2021-22 Scholarship Winners Announced

Colby Vazquez (Skyline College) and Shawn Kelly (Allan Hancock College) have been selected as the winners of the California Community Colleges Men's Basketball Coaches Student-Athlete Scholarship for the 2021-22 season. Winners are selected on four criteria — the candidate must have participated in basketball at a California Community College for two seasons; the candidate must have completed 40 semester units or 60 quarter units with a grade-point average of 3.25 or above on a 4.0 scale; candidates will be evaluated by the selection committees using the following weighted standards — scholarship – 50 percent; athletic participation – 25 percent and participation in other campus or community activities – 25 percent. Two letters of recommendation must have accompanied a nomination.

Colby Vazquez, Skyline College
Vazquez graduated from Skyline College with Magna Cum Laude honors. His selection as a CCCMBCA gave the Trojans their third consecutive CCCMBCA student-athlete scholarship winner after Noah Haynesworth was selected in 2019-20 and Jake Salinero in 2018-19. Vazquez averaged a team-best 12.1 points in 2021-22, leading the Trojans to a 14-14 record. He shot 41 percent from the floor (137 of 335), 24.3 percent (27 of 111) from the three-point line and 77.1 (37 0f 48) from the free throw line. He was second on the team with 79 assists and had a team-best, 43 steals. He concluded his career at Skyline as the program's 22nd all-time scoring leader and was a two-time all-conference selection. Vazquez, who is attending the University of Jamestown, helped Skyline College to a 14-14 record in 2021-22.

In the classroom, he maintained a 3.74 GPA, completing 102.5 units. His coursework included classes in financial accounting, managerial accounting, business calculus, probability and statistics and business information systems.

Shawn Kelly, Allan Hancock College
Kelly, a 6-6, forward, graduated from Allan Hancock and will compete for Cal Maritime in 2022-23. He started 18 of 26 games, averaging 9.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He earned Western State Conference honorable mention honors after shooting.523 (90 of 172) from the floor and .308 (16 of 52) from the three-point line. He concluded his final season at Allan Hancock as the team's second-leading rebounder at 7.8 per contest. Kelly, who is from West Palm Beach, FL, posted double-digit scoring in 10 games. Previously, he played a season at Colorado Northwestern College, competing in 26 games before transferring to Allan Hancock where he served as a captain and earned honorable mention all-conference honors.

In addition to competing, Kelly also worked parttime on campus. He maintained a 3.51GPA as a recreation management major, earning Dean's List recognition.

"On behalf of the CCCMBCA, I would like to congratulate Colby and Shawn for their efforts in the classroom as well on the basketball floor," Howard Fisher, the association's secretary and coordinator of the Player Scholarship program. "They each exemplified what it means to be a student athlete. It is an honor to recognize them for their efforts."

Each of the student athletes will receive $750 from the association. Monies for the Player Scholarship program are generated from the annual fall showcases.