LA VERNE, CA — Pitiluk Phanomchai and Melissa Cerrillos have been named SCIAC Athletes of the Week the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced on Monday.

SCIAC Release

Phanomchai earns SCIAC Men's Golf Athlete of the Week honors for the second straight week. The Thailand native opened SCIAC play with a tie for first place at SCIAC No. 1. Phanomchai closed out the tournament in outstanding fashion. After ending day one tied for 18th with a score of 75, the sophomore logged the low round of the tournament when he carded a 67 to jump up the leaderboard and end tied for first with a score of two-under 142, helping the Leopards to a second place finish.

"What makes Pitiluk an exception is not his technique, but the thought, toughness, and will inside his head," said head golf coach Eric Riehle. "This wasn't his best performance, and at times he was battling it a bit, but on the final nine holes of the tournament he found it and was lights out in all facets. He'll be even better as the season progresses, and he's pulling along our whole team in an exemplary way."

Cerrillos scored the best individual performance at the Rossi Relays for the La Verne women's track and field team. The senior finished second overall and first among DIII runners in the 3000m run with a time of 10:05.52, setting a new La Verne record in the event. Cerrillos finished only behind Zita Molnar (9:58.06) from DII Point Loma.

"It was a 22 second PR, and we actually talked about running 10:05 before the race," said head cross county coach and assistant track and field coach Justin Wood. "It's a really good sign for her steeple later in the spring. She knew going into the meet that the 3000m is historically fast at Rossi and she was mentally prepared for a high caliber race."