Southwestern's Muhammad year's last Athlete of Week

MAY 24, 2010 - The Pacific Coast Athletic Conference has selected Southwestern College track & field athlete Elijah Muhammad as its final Men's Athlete of the Week of the 2009-10 academic year.

Muhammad, a freshman from Morse High School, ran a 14.11 to finish second behind Merritt's Ray Stewart in the 110-meter high hurdles at the CCCAA State Championships at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster. Stewart won with a 13.95.

Honorable mention went to Muhammed's Southwestern College teammates Niko Salazar, Dahir Mohamed and Elliot Taylor, and Palomar golfer Sejun Yoon.

Salazar, a sophomore from Otay Ranch High School, placed second in the 400 intermediate hurdles in 54.61.

Mohamed, a freshman from Hoover High and the Southern California champion in the event, won while leading the race and wound up fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a 9:44.00.

Taylor, a sophomore from Mount Miguel, finished fourth in the 100 meters in 10.52. The four Southwestern athletes led the Jaguars to a tie for 11th.

Palomar's Yoon, a freshman from Rancho Buena Vista High School, tied for the low score in the CCCAA state men's golf finals at Oak Valley Country Club in Beaumont. But he lost a card-off to Saniago Canyon's Conner Covington for the individual title. Both shot 4-under par 70-70--140s.

PCAC 2009-2010 MEN'S ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Jags' Valenzuela last 2009-10 Women's Athlete of Week

MAY 24, 2010 - Southwestern College track & field distance runner Tanya Valenzuela has been selected as Pacific Coast Athletic Conference's final Women's Athlete of the Week of the 2009-10 academic year.

Valenzuela, a freshman from Hilltop High School, placed second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the CCCAA State Championships over the weekend at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster.

Valenzuela ran a 12:01.47 in placing second in the race behind state champion Mallory Cekya from Mt. SAC.

Cekya's winning time was 11:54.40.

Honorable mention for the week went to Cuyamaca track & field athlete Chelsea Staub and San Diego Mesa track & field athlete Michelle Thompson.

Staub, a sophomore from Murrieta Valley High School, finished second in the javelin in the state meet with a throw of 128-6. She wound up 4 feet, 2 inches behind the event winner, Sarah Nichols from Butte.

Thompson finished second in the 10,000 meters, running a 42:00.31.

An individual may receive the Athlete of the Week reward only once in her season of sport. Thompson shared Athlete of the Week honors for the week that ended May 3.

Staub was Athlete of the Week for the week ending May 16.

PCAC 2009-2010 WOMEN'S ATHLETES OF THE WEEK