In early March, College of the Canyon’s (COC) former students and athletes were recognized by the California Community College Athletic Association for their successful academic and athletic careers. 

Former College of the Canyons student-athletes Lauren Hannah (women’s tennis) and Doyle Kane (baseball) have been named to the 2021-22 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll. 

“It’s always a great thing to be dually recognized for achievement in the classroom and in your sport, but to be honored among the very best in the state is a fantastic accolade,” said Albert Loaiza, athletic counselor at the college.

Both Kane and Hannah joined a select list of 17 student-athletes across the state to earn recognition as a member of the Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll. 

COC was one of the four schools to win an award in this specific category, including Butte, Cuesta and Long Beach City Colleges. 

Hannah and Kane represented two of the four selections from the Western State Conference (WSC). 

The Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll award winners are selected for succeeding both academically and athletically. 

The honorees must have participated in two seasons of sports, maintained at least a 3.5 GPA and displayed strong characteristics of citizenship while representing the positive outcome of dedication, hard work and service, according to COC officials. 

In the classroom, Hannah posted a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in journalism and taking part in the college’s Canyon News broadcast production team. 

In the spring of 2022, Hannah graduated from COC with valedictorian honors and has since transferred to California State University, Northridge to continue her journalism studies. 

On the court, Hannah was considered a key player of the squad that brought home the women’s tennis program’s first Western State Conference (WSC) championship and later moved on to play in the first postseason match in team history. 

Hannah finished the 2022 regular season with an 11-4 record in singles play and was named an All-WSC first-team selection, one of the only three players in the program’s young history to earn that honor. 

In doubles action, Hannah’s team (mostly paired with teammate Jennifer Russell) played to an 11-5 overall record. 

During the Cougar’s home playoff match vs. No. 5 College of the Desert back in April, Hannah’s straight sets victory (6-0, 6-0) from the No. 6 position represented the Cougar’s only non-forfeit win of the match. 

That result was Hannah’s 10th straight singles win in the team competition, a streak that dates back to Feb. 12, added COC officials. 

“Lauren exemplifies what a scholar-athlete is all about,”said COC women’s tennis Head Coach Patty LaBat. “She wasn’t the best player on our team, but her heart was the biggest. Athletics is less about who is the most talented, and more about who perseveres and develops who they are as a person through competition.”

Kane posted a 3.71 GPA as a kinesiology major and was a member of the college’s 2022 graduating class. 

Kane was also a key contributor for a Canyons ball club that played to an even 22-22 record to bounce back from the COVID-19 layoff and advance to the postseason for the first time since the 2018 season.

Kane finished the year as the first baseman and led the team in hits (59) and doubles (15) while ranking second on the club with his .341 batting average. 

In Kanes 39 games played, he also scored 44 runs and tallied 36 RBIs while striking out just 11 times, according to COC officials. 

Those numbers combined with his .395 on-base percentage and .474 slugging percentage, helped Kane earn All-Western State Conference (WSC) first-team honors. 

Kane is currently attending UC San Diego and playing for the Tritons baseball program, added COC officials. 

“What makes Lauren and Doyle’s accomplishments so special is that both finished their educational requirements during the pandemic layoff and were ready to transfer to four-year schools,” added Loaiza. “Instead, they made the commitment to finish their Cougar athletic careers in spring 2022 and are now back on the path they originally envisioned.”

To view a full list of the 2021-22 CCCAA Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll visit their website.

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