College of the Canyons Athletics Wins Third Straight WSC Supremacy Award

For the third straight season the College of the Canyons Athletics Department has earned the Western State Conference (WSC) Supremacy Award for its athletic programs' combined performance throughout the 2015-16 academic year.

The WSC Supremacy Award standings are tabulated via a points-based system, with teams scored throughout the year based on their conference ranking and post-season performance.

Data from student-athlete GPAs across the department are also factored into the final scores before an award winner is named. COC student-athletes posted a combined GPA of 2.94 in the fall semester and 2.95 in the spring.

COC finished second overall in total points scored, but led the conference with a 7.19 average across 15 WSC-sponsored sports. Women's sports tallied 62 points overall, while men's programs earned 43 points.

The mark of 7.19 points per sport is the highest single season average for an athletic department since the switch to an average point system beginning with the 2012-13 seasons.

Ranking second was Ventura College at an average of 6.44 points per sport. Los Angeles Valley College rounded out the top three, finishing with an average of 5.78 points per team.

"Winning the WSC Supremacy Award caps off a tremendously successful year for our Athletic department," said College of the Canyons Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook. "Once again our dedicated team of coaches and support staff have led the way in ensuring that our sports programs reflect the ideals we hold so dearly at College of the Canyons, while continually striving to be the very best in all that we endeavor.

"By excelling both in the classroom and on the field, our student-athletes have demonstrated what can be accomplished with the right combination of hard work, focus and determination," added Van Hook. "I offer my congratulations to each and every one of them."

The Cougars won six conference championships last year, with women's volleyball, women's soccer, women's basketball, softball, men's cross country and men's golf all bringing home WSC championships.

The men's golf team also went on to win a California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Southern California Regional Title before finishing as runner-up at the state championships. Freshman golfer Ben Campbell also won the individual state championship.

The men's cross country team finished third at the CCCAA State Championships, with sophomore Ethan Walker winning the individual state championship.

Additionally, the women's volleyball program concluded its season with a third place finish at the CCCAA State Championship tournament.

Canyons also had three second place conference finishes, with the women's cross country and both the women's and men's track & field teams falling just short of WSC titles. The women's cross country team was also a third place finisher at the state championships.

"Winning the WSC Supremacy Award for a third straight year signifies another monumental moment in the proud history of the COC Athletics department," said Chuck Lyon, COC Interim Dean of Physical Education, Kinesiology, Athletics & Athletic Director. "This title is not the result of any singular athletic accomplishment, but is instead the combined outcome of an entire department's dedication and commitment to excellence.

"From the hard work of our student-athletes, coaches, trainers, equipment personnel, athletic counseling, TLC staff and athletic administrative staff, to the tremendous support from the college's board of trustees members — who can frequently be seen at games and contests — administration, faculty and staff, as well as the backing we receive from this community, COC Athletics is truly a team effort," added Lyon.

The COC Athletics department also brought home 11 individual conference titles, four individual CCCAA Southern California Championships, three individual CCCAA State Championships, seven WSC Player of the Year Awards, six WSC Coach of the Year awards, and the CCCAA/CCCSIA Female Athlete of the Year award winner in sophomore dual-sport soccer/track & field student-athlete Marissa Kneisel.

The Cougars also boasted 15 All-Americans, 11 All-State team honorees, seven All-Region selections and more than 90 All-WSC selections.

In 2015-16 more than 100 COC student-athletes earned an associate degree and/or transferred to a four-year school. Included in that list were student-athletes from all 16 of the college's intercollegiate athletic programs and 10 dual-sport athletes.