting their season with a flawless 9-0 record, PVCC Baseball suffered their first loss on Monday against Salt Lake Community College, 7-5. It was a close game that saw both teams deadlocked through the 6th inning, 5-5, but SLCC scored the final blows against the Pumas in the 7th and final inning with two unanswered runs to win the game. With a few days of R&R ahead, PVCC Baseball looks to avenge the loss Friday (Feb. 19th) at home against Mesa CC (3 pm).
PUMAS TEAR UP TYSON INVITE This past weekend, PVCC took five of its Track and Field team members to the Tyson Invitational -- The University of Arkansas-hosted meet considered to be the top collegiate indoor meet in the country -- and came away with five personal records, one school record, the second, third and seventh-best times for 3000 meters in the NJCAA rankings, the third best time in the country for 5000 meters in the NJCAA rankings, and the seventh-best time in the country for the one mile run in the NJCAA this year. Phew! That’s a lot of success packed into one weekend. Here’s how it broke down: George Alex: Winner of the Men’s Collegiate 3000 meter run with a time of 8:18.83; the second-fastest indoor 3000 meter run in PVCC history, which also moves him to second in the 2010 NJCAA National Indoor rankings for the 3000 meter run. Talihar Hasson: 5th place in the Men’s Collegiate 3000 meter run with a time of 8:25.92; the fourth-fastest indoor 3000 meter run in PVCC history, which moves him to third in the 2010 NJCAA National Indoor rankings for the 3000 meter run. Humberto Gonzales: 10th place in the Men’s Collegiate 3000 meter run with a time of 8:38.04; the fifth-fastest indoor 3000 meter run in PVCC history, which moves him to seventh in the 2010 NJCAA National Indoor rankings for the 3000 meter run. Aaron Sherf: 3rd place in the Men’s Collegiate 5000 meter run with a time of 14:49.36; the fastest indoor 5000 meter run in PVCC history, which moves him to third in the 2010 NJCAA National Indoor rankings for the 5000 meter run. Denis Patrick: 8th place in the Men’s Collegiate 1 mile run with a time of 4:17.61; the second-fastest indoor 1 mile run in PVCC history, which moves him to seventh in the 2010 NJCAA National Indoor rankings for the 1 mile run. Said Coach Dave Barney of his athletes’ stellar performances in Arkansas: “We had a great meet. We love going back to The Tyson Invitational, because it gives our guys a chance to run against some of the best university runners in the country and also gives them a chance to see they can compete with anyone!” PVCC Track and Field will run again this Friday and Saturday (February 19th & 20th) at the Arizona Relays, hosted by Central Arizona College. Congratulations, Pumas!
PVCC CLUBS U OF A CLUB TEAM Continuing their finely tuned recipe of strong offensive strikes and nearly flawless defensive efforts on the field, PVCC Baseball has stretched their undefeated season to a 9-0 record after their dominating 12-1 win against the University of Arizona's Club team on Wednesday. The Pumas gave up a lone solo home run to the Wildcats in the 2nd inning, but Coach Victor Solis' mix of Jacob Swift, Jordan Flittie, Aaron Copfer and Matt Anderson on the mound for PVCC proved too much for U of A to score against the strong PV offense again. Resting this weekend, PVCC Baseball will take the field again Monday (Feb. 15th) at 2:30 pm against Salt Lake Community College at Chandler Gilbert CC. Congratulations, and keep it up, Pumas!
PUMAS EXCEL AT POLE VAULT SUMMIT Four Puma Track and Field team members traveled to Reno, Nev. this weekend to compete in the annual National Pole Vault Summit, which saw a collection of the best and brightest in the sport get together for a “grass roots approach to the conceptual development of safe, modern pole vaulting.” And, in their efforts, coach Todd Lehman was glad to see all four Pumas make a bar, including two, Paul Piazza (13’9”) and Jessica Ernst (9’9 ½”), who recorded their personal records. “Everyone learned quite a bit this weekend and we’re all fired up and excited to get back next week now,” said Lehman. “But, (Piazza and Ernst) both had personal records, actually twice, with both jumping two bars higher than they ever did before, so they both did really well and I’m very pleased about their efforts.” “It was a great weekend,” concluded Lehman. PVCC Track and Field will see action again this Saturday, Feb. 6th, at the Pima Comm. College hosted, Aztec Indoor, in Tucson, Ariz. Stay tuned for results… Click here for more information on the 20th Annual National Pole Vault Summit. Men’s Soccer Pumas Fall in Opener The 2010 men’s soccer squad opened their 2010 campaign in Prescott Valley on Saturday night. Though the Pumas fell 3-1 to perennial powerhouse Yavapai, there were many positive signs from the program that struggled mightily in 2009. After some early nerves and a couple mistakes, the Pumas showed character in scoring a first half goal, cutting a 2-0 deficit in half. Carlos Mendoza found the back of the net in the 27th minute. PV pressed the attack with solid ball control for the remainder of the first half but could not find the equalizer. “We gave up 2 goals early due to some nerves and a couple defensive errors but I thought we responded well and created some quality chances as the half wore on,” said new head coach Boris Teoharevic. As the match continued, the Pumas showed increasing poise with the ball and found avenues to attack the Yavapai defense. After intermission, Yavapai gained a greater measure of ball control and a goal in the 63rd minute dampened the Pumas’ chances for the victory. “Our guys played hard, played well and showed their potential,” Teoharevic added. There were no cards issued in the game which was played at a relatively fast pace. After a trip to Arizona Western on Wednesday (9/1) for a 6pm game, the Pumas host Pima CC this Saturday at noon. Saturday’s game is the home opener for PV’s men.
WOMEN'S SOCCER RANKED #3 IN NATION The PVCC Women’s Soccer team has garnered a third-place ranking in the preseason NJCAA National Poll. The 2010 Pumas hope to better their record-setting 2009 season. They open their season on August 31 at Cochise and open at home on September 4 vs. Pima. In 2009, the Pumas finished their season 19-4-1, the best finish in program history. After winning their regional tournament and subsequent district game, the Pumas made their national tournament debut in the 2009 NJCAA National Championship Tournament. They returned home tied for third in the nation. Good luck on a great 2010 season ladies!
2010 Puma Classic Golf Tournament Join PVCC coaches, athletes and staff for the 6th Annual Puma Classic on Saturday, September 18th at The Legend at Arrowhead in Glendale. This Tournament is a four-player scramble, shotgun start at 7:30am. All proceeds will benefit the Puma Athletic Scholarship Fund. For a complete tournament brochure please click here. For more information please call PVCC Athletics, 602-787-7173.
PUMAS SPLIT WITH EASTERN ARIZONA Splitting two close games in their double-header against Eastern Arizona College on Tuesday, 7-6 & 5-7, Puma Baseball moves to 29-11 on the season and 15-9 in conference play, with 13 regular-season games remaining. In game one against the Gila Monsters on their home turf, Brian King picked up the win on the mound for PVCC defensively, while offensively, the Pumas secured eight base-knocks, led by Devin Thaut and Justin Winters, who had two hits each. In the second game, the Pumas found themselves trailing Eastern 5-1 after the 2nd inning and just couldn’t catch up, even though they managed 11 total hits for the game. Kyle Stiner led the Pumas offensively with three hits, while Ben Dorman, Efrain Felix, Devin Lange, Aaron Copfer and Brian Foster split time on the mound for PVCC during the game. PVCC Baseball returns to the field again Friday (April 9th) with an away-game against Mesa at 3pm. Pictures from games at Eastern Arizona
PUMAS SWEEP ARIZONA WESTERN Beating Arizona Western College 9-4 and 8-2 during their double-header on Saturday, PVCC Baseball moves to 28-10 on the year and 14-8 in conference play, with 15 regular-season games remaining. Sharing duties on the mound for the Pumas in the first game, Mario Carrasco -- the ACCAC “Pitcher of the Week” two weeks ago -- and Aaron Copfer pitched three and four innings, respectively, seeing Carraso give up four runs with two strikeouts, and Copfer hold the Matadors at bay with three strikeouts. Offensively, the Pumas garnered 11 hits via a well-rounded attack that saw three different Pumas -- Harlyn Griffiths, Kyle Weber and Justin Winters -- secure two hits each. And in the second game, PVCC notched another 10 hits spurred on by four more Pumas -- Michael Ciombor, Griffiths, Devin Thaut and Jake Saylor -- who earned two hits each. Jacob Swift pitched a six solid innings on the mound for the Pumas, giving up two earned runs and five strikeouts, while Brian Foster and Ciombor closed the game with no more runs allowed. Playing at Eastern Arizona College on Tuesday (April 6th) at 12 and 3 pm, the Pumas look to extend their winning streak to six games and continue their momentum towards the post-season. Pictures from games vs. Arizona Western
BASEBALL MOVES TO 26-10 WITH YAVAPAI WINS Taking down Yavapai College in both games of their Tuesday double-header, 6-2 & 8-1, PVCC Baseball moves to 26-10 on the season and 12-8 in conference play, with just 17 regular-season games remaining before the NJCAA Region I Playoffs. Holding the Roughriders at bay with seven hits and two earned runs in the first game, Brian King pitched six solid innings for the Pumas, while Cory Perreault, DevinThaut and Benjamin McKinnon each secured two hits offensively to help the Pumas account for a well-rounded attack. In the second game, it was Matt Anderson who picked up the win for PVCC, with seven innings pitched, one earned run and four strikeouts. Brian Foster and Efrain Felix closed the game on the mound for the Pumas, pitching one inning each; while offensively, PVCC once again saw three players -- Perrault, Harlyn Griffiths and Kyle Weber -- garner two hits each to help account for the team’s eight runs. Hoping to ride the winning momentum this weekend, PVCC Baseball hits the field again Saturday (April 3rd) at home with a double-header against Arizona Western College at 12 & 2 pm. Pictures from games vs.Yavapai
DUEDE 1st IN ACCAC; QUALIFIES FOR NATIONALS WITH BAILEY Finishing the season with a conference-low scoring average of 79.3, freshman Kylee Duede took first place honors in the ACCAC to not only earn a place on the ACCAC “All-Conference” team, but also a trip to the NJCAA Women’s Golf Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla. Her season was more than impressive, as Duede won three of the team’s seven conference starts individually, including PVCC’s own event at Tatum Ranch. Taking that momentum into the National Championship in May, the honors student will be joined by teammate Rachel Bailey, who placed 10th in the conference with an 85.7 scoring average. A sophomore, Bailey improved markedly from her freshman season through hard work and dedication that, as Coach Janet Budke says, has certainly paid off. “By working exceptionally hard over the summer and in the fall, she lowered her average by ten strokes, which is huge,” said Budke of Bailey’s improvement. “She’s very deserving of going to Nationals along with (Duede), who I can’t say enough about for as well as she played this year. “Both (Duede) and (Bailey) should be proud of what they accomplished in their seasons, and hopefully they can have a great showing at the national tournament.” Contested May 15-21 at the famed LPGA International GC, both Pumas will compete for 72 holes against the top junior college women’s golfers in the nation.
PUMAS DROP TWO TO COCHISE Coming off of four-straight wins, with 9-8 & 11-6 and 11-4 & 6-1 victories over Glendale and Phoenix College, respectively, PVCC Baseball lost both games in their double-header against Cochise College on Saturday, 4-0 & 17-1. It was a tough go for the Pumas, now 33-16 on the season and 19-15 in conference play, as they just couldn’t get anything going offensively, with a combined 10 hits for the day. Likewise, they struggled defensively, yielding a combined 26 hits against the Apaches’ powerful offense. Nevertheless, with just four games remaining on the schedule before the Region I Playoffs (beginning May 6th), the Pumas are primed to make the most of their winning season with a solid run in post-season play. PVCC Baseball looks to regain those winning ways again on Tuesday (April 27th) with an away-game against Scottsdale at 3 pm. Pictures from games at Cochise
PUMAS FINISH CONFERENCE PLAY WITH LOW ROUND OF THE SEASON Posting their lowest round of the season, a 1-over par 289, in the final round of Eastern Arizona’s event at Mount Graham G.C. in Thatcher, PVCC Men’s Golf concluded their ACCAC season by finishing seventh in the final conference event. Finishing with a total of 590 (301-289) for two rounds, the Pumas were able to move up from ninth place after day one; but, as Coach Jon Levy states, they still weren’t able to keep pace with the other teams that took advantage of a fairly docile, score-able golf course in Mount Graham. “I’m happy we were finally able to put up some decent numbers on the board, but in a situation where the golf course yields a lot of low scores like we had this week, we needed to readjust our thinking of what par really is and go out and try to take it low,” said Levy. “We did a much better job of doing that in the second round, but we weren’t able to keep up with the some of the other schools who took advantage of the situation and, as has been the situation all season-long, we worked ourselves into a hole during the first round that we couldn’t get out of for the remainder of the event.” Taking a week’s hiatus before the Region I Championships (April 29-May 2) at Palm Valley G.C. in Goodyear, the team now has its sights on qualifying for the NJCAA National Championship. “The great thing about the Region Championship is that everybody starts from scratch,” Levy remarked. “So it’s time for us to step it up now. We’ve got four rounds to put it all together, so hopefully we can take what we’ve learned from the season and put it into play." Of the six other teams against whom the Pumas will compete next week, the top two will advance to Nationals. Individual scores from Eastern Arizona’s event were as follows: Tom Wareing: 71/73-144 Trenton Ehnes: 76/70-146 Tyler Pang: 75/74-149 Kyle O’Meara: 79/76-155 K.C. Barter: 86/72-158 Adam Geier: 81/86-167
OUTDOOR INVITE MEET INFORMATION PVCC will host the fifth annual Puma Outdoor Invite this Saturday, April 3. All meet information is listed below. Meet entry is done through DirectAthletics: Meet entry will close 03/30/10 11:59 PM. Any changes to the meet entries after the 30th must be approved by Todd Lehman, Dave Barney, or Fred Moore. NO DAY OF MEET ENTRY under any circumstances. http://www.directathletics.com/meets/track/12183.html Entry Fees: Individuals - $20.00 / athlete (must be paid on DirectAthletics) Teams - $100.00 / team / gender (optional payment through DA) (Unattached athletes entered by schools will need to pay entry fees at the finish-line tent prior to competing.) Timing: All timing will be done electronically, with back-up hand timing. (Multi-events will be hand timed. Results: Results will be posted on DirectAthletics as well as on the Region I website. Number of jumps/throws: Athletes in the horizontal jumps and throwing events will each receive a minimum of three attempts. All athletes with at least one fair mark in their first three attempts will receive an additional three attempts. Combined Events: Friday/Saturday: We will stage day one of the Decathlon and on Thursday 4/1/10. Starting times are 1:00 pm (Dec) and 1:15 pm (Hep) and will be on a rolling schedule from there. Athletic Trainer: PVCC will have an Athletic Trainer on site, however we ask that if your athletes need taping that they bring their own supplies. Time Schedule: We will stay on time with the posted event schedule. Saturday, April 3rd START TIME; FIELD EVENTS 9:00 AM; HAMMER (women) 9:00 AM; JAVELIN (men) 10:00 AM; POLE VAULT (W followed by M) 10:00 AM; LONG JUMP (Open Pit until 11:00 a.m.) 10:00 AM; JAVELIN (women) 10:00 AM; HAMMER (men) 11:00 AM; HIGH JUMP (W followed by M) 11:00 AM; SHOT PUT (women) 11:00 AM; DISCUS (men) 11:30 AM; TRIPLE JUMP (Open Pit until 12:30 p.m.) 12:00 PM; DISCUS (women) 12:00 PM; SHOT PUT (men) START TIME; TRACK EVENTS 10:00 AM; 4X100 RELAY (W) 10:10 AM; 4X100 RELAY (M) 10:15 AM; 1500 (W) 10:25 AM; 1500 (M) 10:35 AM; 100 HURDLES 10:45 AM; 110 HURDLES 10:55 AM; 400 (W) 11:05 AM; 400 (M) 11:15 AM; 100 (W) 11:25 AM; 100 (M) 11:35 AM; 800 (W) 11:45 AM; 800 (M) 12:00 PM; 400 HURDLES (W) 12:10 PM; 400 HURDLES (M) 12:20 PM; 200 (W) 12:35 PM; 200 (M) 12:50 PM; 4X400 RELAY (W) 12:55 PM; 4X400 RELAY (M) High Jump Progression: Men followed by women Men 1.70/5-7 – 1.75/5-8¾ – 1.80/5-10¾ – 1.85/6-0¾ – 1.90/6-2¾ – 1.95/6-4¾ – 2.00/6-6¾ – 2.05/6-8¾ 2.10/6-10¾ Women 1.35/4-5 – 1.40/4-7 – 1.45/4-9 – 1.50/4-11 – 1.55/5-1 – 1.60/5-3 – 1.65/5-5 – 1.70/5-7 – 1.75/5-8¾ Pole Vault Progression: Women followed by men Women 2.40/7-10½ – 2.55/8-4¼ – 2.70/8-10¼ – 2.85/9-4¼ – 3.00/9-10 – 3.15/10-4 - 3.30/10-10 – 3.45/11-4 ¾ 3.60/11-9¾ – 3.70/12-1½ – 3.80/12-5½ + 10cm Men 3.70/12-1½ – 3.90/12-9½ – 4.05/13-3½ – 4.20/13-9¼ – 4.35/14-3¼ – 4.50/14-9 – 4.65/15-3 – 4.80/15-9 4.90/16-¾ – 5.00/16-4¾ - 5.10/16-8¾ + 10cm
PUMAS GET BACK ON TRACK WITH GLENDALE VICTORY With just eight regular-season games remaining on their schedule, PVCC Baseball rebounded from four straight losses on Friday with a win at Glendale Community College. Winning a tight one, 9-8, Mario Carrasco got the W on the mound for the Pumas, while Aaron Copfer and Brian Foster kept Glendale at bay in the closing innings, even though the Gauchos’ two-run, 9th inning charge almost sent the game into extra innings. Offensively, the squad’s 15 hits were led by Devin Thaut’s four base knocks, and Benjamin McKinnon’s and Cory Perrault’s pair of three each. With their latest victory, the Pumas now move to 30-14 on the season and 16-13 in conference play, with another game against Glendale on Saturday (April 17th; 12 pm) at home. PVCC hits the field again on Tuesday at home (3 pm) against the Phoenix College Bears, before taking on three straight road games against Phoenix, Cochise College and Scottsdale.
PUMAS TIE FOR SIXTH AT KOKOPELLI Firing a season-best 301 (13-over par) in the final round of the Gateway Community College-hosted ACCAC event at Kokopelli GC in Gilbert, PVCC Men’s Golf tied for sixth for the second-straight event. Counting scores of 71-74-77-79, ignited by sophomore, Trenton Ehnes’ (71) first par-breaking performance of the year to close the event, the Pumas’ 21-shot improvement from their first day score of 322 (34-over) accounted for a marked vault from their 9th place standing after day one. As Coach Jon Levy notes, the team’s overall improvement is steady and noticeable, but it’s time to kick it in high gear with just one event remaining before the Region I Championships. “I’m very proud of the guys this week because we finally put together a round that we should be shooting with regularity,” said Levy. “We’re starting to eliminate those big mistakes that have been plaguing us all season-long, but we need to get off to a better start in these events so we’re not always playing catch up. “There’s no doubt we’re capable, but it’s now getting down to crunch time and we need to peak by the time we get to Regionals.” Playing their final ACCAC event Monday and Tuesday at Eastern Arizona’s Mount Graham GC in Thatcher, the Pumas gear up for the Region I Championships, April 28- May 2, at Palm Valley GC in Goodyear.
PUMAS SECURE BEST FINISH OF THE SEASON AT HOME EVENT Continuing to show signs of steady improvement as their 2010 campaign wears on, Puma Men’s Golf secured their best finish of the season -- a sixth place effort -- at the PVCC-hosted conference tournament Monday and Tuesday at Wildfire Golf Club. Tying Eastern Arizona College at 30-over par (314/304-618), the Pumas’ second-round 304 was their lowest of the season and, as Coach Jon Levy states of the team’s effort, it said a lot of the direction to which the team is heading, considering Wildfire was the toughest venue the team has played to date. “Our goal all season-long is that we want to be as prepared as possible by the time we get to Regionals,” said Levy. “And, although we started the season slowly, we’ve improved in every event and, to finish the way we did on Tuesday on the toughest course of the season, shows that we’re starting to do the things we need to do and it's only going to continue to get better.” Referencing the team’s 10th, ninth, eighth and sixth place finishes in the first four tournaments, respectively, Levy looks forward to the team’s next tournament: the Gateway CC-hosted event at Kokopelli GC (April 12 & 13). “Every time we tee it up, we're trying to stick with the process of the way we’re trying to approach this game,” continued Levy. “We have the same ability level as some of the top teams in the conference, but it’s been a situation where just we’ve needed to learn how to compete more efficiently. “And, we’re beginning to do that now. I’m excited to see what our next tournament will bring.” Individual finishers for the Pumas were as follows: Tyler Pang - 76/75-151 Tom Wareing - 76/76-152 Trenton Ehnes - 77/77-154 K.C. Barter - 85/76-161 Kyle O’Meara - 85/79-164 Adam Geier - 87/90-177 Pictures from Wildfire Tournament
PUMAS HOST MESA IN FIRST ROUND OF PLAYOFFS After a regular season ending series sweep of Gateway, PV's Pumas now turn their thoughts to the post-season. The Region I - Division II baseball tournament begins Thursday with the four highest Division II colleges from the final ACCAC standings participating. The #2 seed Pumas, 22-16 ACCAC play, will host the #3 seed Mesa (21-17). GateWay, the #1 seed (23-15) will host fourth seeded Chandler-Gilbert (21-17). Each series will be a best-of-3 affair, with games Thursday and Friday at 3pm and Saturday, if necessary, at 12pm. All games are played at the site of the high seed. Admission will be charged at each home site. Adults are $5, students with ID are $3 and children under 12 are free. No passes will be accepted. This week's winners will play a best-of-3 series next week for the Region I championship and berth in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Enid, OK May 29-June 5. The championship series will be held at the site of the highest remaining seed. Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf Men’s Golf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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updated: September 03, 2010 Paradise Valley Community College- URL-http://www.maricopa.edu © 2010 Maricopa County Community College District. All Rights Reserved. Click here for Questions or Comments. 
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