​Santiago Canyon College (SCC) softball team won the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) state championship for the first time, Sunday, May 22, 2016. On May 24, the team’s coaches were also named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) California Junior College (CalJC) National Coaching Staff of the Year.

SCC’s softball team is the first team to ever lose the first game played then come back and win a state championship since 1996. Also, this is the first win since 2005 that was won by the mercy rule, which is when one team is up by eight runs after battling five of the regularly-scheduled seven innings and the end the game is called by the officials. SCC won over Sacramento City College 8-0 after five innings.

The team members include: Lake Forest residents Jessica Daniel (outfielder), Brittney Howe (infielder), Lauren Hammond (pitcher), and Shannon Thornton (pitcher); Huntington Beach residents Kaitlyn Lanksbury (infielder), Alyssa Sojka (infielder), and Emili Olague (infielder); Fullerton resident Riley Nahrwold (pitcher); Corona resident Dalinda Ramos (infielder); Santa Ana residents Krista Carranza (infielder) and Christine Woodling (catcher); Mission Viejo resident Ashley Clark-Johnson (outfielder); The Netherlands resident Manoa Weijgertse (infielder/catcher); and Peoria, Arizona resident Jordaen Hicks (outfielder).

The coaching staff includes, head coach and Lake Forest resident Lisa Camarco; assistant coaches and Orange residents Brandice Cutspec and Marc Kendrick; and assistant coach and Costa Mesa resident Keely Starr. The head coach, Camarco first came to SCC in 2006 to lead the softball program in its inaugural year, 2007. This is Camarco’s tenth year as head coach for SCC. Cutspec has coached at SCC for three seasons now and is a SCC alumni. Starr has coached at SCC for four seasons. And, Kendrick has coached at SCC for one season.

For more information about the Santiago Canyon College softball team, visit www.sccollege.edu/softball.