Women's Golf Finishes Third, Kitabatake Earns Medalist Honors

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

VENTURA — College of the Canyons opened the 2024 campaign by competing in the annual Chuck Melendez Invitational held at Olivas Links Golf Course on Monday, with COC freshman Sahya Kitabatake earning medalist honors with an even par round.

The event also served as the first Western State Conference (WSC) tournament of the season. Canyons finished fifth in the field of nine participating schools but slotted into third place among WSC schools.

Reedley College won the event with a four-player score of 327. Runner-up Modesto College (331) was second followed by Moorpark College (339), Santa Barbara City College (345), Canyons (386) and Allan Hancock (440) across the top six spots. 

Antelope Valley, Bakersfield and Citrus College also competed but did not field full squads and thus didn't factor into the team scoring.

Kitabatake (72) finished a stroke ahead of Maya Promwongsa (73) from Reedley College with Annie Betts (74) of Santa Barbara settling for third in the individual standings.

Elsewhere, Canyons freshman Cierra Coia (98) tied for 20th in the field of more than 40 players. COC also received scores from Marianne Meadows (103) and Valerie Sherman (113) to round out the four-player team score.

TinaMarie Stockdale (116) and Margie Ursey (116) also competed for Canyons but had their scores scratched from the final tally.

Canyons will have a week off before returning to action Monday, Sept. 9 at Santa Barbara Golf Club for the second WSC event of the year.

TEAM SCORES
1. Reedley (327) 2. Modesto (331) 3. Moorpark (339) 4. Santa Barbara (345) 5. Canyons (386) 6. Allan Hancock (440) T7. Antelope Valley (NS) T7. Bakersfield (NS) T7. Citrus (NS)

WSC SCORES
1. Moorpark (339) 2. Santa Barbara (345) 3. Canyons (386) 4. Allan Hancock (440) T5. Antelope Valley (NS); Bakersfield (NS); Citrus (NS)

CANYONS INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Sahya Kitabatake (72-medalist); Cierra Cola (98-T20th); Marianne Meadows (103-23rd); Valerie Sherman (113-29th); TinaMarie Stockdale (116-T30th); Margie Usrey (116-T30th) 

FIELD INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (TOP-20)

1 — 72 – Sahya Kitabatake (COC)

2 — 73 – Maya Promwongsa (REED)

3 — 74 - Annie Betts (SBCC)

4 — 77 – Ava Arredondo (REED)

5 — 78 – Liseette Orellana (MP)

6 — 81 – Kalia Aparicio (MP)

7 — 82 – Lucy Allbaugh (MCC)

T8 — 83 – Jordan Williams (MCC); Emily Cogswell (MCC); Monet Sayadian (MCC)

11 — 87 – Holly Reese (MCC)

T12 — 88 – Kimberley Luby (SBCC); Taylor Waters (MP); Jacie Johnson (REED)

T15 — 91 - Kirra Petty (SBCC); Kariss Whitford (AHC)

T17 — 92 – Mylie Pavelis (SBCC); Makayla Low (MP)

19 — 94 – Aaliyah Martinez (MCC)

T20 — 98 – Cierra Cola (COC); Ashlynn Rice (BC); Ella Arce (SBCC)

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. 

—Photo by Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information