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October 17, 2006
Release: #0618

News Release
For Immediate Release

SACRAMENTO, CA . . . The California Community Colleges Commission on Athletics (COA), in partnership with the California Community College Sports Information Association (CCCSIA) today named Jeannette Diaz (Cerritos College, women's water polo) and Jose Ruiz (Skyline College, men's soccer) the COA Student Athletes of the Month for September 2006.

Jeannette Diaz, a freshman water polo player for Cerritos College, has been the cornerstone for the best start in school history for the Falcons through the first month of the season. Diaz helped lead the team to a school-best 7-0 record to start the year, an 11-2 record in the month of September and a team ranking as high as third in the state. Led by Diaz, the Falcons won their first two tournaments in school history at Cuesta and San Diego Mesa. In the 13 games during the month of September, Diaz has scored an amazing 58 goals, which already ranks as the third most in a season for the school. In addition, she ranks second on the team with 15 assists and has seven steals during the month.

Diaz picked up a season-high eight goals in a win over Santa Ana College at the Chaffey Tournament and has scored at least five goals in a game five times. In the four wins at the San Diego Mesa Tournament, Diaz scored 14 goals and assisted on four others, while she accounted for 16 goals and assisted on five others in the four wins in the Cuesta Tournament.

Jose Ruiz, a sophomore on the Skyline College men's soccer team, had a very memorable month of September. The sophomore, who was a 1st Team All-West Region and the Coast Conference Player of the Year last season, led the state with 18 goals, 10 assists and 46 points to help lead the Trojans to an 8-0-1 mark.

In addition, the team is currently ranked #5 in the nation in the NSCAA Division III poll. Ruiz opened the season by scoring eight goals in the three games at the Cosumnes River Tournament, including four tallies in a 5-0 win over Shasta College. He also scored three times in a win over Yuba College and had multiple-goal games in four other contests.

Women's Honorable Mention, September 2006:

-Kelly Fink, Citrus College volleyball - Led her team with 265 kills (6.5 per game) and a .396 hitting percentage during the month. The reigning Western State Conference Player of the Year ranked fourth in the conference during September in digs with 138, while she was also second in service aces (23), solo blocks (23) and block assists, with 55. She has helped her team earn the #7 ranking in the state with a 7-1 record.
-Calli Manderino, Cypress College water polo - Recently helped lead the Chargers to a 3-1 record at the San Diego Mesa Tournament by scoring 24 goals on just 36 shots and added 13 steals. During the tournament, she scored seven goals against Palomar, Santa Monica and Pasadena City, with the team winning two of those games. During the month, Manderino also scored a school-record 10 goals in an Orange Empire Conference win against Saddleback.

Men's Honorable Mention, September 2006:

-Jeffrey Cervan, Golden West College soccer - While leading his team to a 6-2-2 record in the month, Cervan also paced the team with six goals, which included a hat trick (3 goals) in a win over Victor Valley College. Cervan also has two game-winning goals and one game-tying goal. In addition to his offensive prowess, he is also one of the team's top defensive players.
-Nick Nelson, Saddleback College football - In helping lead the Gauchos to the Commission on Athletics' and nation's top ranking in football, Nelson has completed 68-of-112 passes (60.7% completion) for 1,093 yards and 10 touchdowns with only one interception. He has also rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns to lead the gauchos to a 5-0 record.
-David Pittman, Pasadena City College football - Currently leads the Mission Conference in passing, completing 125-of-178 passes (70% completion) for 1,455 yards and 14 touchdowns. Through the first half of the season, he is only 1,200 yards away from breaking the school record for passing yards in a season and has already set school records in completions in a game (31) and single-game completion percentage (.789). In a 41-35 win over Santa Barbara College, Pittman completed two touchdown passes in the final five minutes and finished the game with 400 passing yards.

About the COA:
The Community College League of California Commission on Athletics (COA) is a non-profit organization per IRC Section 501 (c)(3). As authorized by the State Legislature, the Education Code provides the COA the opportunity and authority to establish the rules and regulations to administer the athletic activities of the nearly 25,000 student athletes at California's community colleges. To view the latest news, information, and updates of all 23 COA-sanctioned sports, and for COA Athlete of the Month history and nomination procedures, visit www.coasports.org.

Student athlete biographies provided by the CCCSIA.

COA