(Walnut, CA)  The Mt. SAC Women's Track & Field Team will look to repeat their 2018 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championship in 2019.

Their 12th CCCAA Team State Championship was the third in the last eight years and included four individual and two relay titles.

The 12 titles not only leads Mt. SAC Athletics for most overall titles, it is also the most Women's Track and Field Titles by any community college in the state, with Cerritos College a distant second with five.

The Mounties will open the season at the Riverside City College 5-Way, on Friday (2/8), where they will meet up with Cerritos, Glendale, San Diego Mesa and host Riverside City.

Last years' state title was extra special as the Mt. SAC Men's Track & Field Team also took the state championship, a feat also accomplished by  the program in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Only two other colleges have ever done the same.  Riverside City in 1994 and Long Beach City in 1995.

Topping the returners for the Mounties is defending 10,000 meter state champion Rebecca Ruiz.  Ruiz along with Sadie Encinis, Monsterrath Celis, Andrea Diaz and Alyssa Armendariz will lead the women in the distance events.

On the track, the hurdles under the direction of 2018 South Coast Conference Assistant Coach of the Year Jenna Bird, will be stronghold of the Mounties.  "Sophomore Terra Valadez and Kayla Rodriguez bring state meet experience and will lead a group of promising freshmen," replied Women's Head Coach Giovani Lanaro.

In the field events, the pole vault looks to be the "class of the group," with a strong group of freshman - Darla Gonzalez, Maya Souza and Kierstyn Wilbourn, along with sophomore returners Amy Campos and Tiffany Juhasz.

In the javelin, 2018 state runner-up Senna Forkner will be a force to be reckoned with this season, along with Gianna Jacoub, who is coming back from a redshirt year.  Jacoub is expected to be a contender in the hammer/discus and will lead a group of young impactful throwers.

In the multi's, heptathlete Elizabeth Chidester will bring experience and will lead the women in the two-day, eight-event competition.

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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.