Vashti Elias-Romero Named 2020 OEC Female Character Champion

The Orange Empire Conference (OEC) has named Riverside City College' women's volleyball's Vashti Elias-Romero the recipient of the 2020 Nevco Character Champion Award.

Each year, the OEC names one male and one female student-athlete from each member college to the Nevco Character Champion Team, while naming two top winners of the Nevco Character Championship Award. This award is given to the student-athletes who displays the following values; sportsmanship, respect, caring, fairness, civility, honesty, integrity and responsibility shown through a specific action, ideally directed toward an opponent during competition.

The criteria also includes the action of putting the team and teammates before oneself while acting as a positive role model. The inaugural award was given out following the 2009-10 academic year.

Elias-Romero completed a two-year career for the volleyball program at Riverside City College. She was a starter and a captain for the indoor and beach volleyball teams and acted as the top weapon on both the hardwood and sand

Elias-Romero was the face of the Riverside City College women's indoor and beach volleyball program for two years. She made an immediate positive impacted on the court.

For two years, she ranked in the top three on her team in kills, kills-per-set, digs, digs-per-set and services aces. She finished her career ranked first in kills (515 career) and kills-per-set (3.22). Her efforts earned her OEC All-Conference honors in each season with her highest honor of First-Team All-Conference coming in her final season on the hardwood.

On the sand, she reached the CCCAA Round of 16 in 2019 and was slotted as the top duo in 2020. She went 2-2 with sophomore teammate Jasmine Urban.

Off the court, Elias-Romero was active in the Student-Athlete Advisory Council. She participated in special events including Halloween Town, Bunny Hop and Coaches vs. Cancer nights. She also dipped into athletic media by recording stats at baseball games prior to the cancelation of the 2020 season.

Men's tennis Gleb Mityurin was named to the OEC Character Champion Team as well.