2022-23 Season Sign Off
The 2022-23 athletic year was one of the better ones for Palomar College in recent years. In October, Palomar broke ground on the new Athletics Facility and steady progress on been made in recent months. As a department, seven teams made a postseason appearance, with three team sports and three individual sports representing Palomar at a State Championship. Palomar had 65 All-Conference honorees and 23 All-Americans this season. On the academic side, 42 Comets made the State All-Academic team and over 100 student-athletes received a degree.
Women's basketball was a major bright spot for the department this year. They were crowned the 2023 PCAC Champions for a second straight year after a perfect 14-0 conference record. The winning streak neither started or ended there. They finished the regular season undefeated, the first time in program history that has been accomplished. Head Coach Leigh Marshall and her squad were on a rampage this season, breaking several records, including least points allowed. Sophomore guard Deajanae Harvey was named an All-American, just one of ten in the nation. Harvey is now the all-time leading scorer at Palomar and holds the record for assists and steals in a game. Sophomore Camille Sroufe is now the record holder for most made threes in a game at 11. Sophomore Gabby Sebit recorded six blocks in a game, the most in program history.
The Palomar softball team also had an impressive run this season, finishing second in the state to Cypress College. Team 45, as they were called this season, recorded their best start to a season and went 12-0 in PCAC play to claim their 40th overall conference championship. Arguably one of the best teams in program history, Team 45 racked up the awards in the postseason. They landed five All-Americans, the most in program history, three Gold Gloves and had the Pitcher and Catcher of the Year in sophomores India Caldwell and Ellison Hazlett. They swept the conference and southern California region awards.
Wrestling had a third-place finish at the SoCal Regionals, their best in recent years, and sent nine to the State Championships. Four athletes medaled in their weight classes, including Owen Wilson (2X 3C2A Medalist) and Celso Silva (4th Place, All-American). Palomar was honored to host women's wrestling this season as an emerging sport. Four women competed under Palomar and three were medalists. Sierra Mefford was a state champion and All-American.
Baseball finished their season as back-to-back conference champions after posting the best conference record for the PCAC since 2000, an impressive 24-1. A year after making their third Final Four appearance, the Comets picked up where they left off and continued to dominate the competition all season. Their season ended much earlier than anticipated in the first round of the 3C2A Regionals but made enough noise in the regular season to get some award winners. For the second year, the SoCal Pitcher of the Year was a Palomar College Comet, Kyle Carr, and Quincy Scott was the Player of the Year. Both were named All-Americans, and Jack Sanders and freshman Noah Lazuka were also named to the list.
Up on the pool deck, women's water polo had a three-peat after their second undefeated conference season. They made the postseason, but ultimately fell in the opening round of the playoffs. During the Spring season, swimmers Emma Hart and Alessandra Fleishman were State Champions in the 100 Fly, 200 Fly and 50 Free, respectively. Hart broke the state records in both Flys and was named the CCCSIA's April Athlete of the Month because of her performance. Donovan Taylor, a male diver, became a 2-time state champion in the 3M and redeemed himself from last year on the 1M, sweeping the diving championships.
Other highlights this year came from the soccer pitch where the women's team posted their first winning record in 10 years and men's soccer made their first postseason appearance under head coach David Linenberger, and their first in 10 years. The men upset College of the Desert to advance to the second round but fell to Golden West College. Beach Volleyball found success at the PCAC Individual Pairs Tournament s the 1s, Holland Hancock and Savanna Lewis, advanced to the second day and finished in 3rd Place. The duo advanced to the 3C2A SoCal Regional where their season ultimately ended. Women's track and field had one athlete qualify for the State Championship. Jenniece Pingley placed second at the SoCal Hep-Dec and had a top-three finish in the High Jump and was named an All-American and had a 6th place finish in the Triple Jump. Pingley was the PCAC female track athlete of the year.
Congratulations to all of our student-athletes, coaches and staff on an incredible year.