PCAC selects all-conference basketball teams

PCAC selects all-conference basketball teams

The women's basketball playoffs will start this week and the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference will be well represented.  The coaches from the PCAC gathered together this past weekend to release the all-conference teams.

A total of 35 athletes were chosen from the two divisions, with Mt. San Jacinto's Alyssa Walton and Imperial Valley's Destiny Salgado earning Conference MVP for their respective divisions.  In addition, Mt. San Jacinto's Chris Mozga and Imperial Valley's Viridiana Salas have been named the coach-of-the-year for their respective divisions. 

Walton led Mt. San Jacinto to a 23-6 overall record and a 7-0 mark in PCAC North play.  She averaged 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds-per-game throughout the season, scoring a season-high of 26 points against MiraCosta College on February 8.  As one of the lone returning sophomores from the state title team a season ago, Walton started all 29 games for MSJC and stepped up her game in conference play, averaging 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds-per-game.

Walton was joined by three other Eagles on the All-PCAC North First Team as Sharonda Edwards, Haylei Janssens and Britney Neely all were recognized by the coaches.  Palomar had four players selected to the first team in Clarissa Taite, Julie Saelee, Taylor Williams and Imari Cooley.  MiraCosta had three players selected to the first team with Chynna Cochran, Julia Iman and Britney Jarvis.

Salgado led Imperial Valley to a 14-13 finish overall and a 5-3 record in PCAC play.  She started 25-of-26 games this season for the Arabs, averaging 18.9 points and 15.5 rebounds-per-game.  Her rebounding average was No. 1 in the state while her scoring average was 14th.  Salgado scored a season-high of 38 against Southwestern on February 13 and had a season-high 22 rebounds against Grossmont on January 25.  

Salgado was joined on the All-PCAC South First Team by teammate Keren Hogue.  In addition, three Southwestern players (Maya Robinson, Satera Bates, Danielle Simmons), two San Diego Mesa athletes (Yusra Gharram, Lavinia Moa), two Grossmont players (Chiara Mattern, Drew Mendoza) and one San Diego City athlete (Elliott Nixon) were selected to the first team. 

The playoff seeds will be selected on Monday and at least three PCAC programs are expected to make the field, with the potential of as many as five.  The PCAC has two teams ranked in the top-15 in the state in the latest California Community College Sports Information Poll (Mt. San Jacintro 9, Palomar 14), with another receiving votes (MiraCosta). 

PCAC North MVP School       PCAC South MVP School
Alyssa Walton Mt. San Jacinto       Destiny Salgado Imperial Valley
             
PCAC North Coach         PCAC South Coach  
Chris Mozga Mt. San Jacinto       Viridiana Salas Imperial Valley
             
PCAC North First Team School       PCAC South First Team  School
Sharonda Edwards Mt. San Jacinto       Keren Hogue Imperial Valley
Haylei Janssens Mt. San Jacinto       Maya Robinson Southwestern
Britney Neely Mt. San Jacinto       Satera Bates Southwestern
Clarissa Taite Palomar       Danielle Simmons Southwestern
Julie Saelee Palomar       Yusra Gharram San Diego Mesa
Taylor Williams Palomar       Lavinia Moa San Diego Mesa
Imari Cooley Palomar       Chiara Mattern Grossmont
Chynna Cochran MiraCosta       Drew Mendoza Grossmont
Julia Iman MiraCosta       Elliott Nixon San Diego City
Britney Jarvis MiraCosta          
             
PCAC North Second Team School       PCAC South Second Team School
Maddie Gray Mt. San Jacinto       Giovanna Estrada Imperial Valley
Raena Lasley Mt. San Jacinto       Jasmine Ponce Imperial Valley
Dee Dee Valenzuela Palomar       Malia Talavera Southwestern
Morgan Heise Palomar       Aaliyah Williams San Diego Mesa
Victoria Wilson MiraCosta       Satori Roberson Grossmont
Savannah Beasley MiraCosta       Mariah Wonders San Diego City
Vanessa Madera Desert       Kiley Pope San Diego City