State Champion Mt. SAC Duo Named SCC 2024-25 Coaches of the Year
Last season was a big year for Mt. San Antonio College athletics and the rewards of the Mounties success continued with the announcement that the state champion duo of baseball coach John Knott and women's baskeball coach Brian Crichlow were chosen as the 2024-2025 South Coast Conference Coaches of the Year for all sports. The pair were selected in voting done at today's SCC athletic directors meeting held, ironically, at the Walnut campus.
Knott was the Men's Sports Coach of the Year after directing the first 3C2A state baseball title by a Mt. SAC team in 60 years. Knott coached the Mounties to a 45-6 overall record, including the SCC championship. He was later named the ABCA National Coach of the Year for the Pacific Association Division.
He coached '25 state tourney MVP, SCC North MVP, and state batting champion Landon White, who was the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Position Player of the Year and Region Pitcher of the Year Izeah Muniz, who in July was selected in the 13th round of the MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies.
Knott is also the second member from his family to be award SCC Coach of the Year as his sister Tammy Knott-Silva earned the 2009-2010 award as women's volleyball coach at Pasadena City College. She currently works with her brother as associate dean/associate AD at Mt. SAC.
Also nominated for the award were Compton men's basketball coach Keith Hollimon, El Camino baseball coach Grant Palmer and Long Beach City men's soccer coach Jorge Reyes.
Crichlow, who directed the Mounties' to the '25 state championship held at Mt. SAC back in March, was selected as the Women's Sports Coach of the Year for the third time as he also won the 2012-13 and 2015-16 awards.
He guided the Mounties to a 29-4 record, led by 2-time, CCCWBCA SoCal Player of the Year and state tourney MVP Daisia Mitchell. Crichlow won his 12th SCC North Division title and his fifth state crown running the Mt. SAC dynasty.
Others nominated for the award were El Camino softball coach Jessica Rapoza, PCC women's soccer coach Terryn Soelberg and Long Beach water polo coach Chris Oeding.
In this century, it was the sixth time that Mt. SAC swept the two Coaches of the Year award, the last in 2021-2022.
LIST OF PAST SOUTH COAST ALL-SPORTS COACHES OF THE YEAR
2023-24: M-Mike Jacobson (El Camino, soccer); W-Chris Oeding (Long Beach CC, water polo)
2022-23: M-Giovanni Lanaro (Mt. San Antonio, track and field); W-Dustin Kirk (Cerritos, wrestling)
2021-22: M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer); W-Giovanni Lanaro (Mt. San Antonio, cross country/track and field)
2020-21--Sports Season Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019-20: M-Fall-John Mosley (East Los Angeles, basketball), M-Spring-Nate Fernley (El Camino, softball)
W-Fall-Jennifer Tanaka (Rio Hondo, women's soccer), W-Spring-Le Valley Pattison (El Camino, beach volleyball)
2018-19: M-Nate Fernley (El Camino, baseball); W-Ruby Rojas (Mt. San Antonio, softball)
2017-18: M-Ron Kamaka (Mt. San Antonio, track/field); W-Ruby Rojas (Mt. San Antonio, softball)
2016-17: M-Pat McGee (Pasadena CC, baseball); W-Ruby Rojas (Mt. San Antonio, softball)
2015-16: M-Ron Kamaka (Mt. San Antonio, track/field); W-co-winners Brian Crichlow (Mt. San Antonio, basketball) and Alvin Kim (Cerritos, tennis)
2014-15: M-Ron Kamaka (Mt. San Antonio, track/field/cross country), W-Jessica Rapoza (El Camino, softball)
2013-14: M-John Mosley (East Los Angeles, basketball), W-Ruben Gonzalez (Cerritos, soccer)
2012-13: M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer), W-Brian Crichlow (Mt. San Antonio, basketball)
2011-12: M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer), W-Ruben Gonzalez (Cerritos, soccer)
2010-11: M-Dean Lofgren (El Camino, track/field/cross country), W-Mike Goff (Mt. San Antonio, track/field)
2009-10: M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer), W-Tammy Silva (Pasadena CC, volleyball)
2008-09: M-Benny Artiaga (Cerritos, soccer), W-Joe Peron (Pasadena CC, basketball)
2007-08: M-Alvin Kim (Cerritos, tennis), W-Kodee Murray (Cerritos, softball)
2006-07: M-Chris Oeding (Long Beach CC, water polo/swimming), W-co-winners Chris Oeding (Long Beach City, water polo/swimming) and Kelly Ford (Mt. San Antonio, softball)
2005-06: M-Casey Crook (Long Beach CC, baseball), W-Laura Beeman (Mt. San Antonio, basketball)
2004-05: M-Mike Miller (Los Angeles City basketball); W-Chris Oeding (Long Beach CC, water polo)
2003-04: M-Juan Sanchez (Mt. San Antonio, soccer); W-co-winners Laura Beeman (Mt. San Antonio, basketball) and Mauricio Ingrassia (Long Beach CC, soccer)
2000-01: M-Reggie Morris (LA Southwest, basketball); W-Mauricio Ingrassia (Long Beach CC, soccer)
*Historical Note--Award winners were not kept consistently prior to 2003-2004. Previous winners were recorded from 1969-1995 with single all men/women sports selections done only until 1985-86 when the SCC decided to name a selection each for men and women.
Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID