Emma Chodur & Travis Van Ness Named Jersey Mike’s Student-Athletes of the Week

Split-screen graphic featuring College of the Canyons women’s tennis student-athlete Emma Chodur and baseball student-athlete Travis Van Ness against a white background with athletic logos. In the center of the graphic is the Jersey Mike’s and COC Athletics logos set on a blue background, with a Cougar head logo in the background and a text overlay reading student-athletes of the week.
April 15, 2026

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

College of the Canyons student-athletes Emma Chodur (women's tennis) and Travis Van Ness (baseball) have been named the Jersey Mike's COC Athletic Department's Women's & Men's Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running March 30 to April 4. Chodur and Van Ness are the 11th set of honorees for the 2026 winter/spring period.

Emma Chodur / Women's Tennis

Chodur continued her season-long run of dominance run during the recent Western State Conference (WSC) Singles & Doubles Championships, resulting in the first two individual conference championships in program history.

The freshman, who ended the tournament undefeated against community college competition, was crowned the 2026 WSC Singles Champions after going a perfect 4-0 through the tourney. In the championship match, Chodur overcame an opening-set loss to become the first singles conference champion in school history. Set scores were 0-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Chodur was also part of the first doubles conference championship in program history alongside partner Baylee Renfro.

On the tourney's final day the history-making duo from Canyons moved past Kailani Lua/Naomi Pavletich of Bakersfield and into the championship circle. The Chodur/Renfro pairing also moves on to the 3C2A Doubles State Championship tourney and should be among the top seeds in that tourney bracket.

Chodur also qualifies for entry into the 3C2A Singles Tourney and is expected to be the state's No. 1 seed.

This is her second Jersey Mike's Student-Athlete of the Week award this semester.

Travis Van Ness / Baseball

Van Ness continued to stay hot at the plate during the Cougars' three-game series vs.  Bakersfield College.

The freshman first baseman out of Saugus High School finished 2-for-3 with a walk, run and pair of RBIs during COC's 6-5 win of Bakersfield in the series opener. His two-run double in the third gave Canyons and early 2-1 advantage. In the seventh, Van Ness came home on a wild pitch to again put the Cougars ahead at 5-4.

Two day's later, Van Ness' RBI double kept COC close in what was an eventual 5-4 loss at Bakersfield. He finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

In the series finale Van Ness singled to extend his hit streak to nine games, dating back to March 18. He finished the game 1-for-4 in what was a 5-4 Canyons victory.

Van Ness finished the week a combined 5-for-11 with two doubles, a walk, four RBIs and run scored. He is currently batting. .306 on the season.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.