Courtesy of Steve Quis, Miramar College Public Information Officer
The 2014-2015 athletic year began with a 5th consecutive women's soccer conference championship and ended with the debut of a men's volleyball program for the first time in school history. On April 22 at the San Diego Hall of Champions, Miramar's student-athletes gathered to celebrate their accomplishments in both the classroom and in athletics. "We have come a long way since we first instituted intercollegiate athletics in the fall of 2000," said Nick Gehler, athletic director and head men's basketball coach at San Diego Miramar College. "We now have five sports competing at a high level, and even more so, we have high character student-athletes representing the college." During the ceremony, Gehler was honored as Miramar's Coach of the Year-Men's Sport for leading the men's basketball program which produced four All-PCAC players and three PCAC "Athletes of the Week." Coach of the Year-Women's Sport went to head soccer coach Sean Bowers. Bowers led the Lady Jets to a 5th straight PCAC conference title and a berth in the state playoffs. The Lady Jets went 17-3-2 on the year. Most Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year went to women's soccer player Hayden Kelley. The sophomore defender was named the 2014 Defender of the Year in the PCAC Conference and was named 2nd Team Junior College All-American. She will attend San Jose State on a soccer scholarship next fall. Men's basketball player Drew Peterson was named Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year. The sophomore guard averaged 14 points a game and was a 1st Team All-PCAC selection. The keynote speakers for the banquet were Scott Kaplan and Billy Ray Smith, who make up the afternoon radio team on San Diego's sports leader the Mighty 1090.