Clipboard: King City's Villanueva to sign with CSUMB softball
No question playing closer to home, in a stadium that is hitter-friendly, had an appeal to Lisa Villanueva.
Yet, what sold the county's all-time leader in home runs in softball was the direction that the Cal State Monterey Bay program is headed.
On the heels of setting a single-season school record for homers at Fullerton College, a community college, Villanueva will sign with the Otters, spurning a handful of other offers.
The 2024 King City graduate left her stamp at Fullerton with 14 homers, earning all-conference and all-state honors as a utility player this past spring.
Chosen as Fullerton College's Female Athlete of the Year, Villanueva hit .388, driving in 44 runs in 42 games, with 26 of her 44 hits going for extra bases.
Hitting for power and average, Villanueva also walked a team-high 26 times for Fullerton, compiling an on-base percentage of .486.
In 74 career high school games at King City, Villanueva belted a county record 36 home runs, which is in the top 20 in the state.
She also finished with a career .518 batting average and a .607 on-base percentage at King City, driving in 127 runs, earning Cal-Hi All-State honors as a senior in 2024.
Villanueva held the single-season county record of homers with 14, set as a sophomore in 2022, before Monterey's DeNae Lee broke it this past season.
Alternating at first base and third base the past two seasons, Villanueva missed most of her junior season in high school after suffering a season-ending knee injury playing volleyball.
The Otters have improved in the win column in each of head coach Emily Montanez's first two seasons, reaching the NCAA Division II Regionals this past spring.
Extending track and field careers
Closing a chapter at Hartnell College with two state podium finishes, Jenna Emerson will take her track and field talents to Chico State.
The former Rancho San Juan hurdler was fifth at the 3C2A State Championships for Hartnell in the 400 low hurdles (65.44) and sixth in the 100-meter hurdles.
Her time of 14.79 seconds marked the fifth time this season that Emerson had dipped under 15 seconds in the 100 hurdles.
A versatile athlete, Emerson competed in seven events at the Coast Conference finals, defending her title in the 400 low hurdles.
Emerson, who also reached the state meet in the triple jump, leaves Hartnell ranked among the top 10 in both hurdle races, and the 100, 200 and 400 meter sprints.
The Panthers Aidan Ishimaru is extending his track and field career, committing to UC Davis, where he will throw the hammer.
The Salinas High product became Hartnell's No. 2 all-time thrower in the hammer this past year, earning All-American honors in finishing second at the state finals at 171-feet-2.
A discus thrower in high school, Ishimaru has only thrown the hammer for two years, missing part of his freshman year in 2025 with a broken foot.
Cortez-Menjivar at Tennessee Tech
Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar has landed at Tennessee Tech after entering the transfer portal following three seasons at the University of Idaho.
Last season the Salinas High graduate caught 22 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown at Idaho, averaging nearly 13 yards per catch.
In 22 games at Idaho, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound redshirt junior caught 36 passes for 478 yards and five touchdowns.
Cortez-Menjivar, who earned all-county honors at Salinas as a defensive back, is expected to battle for playing time at Tennessee Tech as a receiver and potential kick returner.
As a senior at Salinas, Cortez-Menjivar caught 43 passes for just under 900 yards, getting into the end zone nine times. He also led the team with five interceptions.
A state meet qualifier in the triple jump as a junior in track and field, Cortez-Menjivar caught 112 passes for 1,608 yards and 17 touchdowns in 25 career games for the Cowboys, and was a part of three league title teams.
Coaches wanted
Carmel is looking for a girls varsity basketball coach, a girls varsity soccer coach, and a boys varsity tennis coach. Apply at www.carmelunified.org.
Seaside is looking for head and assistant coaches for girls and boys varsity and junior varsity basketball, a JV and varsity flag football coach, and a head varsity and JV softball coach. Go to EdJoin.com
Officials needed
Peninsula Sports Incorporate is looking for high school and middle school officials for all sports this season. Varsity officials are paid $100 a game.
There is an immediate need for officials in the fall for football, flag football, volleyball, boys and girls water polo and field hockey. Training is provided. Call Tom Emery at (831) 241-1101.
NorCal Sports Officials needed
NorCal Sports Officials (NCSO) is looking for officials for the 2026 season and beyond. NCSO has been providing sports officials for youth and adult sports leagues and tournaments since 2014.
Officials are needed for baseball, girls fastpitch softball, soccer, basketball and volleyball. NCSO currently has 28 youth and adult leagues and middle school intramural sports on the Monterey Peninsula.
Training and some equipment/apparel provided. For more information, contact Greg Omoto at ncsosports@gmail.com, or go to www.norcalsportsofficials.com
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