Central Valley’s Chris Garcia and Ceres High’s Ava Montesdeoca have been named the Courier’s Male and Female Athletes of the Year, respectively, for the spring sports season.
Bulldog Ashton Urena and Hawk Madelyn Morales were selected as Male and Female Newcomer Athletes of the Year.
Garcia joined elite company this spring by becoming just the third baseball player from Central Valley to earn Most Valuable Player honors.
The senior pitcher was voted MVP of the Western Athletic Conference following the conclusion of the 2025 season.
“It’s definitely a great accomplishment for Chris,” Hawks’ head coach Brad Bussard said. “Every coach voted for him. It was unanimous. He was the most dominant player in the league and everybody knew it. He didn’t give up a single earned run.”
Garcia posted a 6-0 record on the mound with a 0.00 ERA, 64 strikeouts and just six walks in conference play.
He batted .300 from the plate on offense with one double, eight RBIs, 17 runs, seven walks, 13 hit by pitches and four stolen bases.
Garcia totaled 11 strikeouts and one walk in Central Valley’s 8-3 victory against Franklin of Stockton in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-I playoffs.
“It was definitely a luxury to have him on the team,” Bussard said. “We had a good chance to win every time he stepped on the mound.”
Montesdeoca was voted the WAC’s Offensive Player of the Year during her final season of softball.
The senior shortstop also earned first-team all-conference honors for the fourth time.
“Whatever the situation was, she was going to be productive,” Bulldogs’ head coach Josie Heacox said. “I knew she was going to get the job done. She was the toughest out to get all year. That’s exactly how you can describe her as a player.”
Montesdeoca batted .609 this spring with three homers, seven triples, seven doubles, 30 RBIs, 41 runs and 19 stolen bases.
She committed just two errors on the year en route posting a fielding percentage of .944.
Montesdeoca set career-high marks in batting average, triples, RBIs, on-base plus slugging percentage, slugging percentage and on-base percentage.
“My goal throughout high school was to enjoy the game, and grow each season,” she said. “I’m proud of everything I accomplished and how I kept improving every year. I definitely set standards for myself and worked hard to meet them.”
Urena was voted the WAC’s Utility Player of the Year following a productive junior campaign of baseball.
He logged playing time at pitcher, third base and shortstop.
“He (Urena) showed signs of greatness,” Bulldogs’ head coach Bret Durossette said.
Urena batted .353 on the year with four doubles, 17 RBIs, 17 runs, eight walks and nine stolen bases.
He posted a 5-4 record on the mound with 3.06 earned-run average, 53 strikeouts, 15 walks, one no-hitter and two complete games.
Morales starred on Central Valley’s softball team as an underclassman.
The freshman catcher/infielder batted .333 from the plate with two triples, eight doubles, 10 RBIs, 27 runs, 13 walks and eight stolen bases.
