Navarro Community College

4 CAC alums playing in major leagues

Baseball fans in Arizona have it better than any state in the country.

From the Diamondbacks and the Cactus League, to the minor leagues and great NCAA college baseball, to outstanding high school programs, just about every level of the sport is only a short drive away.

Maricopa and Pinal County have a hidden gem in their midst that offers glimpses of future stars — and the best part is it can be watched for free. It’s the Vaqueros of Central Arizona College in Coolidge.

How many realize that four former Central players are currently active in the major leagues? Or that there were six last season and a total of 13 over the years?

Sixth-year CAC head coach Jon Wente presides over a program that is one of the best in the nation on the junior college level.

But don’t be fooled by the “JC” tag. This is a top brand of baseball.

“Arizona baseball, at the junior college level, is outstanding” says Wente, whose team has dominated the state. “Each year we have three or four teams that are capable of winning a national championship.”

But it is CAC that is usually the top dog. The team has won the 14-team Arizona Community College Athletic Conference title five years in a row, and 10 times in the last 13 seasons.

When you have players headed for the majors, it’s no wonder.

Perhaps the best-known CAC alumnus is Ian Kinsler, a two-time all-star now in his sixth year with the Texas Rangers. He was a major reason for the Rangers’ surprise push to the World Series last year, hitting .296 with three home runs in the post season.

Dan Haren is in his ninth major league season, currently pitching for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He was an all-star each year from 2007-09, two with the Diamondbacks, before being traded to the Angels.

Rich Harden has spent eight seasons in the majors and is currently with the Oakland A’s, although he has been on the disabled list all season.

Scott Hairston is playing with the New York Mets and is in his eighth season in the big leagues.

In addition, two other CAC grads played in the majors last year, but are currently in AAA, Matt Pagnozzi with the Giants’ organization and Doug Mathis with the Indians. Hairston, Harden and Pagnozzi all played for Wente when he was the Vaqueros’ assistant coach, and all maintain close ties to the program.

“Ian Kinsler Skyped with the whole team this spring,” Wente says. “Scott Hairston always comes to our alumni weekend and golf tournament and Matt Pagnozzi practiced with us for the whole month of January. It was great for our catchers to get to work with a big leaguer every day.

Universities: Community College Bachelor's Degrees « Walter ...

Jennifer Gonzalez, reports on the strengths and weaknesses of community colleges offering four-year degrees.  The Common Sense Institute of New Jersey, a new think tank, suggests that four-year institutions should not be afraid of the mission creep, but welcome it as a means to provide more educational opportunity at a lower cost. 

According to The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, New Jersey has the lowest Import/Export Ratio of college-going students.  New Jersey leads the nation in the ratio of college students leaving home state to study. New Jersey is a great state, but does not appear to serve the citizens well in higher education.  Arizona, on the other hand, records the highest Import/Export ratio. 

Cost and quality must be perceived in the marketplace as two important variables.

Community colleges serve a powerful role in providing educational opportunity to students for whom time and money are unavoidable considerations.  They should not have athletics teams or offer bachelor’s degrees.  These dilute their ability to give students a cost-effective technical or vocational education in an environment geared toward allowing budget-minded students to live and study close to their homes.  In addition, open admission allows service to non-traditional students, or those who need a second academic chance.

Why undermine these critical missions by copying universities?  Why blur the focus required for excellence?

Navarro College, (established in 1946 in Corsicana, Texas, as Navarro Junior college but, in 1974, with no significant change in mission, dropped the modifier “Junior”) is the 2010 NJCAA National Football champion.  The Bulldogs are the best in the world. And they are deservedly proud.  But what does that have to do with their mission?

They have won more than a national championship in football.    Now they are like their “big brothers”:  Athletics are not self-sustaining at the University of Texas either.

I am not disparaging Navarro College.  Don’t even think that. This is the fastest growing community college in the United States for good reason.  They serve.

The reluctance of university and board leadership to mandate articulation is costly.  Careful articulation allowing for seamless transfer from community college to university, with no loss of time, credit, or resources, will better meet the needs of all students, including adult learners and non-traditional students, and workforce, state and national leadership as well.

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