Central Arizona College (CAC) is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...

near

Coolidge, Arizona Coolidge is a city in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 census, the city's population is 13,218. Coolidge is home of the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. The monument was the first historic site to receive protect ...

. CAC serves the population of

Pinal County Pinal County is in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. According to the 2020 census, the population of the county was 425,264, making it Arizona's third-most populous county. The county seat is Florence. The county was founded in 187 ...

History and campus

Since 1969, Central Arizona College has been serving and educating the communities of Pinal County. CAC provides educational, economic, cultural, and personal growth opportunities. With five campuses and three centers located throughout the county, campuses include: Signal Peak, located in

, Aravaipa, located in

Winkelman, Arizona Winkelman is a town in Gila and Pinal counties in Arizona, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the town was 353, all of whom lived in Gila County. History The community was named after Peter Winkelman, a local catt ...

, Superstition Mountain, located in

Apache Junction, Arizona Apache Junction is a city in Pinal and Maricopa counties in the state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,499, most of whom lived in Pinal County. It is named for the junction of the Apache Trail and Old West Highway. ...

, Maricopa, located in

Maricopa, Arizona Maricopa is a city in the Gila River Valley in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. With 62,720 residents as of 2021, Maricopa is the largest incorporated municipality in Pinal County History Maricopa has had three locations over the years: ...

, and San Tan, located in

San Tan Valley, Arizona San Tan Valley is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in northern Pinal County, Arizona, United States. As of the census of 2020, the population of San Tan Valley is 99,894. History San Tan Valley derives its name from the ...

. The three centers include The Casa Grande and Corporate Centers, located in

Casa Grande, Arizona , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Casa Grande-Casa Grande Union High School-1920-2.jpg , imagesize = 250px , image_caption = Historic Casa Grande Union High School which now serves as the ...

and the Florence Center, located in

Florence, Arizona , settlement_type = Town , image_skyline = Main Street original town-site of Florence Arizona National Register of Historic Places.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Main Street of the original town ...

Organization and administration

Dr. Jacquelyn Elliott became President/CEO of Central Arizona College on July 1, 2016.

Academics

The college offers an array of academic degrees and certificates, career training and personal enrichment classes. Online and university transfer courses along with continuing education classes and workshops are also offered, providing learning opportunities for community members.

Sports

The mascot for Central Arizona is the Vaquero/Vaquera for women's teams (vaquero/a is Spanish for cowboy). Their colors are gold and green. They participate in the

National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions ...

, the

Arizona Community College Athletic Conference The Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) is a junior college conference in Region 1 of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Conference championships are held in most sports and individuals can be named to All- ...

, and the

Western States Football League The Western States Football League (WSFL) is a defunct American junior college football league for schools in the states of Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico and Utah that existed from 1985 to 2018. The league was part of the National Junior College Athle ...

. CAC competes in Division 1 in the NJCAA. The Vaqueros have won 39 National Titles. CAC fields 10 intercollegiate teams, five for men and five for women. Men's sports at Central Arizona College include

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

, cross country,

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

and

rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...

. The Vaqueras women compete in

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

, and cross country,

and

Donald Sanford at European Championships Helsinki 2013-03

Notable alumni

Matt Brase Matt Brase (born June 15, 1982) is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach of Pallacanestro Varese in the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and Haiti men's national basketball team. Playing career Brase played for Unive ...

, basketball coach * Brent Gaff,

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

(MLB baseball player) *

Scott Hairston Scott Alexander Hairston (born May 25, 1980) is a Mexican-American former professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs ...

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

(MLB baseball player) *

Rich Harden James Richard Harden (born November 30, 1981) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball. Early years Harden attended Claremont Secondary S ...

, former MLB baseball player *

Mike Hrabak Michael Allen Pasana Hrabak (born August 27, 1979) is a Filipino-Turkish former professional basketball player. He last played for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters of the Philippine Basketball Association. He was drafted second overall by Sh ...

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association owned by Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc. It debuted in the league in the 2006–07 PBA season after acquiring the franchise righ ...

(of the

Philippine Basketball Association The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of twelve company-branded franchised teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia and is the se ...

) * Zepherinus Joseph, runner *

Ian Kinsler Ian Michael Kinsler ( he, איאן קינסלר; born June 22, 1982) is an American-Israeli former professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for ...

, Israeli-American MLB baseball player; 4-time All Star *

Todd Kohlhepp Todd Christopher Kohlhepp ( Sampsell; born March 7, 1971) is an American sex offender and serial killer convicted of murdering seven people in South Carolina between 2003 and 2016. In addition, Kohlhepp kidnapped at least one woman, raped anothe ...

, convicted

serial killer A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...

Bob Lacey Robert Joseph "Bob" Lacey, Jr. (born August 25, 1953) is former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of seven seasons in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, California Angels, and ...

, MLB baseball player *

Obed Mutanya Obed Mutanya (born 10 August 1981 in Chingola) is a Zambian long-distance and cross country runner. He was a two-time All-American in outdoor track for the University of Arizona and competed in cross-country and indoor track for the Wildcats as we ...

, distance runner *

Matt Pagnozzi Matthew Thomas Pagnozzi (born November 10, 1982) is an American former professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, and Milwaukee Brewers ...

, former MLB baseball player *

Tom Pagnozzi Thomas Alan Pagnozzi (born July 30, 1962) is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career as a catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, from through . A three-time Gold Glove Award w ...

, former MLB baseball player; All Star *

Bridget Pettis Bridget Pettis (born January 1, 1971) was an Assistant Coach of the Chicago Sky Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) professional basketball team. She is an American former college and professional basketball player who was a guard in ...

Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference (WNBA), Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the league ...

(former WNBA basketball player) * Donald Sanford (American-Israeli Olympic sprinter) *

TJ Shope Thomas Ray "T. J." Shope Jr. (born August 12, 1985) is an American Republican politician and businessman who has been a member of the Arizona Legislature from the 16th Legislative District, which covers central and eastern Pinal County and souther ...

, member of the

Arizona House of Representatives The Arizona State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. The upper house is the Senate. The House convenes in the legislative chambers at the Arizona State C ...

Josh Spence Joshua Patrick William Spence (born 22 January 1988) is an Australian former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. Career Spence enrolled at Central Arizona College, and played for th ...

Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...

(former MLB baseball player) *

Dan Wheeler Daniel Michael Wheeler (born December 10, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York Mets, Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians from 1999 ...

, former MLB baseball player

References

External links

Official website

Official athletics website
{{Coord, 32.9557438, -111.6526577, display=title Buildings and structures in Pinal County, Arizona Community colleges in Arizona Education in Pinal County, Arizona Educational institutions established in 1969 1969 establishments in Arizona