The Men’s Athletic Department welcomed three new faces to the Vaquero coaching family this past summer, appointing new volleyball, baseball, and tennis head coaches.

Armen Zakarian, a former SBCC and UCSB volleyball player replaced the Head Coach of 13 seasons, Melody Parker, after the Vaqs finished a sub-par 8-9 last season.

Head Coach Zakarian, 25, is the youngest coach at City College has high hopes for this year’s team after they struggled last season.

“We want to make playoffs and win conference,” Coach Zakarian said. “We want to give ourselves a chance to win the state title.”

Zakarian points out how motivation and inspiration improves a team’s chances of winning. He helped lead the Vaqueros to a Western State Conference title and state Final Four appearance in 2004 and 2005 as a player.

The new Head baseball coach shares a similar philosophy about team camaraderie.

The baseball team will once again compete for WSC Conference crown but with a new coach. The replacement for Head Coach Teddy Warrecker will be Ryan Thompson, a former baseball player from Dos Pueblos High-School.

“Coach Warrecker did a unfathomable job resurrecting and building the facility to its current height,” said Coach Thompson. “The expectations should be high for this program regardless of who find themselves at the helm.”

Thompson, 33, was a multi-sports star at Dos Pueblos and gained his coaching experience at Scripps Ranch High in San Diego for a three-year stint. Thompson’s early success at the high school level assisting the Santa Barbara Foresters made him the prime candidate for the job.

“SBCC has always had a such a superb baseball program,” Coach Thompson said. “My goals are to teach our players about life and a little bit of baseball while we are at it.”

Last but not least Men’s tennis coach Ryan Heinberg will begin his first full season at the helm this year after replacing Don Lowry in the middle of last season where the Vaquero’s tennis team finished second place in the Western State Conference.

Heinberg says a simple approach for another winning season will hinge on togetherness and practicing.

“We have to keep that family mentality,” Coach Heinberg said. “We have a great group of guys who are willing to give it their all.”

Heinberg, a Southern California native, prepped at Brides Academy in Agoura. He attended Duke after four stellar seasons in high school. Now coaching at the college level, he expects his players to succeed on the court and in the classroom.

“Get them to their highest potential,” Heinberg said. “They have to have the drive.”