San Diego Mesa College is proud to announce that assistant coach Maximilian Pinto has been named the 2026 3C2A Men's Track and Field Assistant Coach of the Year.

Pinto played a key role in guiding the Olympians to outstanding performances throughout the 2026 campaign.

The 110-meter hurdle group dominated the 3C2A State Championships, with freshman Jayden Bailey winning the state title in 14.17 and sophomore Evan Munoz finishing second in 14.35. Munoz's runner-up finish capped a tremendous year of improvement after lowering his best from 15.01 in 2025.

Pinto also coached 400-meter hurdler Jayden Anderson. Anderson entered the Southern California Championships as an alternate before advancing all the way to the state meet, where he placed fourth and earned All-American honors.

Freshman Sterling Bryant was another standout under Pinto's watch. Bryant recorded the state's fastest 110-meter hurdles time of the season with a 14.22, but an injury midway through the year unfortunately prevented him from competing at full strength during the championship portion of the season.

"Maximilian has made an immediate impact on our program," said head coach Sean Ricketts. "He's an outstanding recruiter, a great mentor, and someone our student-athletes genuinely trust. As a Mesa alumnus, he understands our culture and is committed to helping our athletes succeed both on the track and in the classroom. In his role as one of our Athletic Retention Technicians, he consistently connects students with the resources they need to be successful."

This is the second consecutive year that a member of the Mesa track and field coaching staff has been recognized as the 3C2A Men's Track and Field Assistant Coach of the Year. Mathew Beckstead earned the honor in 2025, making it back-to-back years that the Olympians' coaching staff has received the statewide award.