Dave Shannon

The Dave Shannon

Memorial Scholarship

"Repeat after me..."

Award Laurel Decoration Element. Laurel Wreath. First Place Award.

The Man

Dave Shannon, former coach, and administrator of El Camino College, passed away suddenly on August 17th, 2021, leaving a profound sense of loss in the community. His tireless dedication spanned over 31 impactful years, earning him a place of honor in the Warriors' family. He embarked on his journey in 1976 as an assistant coach for men's cross country, later assuming the role of head coach for both cross country and track and field teams. His guidance led teams to numerous victories, setting records and garnering titles that spoke of his unmatched caliber. Promoted to Athletic Director in 1988, Shannon served with unparalleled commitment, influencing countless lives through his work. His professionalism, coupled with his admirable character, earned him inductions into the California Community College Cross-Country and Track and Field Coaches Hall of Fame and the El Camino Athletics Hall of Fame. Known for his upbeat attitude, infectious sense of humor, and deep affection for his pets (Duke & Sister Mary Grace), Shannon's passing has left a void that's deeply felt. His legacy continues to inspire and will forever be a testament to his extraordinary life.

The Mission

"The Dave Shannon Memorial Scholarship" honors the indomitable spirit and enduring legacy of a revered coach and administrator whose life was devoted to nurturing athletic excellence and fostering personal growth in young athletes. Reflecting Coach Shannon's lifelong commitment to El Camino College, this scholarship seeks to support deserving students in their pursuit of both academic and athletic excellence. Through this scholarship, we aim to cultivate the qualities that Dave Shannon embodied – resilience, sportsmanship, integrity, and dedication - in the next generation of Warriors. Our mission is to ensure his remarkable legacy continues to inspire and uplift, guiding student-athletes towards realizing their full potential, just as Coach Shannon would have wanted."

The Wall of Fame

2023/24 Scholarship Recipients

Ami Jacobson

Izak Giacchetto

From L to R: Dean Lofgren, Eric Quiñones, M.D., Kristen Green, Ami Jacobson, Izak Giacchetto, Annie Seawright, Jerry Hernandez, & Bob Leetch

2022/23 Scholarship Recipients

Haidee Lopez

Stephen Hansen

Founding Donors

Janice Ely
Geoff Guerrero
Christine Hamilton
Jerry Hernandez
Greg Houlgate
Bob Leetch
Dean Lofgren
Dr. Eric Quiñones
Eric Renfro
Annie Seawright
Dr. Thomas Storer
Mike Ward
Pat Watson
Scott Young

2023/2024 Recipient

Ami Jacobson

Cross Country/Track & Field

A two-year standout on both the cross country and track and field teams, Ami Jacobson finished up her career with the Warriors in 2024.

As a freshman, Jacobson helped lead the Warriors to a fifth-place finish in cross country at the 2022 3C2A State Championships. She earned Second-Team All-State honors as well as a spot on the All-South Coast Conference First Team. In her sophomore season, Ami placed fourth overall at the 3C2A State Championships with a time of 18:12.0, a new personal best. She was named a SC2A First Team All-American and garnered a second straight nod to the AII-SCC First Team.

In track, Ami recorded eight career individual victories in two years, but the highlights of her track career came this past season. Ami won the 3C2A Southern California Regional Championship in the 10,000m with a time of 37:02.08.

She wrapped up her career with a bronze medal at the 3C2A State Championships, placing third in the 10,000m final with a personal-best time of 36:40.12, which is the second-best mark in ECC history behind only teammate and state-championship winning mark of Sequoia Gonzales at 36:22.19.

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2023/2024 Recipient

Izak giacchetto

Track & Field

A two-year member of the Warriors' track and field team, Izak Giacchetto specialized in the hurdles events, 100m dash, and relay teams while at ECC.

Izak garnered a number of top-3 and top-5 finishes in his time with the Warriors.

As a freshman, Izak placed third in the 110-meter hurdles at the South Coast Conference Championships and was a member of the second-place 4x100 relay team. That same relay team earned a spot on the podium at the 2023 3C2A State Championships, placing third in the final with a time of 41.08.

As a sophomore, Giacchetto improved in the 110 HH and took his shot at the individual 100m dash while still an integral part of the 4x100 relay team. He would finish fifth overall at the SCC Championships in the 110 HH to qualify for state and helped the 4x100 relay team earn another second-place finish.

Giacchetto posted the third-best time in the 110HH prelims at the 3C2A State Championships, a personal best of 14.69. He would go on to finish eighth overall in the finals.

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Inaugural 2022/2023 Recipient

Haidee Lopez

Cross Country/Track & Field

A two-year member of both the women's cross country and track and field teams, Lopez accomplished a lot in her time with the Warriors.

On the cross-country team, Lopez was a member of a solid group in 2022 that was ranked in the top five for much of the season.

The Warriors won the Chaffey Invitational, with Lopez placing seventh at the meet with a time of 23:02. The Warriors had five of the top seven finishers in the race. The team would go on to finish second at the South Coast Conference Championships and fifth at both the 3C2A Southern California Regionals and 3C2A State Championships.

On the track and field squad, Lopez posted a fourth-place finish in the 10,000m at the South Coast Conference Championships as a freshman in 2022 with at time of 44:41.45, which was her personal best at the time.

In 2023, Lopez vastly improved her best times in every event. He lowest improvement came in the 800m as her 2:45.09 finish at the Dave Shannon Invitational surpassed her best mark as a freshman at the 2022 OCC Invite by more than 13 seconds (2:58.73).

Lopez's best improvement came in the 10,000m as her time of 43:03.50 at the 2023 South Coast Conference Championships was more than 90 seconds better than her freshman best of 44:41.45 at the same event in 2022. She will be transferring to Cal Poly, Pomona, where her focus will be on kinesiology to expand into physical therapy.

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Inaugural 2022/2023 Recipient

Stephen Hansen

Cross Country/Track & Field

Competing for the Warriors cross country and track and field teams in his two years at ECC, Hansen helped lead the men's cross country squad to a third-place finish at the South Coast Conference championships in 2021.

The following season, Hansen was the top finisher for the Warriors at the same event, placing fifth overall. He also posted a career-best third-place finish at the Chaffey Invitational

On the track and field side of things, Hansen competed in all the distance events for the Warriors from the 800m and above. Over his two years on the track, Hansen improved his times from his freshman to his sophomore seasons our events (800m; 1,500m; 5,000m and 10,000m).

In his time with the Warriors, Hansen competed in 34 total events. He will be transferring to Wheaton College in Illinois, focusing on political science & history with the goal of going into law.

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Chip In

The scholarship is intended to provide funding for one female and one male El Camino College Cross Country OR Track & Field student who has excelled athletically AND academically. Student-athletes must have been participating in a leadership role and/or excelled in their sport in a manner that is considered noteworthy by the coach.

Additional criteria:

Major - Open
GPA - ≥ 3.0
Full Time - ≥ 12 units
ECC student & transferring to a 4-year college or university
Award - $1000.00 each; excess funds will roll over

Gift Levels

Donate On Line

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Honestly, any gift is greatly appreciated!