Women's volleyball All-American Nalani Young and baseball's record-setting Raider Tello were selected as the Pasadena City College 2021-2022 Athletes of the Year.
The selections made by PCC Athletics are part of the annual, season-ending Elizabeth Jensen Scholarships as well as a few other awards designated for acceptance by Lancers student-athletes. Jensen, a member of the college's Dick Ratliff Court of Champions, spent nearly 40 years as a women's athletic director at Pasadena Junior College and later PCC. While the awards are designed primarily for graduating sophomores who competed two seasons of athletics at PCC, top performance awards are open to both freshmen and sophomores.
Young is the PCC Women's AOTY after leading the Lancers volleyball team to a perfect and state record-setting, 18-0 run to the South Coast Conference championship. The Lancers finished 23-2 overall and were rated #5 on the final regular season CCCWVCA State Top 25 rankings.
An outside hitter from Duarte High, Young became the first AVCA All-American selection in the history of PCC women's volleyball with her selection to the national Third Team as well as being named All-State and All-SCC First Team. As a freshman in 2019, she was the first Lancer to ever reach 300 kills and 300 digs in a single season. She leaves PCC by becoming the first PCC player to have more than 500 kills and 600 digs over a 2-season span. Young carried a solid 3.26 GPA in the classroom.
As the PCC Men's AOTY, Tello, the team's shortstop, had one of the most remarkable seasons in Lancers baseball history. The Arcadia High grad broke four single-season school records, including most hits (77), most runs batted in (53), most doubles (19) and most at-bats (191) as he helped PCC to a 28-15 season, the most victories by a PCC team since 1951 and third highest in school history. Tello led the team in batting average with a .403 mark, fourth highest in school history, and he scored 42 runs, also fourth on the all-time list.
Tello's .639 slugging percentage is third best ever since the statistic began being recorded here in the 1990s. In 42 games played, the All-South Coast Conference First Team selection had 21 multiple hits games, including two 5-hit games, three 4-hit games, and six 3-hit contests. He hit safely in 37 of the 42 games. He started his collegiate career on a 21-game hitting streak. Tello did well in the classroom with a 3.23 GPA.
The President's Award, presented to the student-athlete that combines successful playing performance with classroom excellence and sportsmanship, went to PCC football team quarterback Kade Wentz, who was MVP of the Lancers win in the SoCal Bowl. Wentz led the Lancers to a 9-2 season, the SCFA American Mountain League title and the team's first bowl victory since 2008.
Named All-State, All-SCFA First Team, All-SCFA Scholar-Athlete, Wentz put together the eighth highest passing yards season in school history as he completed 155 of 261 passes for 2,188 yards, 19 touchdowns and only seven interceptions (a 59.4 completion percentage). He was eighth in the SCFA in pass efficiency with a 148.5 rating. Wentz is the first PCC 2,000-yard passer since 2015 and he proved to be an adept rusher as he totaled 360 net yards and ran for four TDs.
Wentz ran for 100 yards exactly in a win over Citrus and exceeded the 80-yard mark three times, including the team's league title-clinching triumph over Mt. San Jacinto. His SoCal Bowl-game winning touchdown pass of 95 yards to running back Miles Anderson was the longest pass play in Lancers football bowl history and third longest ever by the program. Wentz also was the team's punter and it was his 55-yard coffin corner punt that changed the game's momentum in the bowl win over Santa Ana, 28-21.
The San Marino High grad exemplified leadership qualities and was a model student, carrying a 3.9 GPA.
The High GPA Awards went to two Temple City High standouts in women's track and field high jumper Bay Hollinger (3.94 GPA) and baseball first baseman Jake Trabbie, who carries a 4.0.
Hollinger was the first SCC champion by a Lancer since 2014 with a season-best leap of 5-3. She placed third at the SoCal Championships and sixth at the CCCAA State Meet this past weekend.
Trabbie played in all of his team's 43 games and was one of the conference's most outstanding defensive players with a .994 fielding percentage. His .247 batting average was misleading as he drew a team-high 33 walks this season, the second highest total in PCC history. With his team-high 15 hit-by-pitches, Trabbie's 48 combined free passes is easily a PCC record as he finished with a .421 on-base percentage.
Other Jensen performance scholarships are as follows:
Lucio Rodriguez, football, 3.2 GPA, South Gate High--A 2-season linebacker for the Lancers, Rodriguez had a banner '21 season as he was the program's first All-American selection in 20 years. Rodriguez was named the All-State Region IV Defensive Player of the Year as well as AML Defensive POTY.
Rodriguez led the PCC defense with 80 tackles (44 solos and 36 assists also team highs) and a Lancers best seven sacks. His 17.5 tackles for 90 yards lost led the entire SCFA and was second in the state. Rodriguez added an interception, two quarterback hurries, a pass knockdown, and a recovered fumble for a touchdown. He also caught a TD pass on a fake field goal.
Lupe Vazquez, women's basketball, 3.05 GPA, Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary--The frosh shooting guard/forward led the state in scoring with a 27.8 points average and was named SCC North Division MVP despite playing on a last-place Lancers team.
Vazquez reached the program's 500-point club faster than any in PCC history. She produced six of the 12 highest-scoring games in Lancers history. Her high was 44 points, second-highest ever at PCC, in a Dec. 2 win over MiraCosta. She finished fifth in the state in 3-pointers made (82), sixth in total field goals made (196), eighth in total free throws made (109) and had an efficient 79 percent accuracy from the line.
She averaged 9.2 rebounds and a team-high 3.1 assists. In a Nov. 11 game, she tied the PCC single-game record for 3-pointers with 10 v. Imperial Valley and she had a perfect 10-for-10 free throw shooting performance v. Antelope Valley on Dec. 17.
Camila Sanchez-Tellez, women's volleyball, 3.4 GPA, Burroughs High (Burbank)--An opposite and middle blocker, Sanchez-Tellez was an All-SCC First Team choice who was the MVP of the SCC Championship Tournament. She averaged a team-best 2.68 kills per set and a quality .272 hitting percentage. She added 44 blocks and 51 digs. Sanchez-Tellez slammed a season-high 21 kills and hit .341 in the conference title match win over Mt. San Antonio.
Max Blessinger, baseball, 3.4 GPA, Maranatha High--A sophomore transfer to PCC, Blessinger was one of the state's best centerfielders as he was named All-SCC First Team. As the team's leadoff hitter, he broke the PCC record for runs scored in a season with 53. His 48 RBI would have snapped the single-season record if not for teammate Tello (the previous high was 44 by Jeremy Conant in 2017). Blessinger's 67 hits is third most in PCC history.
Blessinger batted .362 and led the team in on-base percentage at .460 as he hit safely in 38 of the team's 43 games. He had a streak of 21 straight games of crossing home plate at least once. Blessinger was the CCCSIA State Athlete of the Month for March, the first time a PCC baseball player has ever received the state award. He drove in an incredible 30 RBI during that month. Both Tello and Blessinger also earned CCCBCA Co-State Player of the Week honors in March.
Kaydon Spens, football, 3.45 GPA, Burbank High--Named All-State cornerback for two seasons (2019 and 2021), Spens was one of the most electrifying defensive players in PCC football history. Spens led the state in blocked kicks with five, several that were game-changers including his blocked field goal that started the PCC rally in the team's SoCal Bowl win over Santa Ana.
Two of his punt blocks resulted in PCC touchdowns, one by the talented special teams artist. He added 49 tackles (38 solos second on team), a sack, a hurry, a forced fumble, made three interceptions and broke up six other passes. Often, teams refused to throw to Spens side of the field, knowing the blanket he put over on opposing wide receivers. In two seasons, he totaled 91 tackles and six pickoffs. Spens committed to NCAA Division II-Pittsburg State.
Nickey Hale, women's swimming/water polo, 2.5 GPA, Crescenta Valley High--Hale was a double SCC champion in winning the 500-yard freestyle and 400 individual medley at the conference championship meet. She swam the school's third fastest time ever (5:27.98) in the 500. At the CCCAA State Championships, Hale swam to a fifth place medal in the 400 IM (4:58.20, third fastest in PCC history) and was ninth in the 1,650 freestyle. Hale also played on the PCC women's water polo team in the fall, scoring eight goals and making 17 steals.
Jaqueline Gonzalez, women's soccer, 2.8 GPA, Marshall Fundamental--Gonzalez played the all-important center defender position and the 2-year letterman was an All-SCC First Team selection. With "Jacky," the PCC defender corps helped the Lancers hold opponents to a goal or less in 11 of the team's 21 games. PCC was 7-4 in those contests.
Marcella Ordonez, softball, 3.7 GPA, Roosevelt High--The team's regular first baseman, The left-handed Ordonez hit .295 with 11 RBI including 10 doubles and a home run while playing stellar defense with a .981 fielding percentage.
Women's track and field thrower Lily Baer earned the Horrell Scholarship for outstanding athletic achievement and sportsmanship. The Horrell award is named after the Horrell brothers, who excelled in athletics at Pasadena High School (part of then the campus of Pasadena Junior College) and had the program's old football stadium named in their honor--Horrell Field. Baer (3.5 GPA, attended Gorman Learning Center) elevated her performance in the javelin as she scored second with a season-best throw of 115 feet, 7 inches at the Southern California Championships. The team took 15th place overall. She then scored an eighth place medal at the state meet.
Football linebacker Jordan Monroe was selected for the Thomas O. Mallory Scholarship. The Mallory scholarship is named after the former PCC football coach (coached 20th century sports legend Jackie Robinson) and athletic director who also is a member of PCC's prestigious Court of Champions. Monroe (3.0 GPA, Charter Oak High) ran back an interception 97 yards for a TD in the SoCal Bowl (fifth longest in school history) and was named Player of the Game for his big defensive play in the victory. He finished the season with 39 tackles, three interceptions, 3.5 sacks, and four quarterback hurries. Monroe earned both All-State and All-SCFA First Team.
Two-sport athlete Asher Smith is winner of the James P. O'Mara Scholarship. The award is specific to a PCC athlete who excelled after also attending Pasadena High. A letterman for two seasons in both men's soccer and track and field, Smith earned All-SCC Second Team honors in soccer as a striker in 2021 when he scored four goals and added three assists. He ran as a sprinter and relays racer on the PCC track and field team for two seasons. As a freshman in 2019, he grabbed a fourth place nod at the SCC Championships in the 100 meters and an eighth place in the 200. He ran on both relays as a sophomore this year. This is the second time that Smith (2.85 GPA) has received the O'Mara Scholarship.
More than $16,000 have been allocated for these '21-22 scholarships through accounts created through the PCC Foundation.