The Mesa College women’s badminton team opened the weekend strong, posting a 2–0 record with a 14–7 win over Fresno City College and a 17–4 victory against De Anza College.
De Anza has long been regarded as a badminton powerhouse and is the current reigning state champion. They consistently feature top-level badminton talent in the state. This year, however, Mesa College is proving it can compete at that level. Head coach June Andrews says that the team’s grit, determination, persistence, hustle, and heart are key factors behind the early success.
In the opening match against Fresno City College, No. 1 player Yumi Nguyen (Kearny High High School) bounced back from a tough three-set loss to FCC’s No. 2 player, Khushi Kaur, to defeat FCC’s top player, PJ Yana, in straight sets, 22–20, 22–20. The win was an important confidence boost, especially after Nguyen had lost to the same opponent the previous weekend at the Pasadena City College tournament.
At No. 2 singles, Anna Heiner-Moeller competed hard but came up short in a three-set match against Kaur. She responded with a key three-set win over De Anza’s No. 2 player, Hayden. Heiner-Moeller and her doubles partner, Christina Nguyen (Mira Mesa High), have also been performing well at the No. 2 doubles spot, contributing in several competitive matches against both Fresno City and De Anza.
San Diego’s depth continues to be a major strength. The lower positions in the lineup continue to contribute, sweeping their singles and doubles matches. That depth gives the team a strong chance to stay competitive against top programs.
Against De Anza, San Diego held a 4–2 lead after the first round of singles. Trang Tran had a standout performance, dropping the first set 21–14 before coming back to win the next two sets, 21–16 and 21–17, against De Anza’s No. 3 player, Lindsey Le. Tran followed that with another hard-fought three-set win over Risa Ohara in the second round.
Coach Andrews talks about Tran's growth, saying, “Trang is establishing herself as a strong competitor at the No. 4 spot and is becoming very tough to beat. She and Yumi Nguyen are also developing good chemistry at No. 1 doubles, which will be important as we prepare for the state tournament. Coach Thai and I are very pleased with their progress.”
San Diego completed a sweep in doubles, with several matches going three sets. At No. 3 doubles, Chrystal Micu (SCPA/Morse) and Alexa Izazaga-Salas (University City High) stayed calm despite a vocal De Anza crowd and their own nerves. The match ended on a well-placed cross-court drop by Izazaga-Salas, a point that quieted the crowd and helped shift momentum for the remainder of the match.
The 2026 team is beginning to make its presence felt in CCCAA badminton. This Northern California trip, now in its fourth year, served as a strong preview of the state tournament, scheduled for May 7–9 at De Anza College. Reflecting on the weekend, Coach Andrews said, “It was a playoff-type atmosphere, and our players showed up ready. They competed both mentally and physically and showed exactly what we’re made of. We couldn’t be more proud.”