SRJC's Samonte, VC's Koyanagi Win ITA Regionals
CCCAA student-athletes are making a name for themselves nationwide at the ITA regional championships.
Betsy Rose Samonte, a sophomore on the Santa Rosa Junior College Tennis Team, won the Norcal ITA Regional Singles Championship last weekend at American River College.
On the men's side, reigning state singles champion Hironori Koyanagi continues to make history for VC tennis. Now a sophomore, the Fukuoka, Japan native claimed the men's singles title in Cerritos. Additionally, he and doubles partner Corey Karen claimed the doubles title at he event. This marks the second year in a row that Koyanagi has claimed both singles and doubles titles athe the ITA's fall event. Last year he also won the doubles title with Karen.
"To my knowledge, no one has ever done that," said Ventura College head coach Nelson Emery of the back-to-back double championships at the ITA fall event. "(It's) just absolutely incredible."
With the wins both Samonte and Koyanagi qualified to represent Northern & Southern California respectively at the ITA championships in South Carolina on October 15-18.