West Hills Coalinga garners national academic nod from ABCA

COALINGA - The West Hills College Coalinga (WHCC) baseball team was recently nationally recognized by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) receiving the ABCA’s ‘Team Academic Excellence Award’ for having a team grade point average of over 3.0 for the 2019-2020 academic year. 

The ABCA recognizes teams from all levels of college sports including NCAA Divisions I, II, and III; the NAIA and junior colleges throughout the country.  WHCC Falcons baseball was one of only five California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) baseball teams to receive this recognition. Glendale College, Los Medanos College, Ohlone College and Santa Barbara City College were also recognized for their academic achievement.

Head Coach Jason Smith said of the honor, “Our student-athletes utilized on-campus resources (tutoring, DSPS), program study hall and department grade checks, as well as overcoming the challenge of moving all courses to online mid-spring semester to accomplish this feat.  This was a team effort from the coaching staff and program philosophy, athletic department administration and athletic trainers, counselors, and our Maintenance and Operations Department for providing classroom with computers to accommodate our players’ needs”.

The ABCA website link announcing the Team Academic Excellence Awards for 2019-2020:  https://abca.org/ABCA/Awards/Academic_Excellence/2019_20_ABCA_Team_Academic_Excellence_Award_winners_announced.aspx

(West Valley College Athletics)