LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The College of San Mateo (North) and Palomar College (South) were voted by their peers as the 2026 ATEC/NFCA Cal JC Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year, the Association announced on Wednesday afternoon.
To be eligible, the program’s head coach must be a member and winners were voted by member head coaches in each of their respective regions. The National Coaching Staff of the Year will be announced on May 19 following the conclusion of the 2026 3C2A State Championship Tournament, which will be played May 14-17 at Bakersfield College and CSU Bakersfield (May 15 only).
Regional Winners
North – College of San Mateo
Head Coach: Nicole Quigley-Borg
Assistant Coaches: Dale Bassman, Toby Garza, Matt Lawrence, Chris Lopez, Allie Stines and Randy Villazon
The defending state champion and top-seeded (39-1) Bulldogs swept their NorCal playoff series last weekend against Lassen, and will host No. 8 seed Feather River next in a best-of-three 3C2A NorCal Super Regional series starting Friday. The Bulldogs hit six homers in the deciding game against Lassen on Saturday to run their state home run lead to 77 and secure their seventh straight win. It was San Mateo’s 10th consecutive postseason victory and the Bulldogs are unbeaten in playoff games since the 2024 state tournament.
San Mateo ranks first in the 3C2A in slugging percentage (.705), second in extra-base hits (159), on-base percentage (.473), shutouts (12) and batting average against (.205), and is third in total bases (728) and batting average (.395). This is the 19th straight postseason under head coach Nicole Quigley-Borg, who has been the recipient of three of the last five ATEC/NFCA Cal JC National Coaching Staff honors (2025, 2022, 2021).
South – Palomar College
Head Coach: Lacey Craft
Assistant Coaches: Mark Eldridge, Farrah Steffany and Kendall Kates
Top SoCal seed Palomar rolled to its 27th straight triumph last Saturday to sweep its playoff series with Ventura and advance to a best-of-three Super Regional series versus No. 9 Antelope Valley starting Friday. Seven of the (39-1) Comets’ 10 hits in the decisive contest went for extra bases, including leadoff batter Alexis Huey’s double and homer, while pitchers Kiara Flaviani and Gianna Burgin combined on a two-hitter.
Palomar ranks in the top three in 13 3C2A statistical categories, including first in runs (401), hits (472), RBI (378), extra-base hits (160), total bases (759), batting average (.419) and on-base percentage (.497). The Comets have won 58 of their last 61 games dating back to last April, with two of those three losses coming to their fellow regional Coaching Staff of the Year honoree San Mateo in a three-day span at last season’s state tournament. Palomar was the South regional honoree last season and also the winner in 2023.
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