After helping the Golden Eagles to a tremendous campaign in 2011-12, Steve Laguna returns for his third season an assistant coach with the Cal State L.A. cross country and track and field programs.
Laguna helped the Golden Eagles to a surprising third-place finish in the California Collegiate Athletic Association in cross country in 2011 and guided the middle and long distance runners to exceptional performances during the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
Cal State L.A. had three runners finish in the top-10 and earn All-CCAA honors in cross country and the Golden Eagles recorded their best team finish since 2007. Cal State L.A. then dominated the middle distances in the CCAA women’s outdoor track and field championships with Valerie Sanchez winning both the 800-meter and 1,500 championships and Lisa Ohberg earning All-CCAA honors in both events. Sanchez also earned an All-America award in the mile in indoor track, while Ohberg earned All-America honors in the 1,500 in outdoor track.
In his first year with the program, Laguna helped the Golden Eagles to a fourth-place finish in the CCAA in cross country in 2010. The Golden Eagles also fared well in the middle and long-distance runners during the 2011 indoor and outdoor track seasons. Cal State L.A. had a conference champion in the women’s 10,000 meters (Maritza Hernandez) and earned four other All-CCAA awards in the women’s 800, 1,500 and 5,000.
Before coming to Cal State L.A., Laguna was an assistant coach at Cerritos College, where he enjoyed great success. He helped the women’s cross country team to a 16th-place finish at the state championships and the men’s team to a 10th-place finish in 2009. In the spring of 2010, both the men’s and women’s track and field teams at Cerritos finished third in the state. Laguna coached multiple athletes to both the Southern California and State championships and also coached one athlete to the USATF Junior Championships in Des Moines, IA. That athlete set a new school record in the 800 meters.
Prior to Cerritos College, Laguna was at East Los Angeles College for four years, first as an assistant coach and then head coach for the cross country and track and field programs. He was instrumental in the programs’ success as they reached top-10 finishes respectively. Individual state champion and school record holder Oscar Ogwara was among the athletes he coached.
Laguna was also the head girls cross country and track and field coach at Rosemead High School, where his teams captured three consecutive league titles in his five years there.
In addition to other stints at El Monte, Alhambra, and Huntington Park high schools and Rio Hondo Junior College, Laguna was an assistant coach at USC, where he was involved in coaching several All-Americans in the distance events.
Laguna possesses USATF Level-I Certification.
He graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and he received his Master’s from Cal State L.A. in political science. While at USC, he competed in the track and field and cross country programs and was also in the marching band.
He currently teaches political science at various community colleges.
Laguna has been married to his wife, Emily, for three years and they are the proud parents of a son, Desmond, who just turned one.
