The year in sports at Pima College, 2015-16, was ridiculously good.
How good? On Friday, the Aztecs learned they finished No. 5 nationally in overall NJCAA on-the-field excellence.
It was unquestionably the finest year in PCC sports since the school began competition 44 years ago.
Finishing No. 5 in the junior college NATYCAA Cup is the equivalent of Arizona finishing No. 5 in the NCAA Director’s Cup. (The Wildcats haven’t been in the Top 10 for more than a decade).
The Pima men’s sports teams finished No. 4 and the PCC women’s teams were No. 5 nationally. The previous high for the Pima athletic department was No. 10, last year.
It’s not that you couldn’t see it coming:
Pima’s men’s soccer team was No. 3 in the nation.
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Pima’s women’s soccer team finished No. 4 nationally.
Pima’s women’s basketball team was No. 3.
Pima’s women’s cross country team was No. 6.
Pima’s men’s cross country team was No 9.
Pima’s men’s golf team was No. 6.
Pima’s women’s golf team was No. 11.
Pima’s men’s track and field team was No. 10.
Pima’s softball team finished 47-19, or the equivalent of No. 9 nationally, and the football team, 7-4, reached the WSFL championship game for the first time.
Pima had an impressive list of first- and second-team NJCAA All-Americans: high jumper Sam Shoultz, basketball player Sydni Stallworth, football standouts Wesley Payne and Landry Payne, golfers Frankie Wu and Desiree Wong, soccer stars Jason Romero and Devyn Hunley, softball players Courtney Brown and Margarita Corona.
Coaches of the year? Clark Rustand, Jim Monaco, Kendra Veliz and Dave Cosgrove.
Last week, Pima promoted athletic director Edgar Soto. His new title is Dean of Athletics and Physical Wellness. He will not only oversee the athletic department, but the school’s fitness sports science and physical wellness on each of PCC’s campuses.
For the Aztecs, it was a season and a job well done.
