By Lloyd Cobb Jr
The trophy cases at City College are getting crowded these days.
During the 2024-25 season, the college’s women’s athletics programs have rewritten record books across multiple sports, bringing home championships and top finishes while maintaining a collective 3.4 GPA.
Their wins piled up across fields, courts and pools, turning the 2024–25 season into a campus-wide celebration of excellence.
Soccer
The women’s soccer team powered through the season with a 17-3-3 record, winning the Coast-North Conference and reaching the 3C2A Final Four for the first time since 2013. They finished ranked No. 4 in the nation, the highest in program history.
“This season was pretty remarkable,” said Head Coach Jeff Wilson. “The highest finish this school’s program has ever had.”
Both sophomores Arpan Bahia and Paige Pineda Aliamus were selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Junior College DIII First Team. Pineda Aliamus was also selected as the Coast North Conference’s Player of the Year, while Bahia was selected as the conference’s Defender of the Year. Sydney Grundland Lanuza was also elected as the conference’s Freshman of the Year
“Last year we lost in the Elite Eight, but this year we made it to the Final Four,” Wilson said. “I just sense a kind of desire for the returning players to keep pushing the program.”
Basketball
Women’s basketball continued the run, going undefeated in conference play to capture their ninth straight title under Head Coach Derek Lau. The team reached the NorCal championship and finished 19-9 overall.
“We had to battle mentally; this week was tough,” Lau said after a key win. He earned Coach of the Year honors, while sophomore Madison Thomas was named Conference MVP.
Badminton
The Women’s Badminton team closed out the season with a 6-3 conference record that led to the state championships with singles and doubles matches.
In singles, the Rams’ Jacqueline Leong (North No. 4) placed third in the singles championship bracket, only narrowly losing her chance at the state title after battling the most skilled players in the conference.
In doubles, the duo of Leong/Guan were the North’s No. 5 seed while Ho/Maria Yau Zhang (North No. 7) and Eunice Wu/Zoe Tao (North No. 9) all performed at a high level in 3C2A championships but did not ultimately place.
Swimming
The swim team surged in the spring, finishing second at the Coast Conference Championships. Sophomore Sophia Tran won gold in two events and was named Performance of the Meet.
“We have a strong group of swimmers with a lot of potential to compete well at the conference championship,” Head Coach Phong Pham said. His team’s success capped a season of steady growth.
At the 3C2A State Championships in Santa Rosa from May 1-3, Sophia Tran compiled a pair of seventh-place finishes to earn All-American honors in the 100 Breast and 200 Breast. She also finished 10th in the 200 IM. Lian Mar grabbed All-American status in the 100 Fly by taking seventh place. She was also 15th overall in the 100 IM.
In relays, the team of Remy Dizon, Tran, Mar, and Samantha Ng took sixth in the 200 medley while the squad of Serawit Ezra, Tran, Mar, and Ng finished seventh in the 400 medley. Also, for the Rams the 400 free relay team of Ng, Ezra, Mar, and Tran took 15th place.
Tennis
The tennis team ended the regular season with a 10-3 overall record and finished tied for first place in the final Coast Conference standings with Foothill College at 10-2. For Head Coach Mary Graber and the Rams, it is the program’s second consecutive conference team title.
The Rams are led by No. 1 singles player Elizabeth Au and No. 2 Natalie Batlin. The two performed well in the Coast Conference tournament at Ohlone College, punching their ticket to the state championship.
Ojai Valley Tennis Club served as the stage for the 3C2A State Championship, 359 miles from the Rams’ home court in southern California. Au won two rounds of singles matches, falling in her third versus Bakersfield College. Batlin won her first before coming up just shy of victory in her second round.
The duo of Au and Batlin also qualified to compete for the State Doubles Competition, joined by No. 2 doubles team of Rita Williams and Trevor Wade, as well as No. 3 doubles team of Sara Kwong and Vanessa Chi. Each of these teams won their first State Championship games. Au and Batlin went on to their third round to fall to Mt. San Antonio, while the latter two teams bowed out in their second matches.
Trophy Trailblazers
Across sports, City College athletes created a culture of support and pride. Together, they maintained a 3.4 GPA and inspired the community.
“This is something special,” Coach Pham said during a break in competition, adding that at City College, winning didn’t just happen — it spread.
From soccer to swimming, each victory felt connected. The Rams didn’t just win games — they built something bigger.