Canyons Cleared for CCCAA State Championships

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE — The Cougars track & field program is sending three student-athletes to the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championship meet this weekend.

Freshman thrower Jordan Palmer will lead the COC contingent after qualifying to compete in both the shot put and discus. Palmer has already claimed Western State Conference (WSC) and CCCAA Southern California Regional titles in the shot put.

Most recently Palmer recorded a mark of 43.64m (143' 2") in the discus to place fourth at the Southern California Regional Championships.

Sophomore Delon Buncio will be the other two-event competitor at the state championships after earning a spot in both the javelin and the long jump.

Buncio's throw of 49.67m (162' 11") and leap of 6.91m (22' 8") both placed sixth at the regional meet.

COC sophomore Celeste Gonzalez is the other state meet qualifier after placing seventh in the 1500m (5:03.90) to represent the Lady Cougars' program.

Elsewhere, the men's 4x100 relay team of Buncio, Andrew Mercado, Tony Collier and Lavell Bailey placed seventh (42.62) at the regional championships. Mercado also finished eighth in the long jump (6.84m/22' 5.25") while Buncio took sixth in the 400h (55.64).

The women's 4x400m relay closed out the day with the combination of Brianna Helsley, Gonzalez, Tatiana Smith and Giselle Alvarado finishing eighth (4:13.85).

The 2019 CCCAA Track & Field State Championships will be held May 17-18 at the College of San Mateo.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.