Cerritos sweeps conference awards
09.17.08 - After winning three state championships and eight South Coast Conference titles, Cerritos College swept all three awards at the conference's Athletic Director meeting at Los Angeles Trade-Tech College on Wednesday. In addition to capturing the SCC Supremacy Award for the school's collective success, the college also picked up the Men's and Women's South Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors...[more]

Cerritos football players at 4-year universities
09.13.08 - Attached is a link to former Cerritos College football players now playing at the 4-year level...[more]

Gold eludes Brenda Villa once again
08.21.08 - For Cerritos College assistant women's water polo coach Brenda Villa, her third appearance in the Olympics resulted in another medal. But, for the third time, the medal wasn't gold. Villa, who won a silver medal in 2000 and a bronze medal in 2004, followed that by winning a silver medal on Thursday morning. The American women's water polo team, ranked #1 in the world, were upset by #9-ranked Netherlands, 9-8 in the gold medal match at the Beijing Olympics at Yingdong Natatorium...[more]
 

Brenda Villa's goal sends team to gold medal match
08.19.08 - Cerritos College assistant women’s water polo coach Brenda Villa scored an amazing goal (her third of the game) with less than a minute left in the fourth period to give the United States women’s water polo team a 9-8 victor over Australia on Tuesday in the semi-finals of the Olympics at Yingdong Natatorium in China. The win by the Americans sends them to the gold medal match against the Netherlands, which will be played August 21 at 3:20 a.m. PST...[more]

Cerritos announces hiring of new men's basketball head coach
06.24.08 - For just the eighth time in school’s 51-year history and fourth time in the last 26 years, the Cerritos College men’s basketball program will be introducing a new head coach. After serving as the head coach for the past nine years, Gary Cain stepped down when he was appointed the college’s Coordinator of Judicial Affairs. Taking over a program that went 17-14 last year and advanced to the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs will be Jesse Teplitzky, who spent last year as the head coach at Santa Monica College...[more]

Jessica Navarro named state's Athlete of the Month
06.10.08 - Cerritos College sophomore softball player Jessica Navarro (South Gate), who helped lead the Falcons to their second state championship in school history, was named the California Community College Athletic Association Female Athlete of the Month for May, 2008...[more]

Cerritos finishes close second in supremacy
05.28.08 - Led by three state championships, the Cerritos College athletic program moved one step closer to winning the National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrator (NATYCAA)/Pepsi Cup, as the Falcons finished second in the final state standings this season. Cerritos, winners of the state championship in women’s soccer, women’s track and field and softball, finished with 160 team points and trailed only Fresno City College, who concluded the year with 164 team points...[more]

 

2008 SOFTBALL STATE CHAMPIONS

1978 State Champions	2008 State Champions

Softball wins state championship
05.18.08 - It couldn't have been more fitting that the final out of the game was a fly ball to Cerritos College softball sophomore center fielder Capree Williams (Paramount HS/Bethune-Cookman University). As she waited for the remainder of her teammates to join her at the center field fence, she looked over and saw former head coach Nancy Kelly with a huge smile on her face. It was back in 1978 that Kelly led Cerritos to the state's first softball championship, which is also the only title the Falcons have won. When the rest of Williams' teammates arrived, they handed the game ball to Kelly as a team, while her eyes filled with tears. The Falcons had just culminated a season in which they defeated Mt. San Antonio College, 5-1 for their second state championship in school history at Orange Terrace Park in Riverside on Sunday...[more]

2008 WOMEN'S TRACK STATE CHAMPIONS

Cerritos track wins second state title in three years
05.17.08 - The Cerritos College women's track and field team captured their second California Community College Athletic Association state championship on Saturday afternoon by using their depth to pull away from their competition. The host Falcons, who also won the state title in 2006, finished the championships with 101 team points, which beat out second place West Los Angeles College, who finished with 92.5 team points...[more]

Cerritos softball to play for state championship
05.17.08 - With their steady offense continuing to stay hot, the Cerritos College softball team turned in a 5-2 victory over Mt. San Antonio College in the championship semi-final of the California Community College Athletic Association Softball State Championships at Orange Terrace Park in Riverside on Saturday night. The win by the Falcons (42-5) advances them to the state championship game on Sunday at noon, where they only need to win one game to secure their second state championship in school history, with the other coming in 1978...[more]

Falcons to face Mt. San Antonio in championship semi-final
05.16.08 - After recording two wins on the first day of the California Community College Athletic Association Softball Sate Championships at Orange Terrace Park in Riverside, the Cerritos College softball team will now face Mt. San Antonio College on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in the championship semi-final. The winner of the game will automatically advance to the state championship game, while the loser will have to win three times on Sunday to capture the state championship...[more]

Doubles team runs out of steam in the finals
05.10.08 - For the first time in school history, a Cerritos College men's doubles team reached the state championship match. The freshman doubles team of Doug Edwards (Western HS) and Jason Wall (Lakewood HS) capped off a tremendous season by reaching the finals of the California Community College Athletic Association Men's Doubles Championship, which was held at the El Dorado Tennis Center in Long Beach...[more]

Falcon swimmer finishes career with four state titles
05.03.08 - Concluding one of the most storied careers in Cerritos College men's swimming history, sophomore Nikos Kostianis (Downey HS) won his third state championship of the year and fourth in his career, as he captured the 200-yard butterfly on the final day of the California Community College Men's Swimming Championships, which took place at Saddleback College. Kostianis, who won the 100-yard backstroke and the 100-yard butterfly on the second day and set new school records in each race, finished off the trifecta by breaking another of his records in defending the 200-yard butterfly championship he won last year. Kostianis checked in with a blistering time of 1:49.62, which was not only 3.49 seconds faster than the second place finisher, it also obliterated his old record o 1:51.48 that he set in last year's state championship...[more]

Ex-Cerritos volleyball player passes away unexpectedly
04.12.08 - When she was a volleyball player for Cerritos College, Kristy Pesanti was considered the consummate teammate. Whether it was being a go-to player on the court, or a trusted friend, Kristy was someone you walked away from feeling like you were around a special person. But on the morning of April 7, 2008, that special person was taken away from us. Just 29 years old, Kristy Pesanti passed away in her sleep and left countless people wondering why...[more]

Huge turnout to see Falcons play national team
04.03.08 - With an estimated 900 people in attendance, the Cerritos College women's soccer team played host to the Mexican Under-20 National Team on Thursday afternoon to the delight of all that witnessed the game. Deemed an International Friendly, the game was a first for a community college team, with the state champion Falcons serving as the host. Although the final score was a 5-2 Mexican decision, the outcome of the game paled in comparison to the impact it had on both teams...[more]

Falcons lose beloved member of their family
04.02.08 - When going to a Cerritos College sporting event, it was obvious fans would see the familiar faces of the Falcon players and coaches. But one face that was a staple for many years was lost on March 28 when Lowell Anderson, one of the school's "Super Fans", passed away. Mr. Anderson was a Professor Emeritus of Real Estate and was employed by the district from 1962 until his retirement in October, 2003. Whether it was a baseball game or tennis match, Mr. Anderson was a devout fan of the Falcon intercollegiate athletic programs...[more]

Karen Welliver named SoCal Coach of the Year
04.02.08 - After leading her team to an undefeated South Coast Conference championship and berth into the state tournament, Cerritos College women's basketball coach Karen Welliver was named the Southern California Coach of the Year. Welliver, in her 26th season as the Falcon head coach, is one of only five California Community College women's basketball coaches to win over 500 games. She led Cerritos to a 26-9 record on the year, as the Falcons were seeded #8 in the regional playoffs and advanced to the Elite Eight before being eliminated by Foothill College in the quarterfinals...[more]

Cerritos women's soccer to play international friendly
03.13.08 - When you win a state championship and finish the season ranked #2 in the country, you get requests from a variety of teams interested a game. For the Cerritos College women's soccer team, their request came from outside the country, as the Mexican Under-20 National Team came calling, looking for a match. The Falcons have obliged, and will face them on campus on Thursday, April 3rd and 5:15 p.m. in what is being called an International Friendly Match...[more]

Jeff Smith inducted into Wrestling Hall of Fame
03.03.08 - After years of dedicated service, both as a competitive wrestler and head coach, Jeff Smith was inducted into the California High School Wrestling Hall of Fame over the weekend at the state championships in Bakersfield. Smith, who has spent the last five years as the Athletic Director at Cerritos College, spent 21 years as the Falcons head wrestling coach. For his services, Smith was inducted as both a California wrestler and head coach...[more]

Jim Zorn named Washington Redskins head coach
02.09.09 - Just two weeks ago, Jim Zorn, a member of the 1971-72 Cerritos College football teams, was named the offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins after spending the last seven years as the quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks, But, on Saturday, Zorn was quickly promoted to the head coaching position, taking over for Joe Gibbs, a member of the 1959-60 Falcon football teams. This will be the first head coaching assignment for Zorn, who signed a five-year deal...[more]

Rod Barajas signed by Toronto Blue Jays
01.27.08 - After spurning their offers last season, former Cerritos College catcher Rod Barajas has agreed to a one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays for $1.2 million, with an option to be the team’s primary back-up in 2009. After the 2006 season, Barajas was a free agent with the Texas Rangers, and appeared to be headed to the Blue Jays. But, he changed his mind at the last minute and signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. After spending last year with the Phillies, he was once again a free agent, and worked out a deal with Toronto for the upcoming year...[more]

Jim Zorn named Redskins Offensive Coordinator
01.27.08 - Former Cerritos College quarterback Jim Zorn, who surpassed all expectations and went on to have a career in the National Football League, was just recently named the offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins. Zorn, who spent the last seven seasons as the quarterback coach for the Seattle Seahawks, played for the Falcons from 1971-72 as a backup quarterback. He will now work for an organization that also has two former Cerritos football players on their staff. Joe Gibbs (1959-60), who recently stepped down as the head coach and will serve in an administrative role with the organization, and Rennie Simmons (1959-60), who is the tight ends coach...[more]

Cerritos in third place after fall supremacy season
01.07.08 - The Cerritos College athletic teams that compete during the fall season comprised enough post season points to put the Falcons in third place in the state supremacy awards, according to the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA), in association with the National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA). Cerritos, riding the wave of the women’s soccer team’s state championship, has amassed 93.5 points and trail only Fresno City College (100 points) and South Coast Conference rival Mt. San Antonio College (99.5 points)...[more]

T.J. Houshmandzadeh named to Pro Bowl
01.07.08 - Former Cerritos College All-American wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh completed his best season of his professional career recently for the Cincinnati Bengals. After pulling in a league-leading 112 passes for a career-high 1,143 yards and 12 touchdowns, Houshmandzadeh was rewarded by being named to the AFC Pro Bowl squad. This is the first time in his seven-year career that Houshmandzadeh has been selected to play in the post-season game, which will be played in Honolulu, HI on February 10. He was selected as an alternate last year...[more]

Former baseball player named hitting coach
01.07.08 - Former Cerritos College baseball player Darrell Sherman, who still holds four single-season school records, was recently named as the hitting coach for Eugene, the Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. Sherman, who was selected by the Padres in the sixth round of the 1989 amateur draft, reached the major leagues in 1993 and appeared in 37 games for the Padres, hitting .222 with two RBI. After being claimed by the Colorado Rockies in 1994 and the Seattle Mariners in 1995, Sherman finished out his professional playing career in Mexico as an all-star for three different teams, playing from 2000-2002 and then again in 2006. This will be his first coaching assignment...[more]