MODESTO — It’s been eight months since the Modesto Junior College women’s track and field team captured its first state championship, but the buzz surrounding that accomplishment still resonates. On Thursday, in Sacramento, the team was honored for its historic achievement by the state Assembly.
“It was an honor to welcome the Modesto Junior College women’s track and field team to the state capitol to recognize their victory in the 3C2A state championship,” said Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R-Modesto), who presented the team a special resolution. “The team’s dedication and hard work have fostered a great sense of pride among the MJC community and across the 22nd Assembly District.”
Members of the championship team – Shaylan Roy-Williams, Ava Torres, Savannah Brown, Kylie Davis, Jada Orona and Julia Pedretti – and coaching staff, along with members of the Modesto Junior College administration, were present for the ceremony.
“It was a very cool experience for us to be recognized for something we worked so hard for,” said Roy-Williams, an alumna of Turlock High School who earned three trips to the CIF State meet, two Masters long jump titles and a third-place state long jump finish .
Roy-Williams earned All-American honors in four events at the state meet in San Mateo. She captured individual state titles in the 100 (11.47) 200 (24.01), and long jump (19-7), and anchored the 4x100 relay team with a time of 48.19. Additionally, Roy-Williams teamed up with Torres, a fellow 2024 Bulldog graduate, in the 4x400 relay, earning fifth place with a time of 3:58.02 to close out the history-making team performance..
Roy-Williams was named the State Track Athlete of the Meet for her efforts, and recently committed to attend Cal starting in fall of 2026.
Torres, who advanced to the CIF State meet twice in her career at Turlock High, was also a major contributor at the 3C2A NorCal Championships with her seventh-place finish (59.10) in the 400. It marked the third straight regional title for the Pirates.
The Pirates, with a bevy of returning athletes, are well-positioned to make another run at the state title in 2026.
“We had a pretty dominant freshman group last year, and that gives us a good core to work with,” said women’s coach Brian Beeman, himself a former MJC track and field athlete. “I think we’ll definitely be in the mix again this year.”
The championship capped a remarkable year for MJC Athletics as a whole. Across 22 women's and men's teams, the Pirates set a new program benchmark by finishing seventh overall in the 2024–2025 California NATYCAA Ron Case Cup standings. MJC totaled 148.5 points, the highest placement in college history in the prestigious statewide competition, which ranks community colleges based on performances in CCCAA state championship events.
MJC student athletes also continued to excel academically. During the Fall 2025 term, MJC Athletics posted strong academic results, with student-athletes earning an average cumulative GPA of 3.09.
“We are so proud of this group of young women,” said YCCD interim Chancellor Lena Tran, Ed.D, who was in attendance. “Their devotion to their sport and their teammates, their success on the field and in the classroom, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. They truly are deserving of this recognition.”
— Journal writer Chris Correa contributed to this report.
