By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

College of the Canyons student-athletes Kate Garcia (softball) and Jake Schwartz (baseball) have been named the COC Athletic Department’s Women’s and Men’s Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running Feb. 26 to March 2. Garcia and Schwartz are the 10th set of honorees for the winter/spring 2024 session.

Kate Garcia / Softball

Garcia posted bookend spectacular performances in leading the Lady Cougars to a 2-2 record for the week.

The sophomore out of Kennedy High School began the week by going 3-for-3 with a walk, triple, three runs, four RBIs and a stolen base in COC’s dominating 16-1 road win at Ventura College.

Later in the week it was Garcia going 2-for-2 with a walk, home run, two RBIs and a stolen base in the Lady Cougars’ 5-4 home victory over Santa Barbara City College to salvage a split of the day’s doubleheader.

She finished 5-for-8 with three walks, four runs, three stolen bases and six RBIs across the last four games.

Garcia currently leads or is tied for the team lead in batting average (.429), on-base percentage (.556), slugging percentage (.821), home runs (2), runs (12) and stolen bases (7), while ranking second in RBIs (7).

Jake Schwartz / Baseball

Schwartz continued his sizzling sophomore season at the plate while adding an appearance on the mound to his accomplishments.

The West Ranch High School graduate went 1-for-3 with a walk, home run, RBI and two runs scored before taking the mound to record the final three outs and earn his first save of the season in COC’s 6-4 comeback win over visiting Orange Coast College.

The two-way weapon added hits in the Cougars’ next two contests and currently ranks fourth on the club in both batting average (.309) and on-base percentage (.406). Schwartz is tied for the team lead with five home runs alongside 16 RBIs, also tops in the clubhouse.