At the final athletic event of the 2022-23 academic year, the VC men's and women's track and field teams had four athletes earn All-American honors at the CCCAA State Championships Friday and Saturday in Modesto. Saj Nelson led the contingent with a lifetime best throw in the shot put to finish fifth, while Sophia Godina and Brenda Garcia and Isaiah Marecheau also earned All-American honors at the meet.
Nelson (Pacifica) surpassed her previous season-best throw on all six of her throws in the competition, registering a lifetime best throw of 39'8" to earn second team All-American honors in fifth place. She beat out the sixth-place finisher by one centimeter with her final throw, which places her 14th on Ventura's all-time list.
Godina (Rio Mesa), meanwhile, came in sixth in the 1500m and eighth in the 800m, earning second team All-American honors in both events for the Pirates. Her season-best mark in the 800, posted earlier this year, was the third-fastest time in school history while her 1500m time was second and her 5000m time was sixth in the Pirate record books.
Garcia (Buena) was seventh in the 3000m steeplechase, also winning second team All-American distinction, as she finishes the year ranked No. 4 all-time at VC.
Marecheau finished seventh in the 100m to garner his second team All-American nod with his earlier-season times ranking him No. 5 and No. 2 in the 100m and 200m races, respectively.
Ramiro Mateos ran 12th in the 300m steeplechase in Modesto with his earlier time ranking fifth in the Pirate annals.
The championships closes another successful year for the Ventura College Athletic Department, with hopes for an even better 2023-24.