The women’s badminton team delivered a commanding performance on April 15, shutting out Mission College 21-0 in a Coast Conference Championships matchup on its home court.
This victory gives De Anza College a 10-0 record overall and 6-0 in the Coast Conference, placing the team No. 1 in the state. The performance solidifies its first-place ranking in the conference and positions them as a dominant force in the California Community College Athletic Association.
From the first match, the Mountain Lions took control. De Anza won all six singles and all three doubles matches in straight games, displaying a level of preparation and cohesion that overwhelmed its opponents.
Head coach Mark Landefeld shed light on the team’s energy before the match.
“The girls have really generated a lot of self-confidence with the way they have approached the season, their attitudes (and) how they deal with competition,” Landefeld said. “It’s really been a very pleasant experience working with this year’s team.”
The singles lineup proved too strong for Mission College, as De Anza didn’t drop a single game.
Trinity Nguyen, 18, data science major, delivered the most lopsided victory of the day, defeating her opponent 21–3, 21–0 with relentless pace and control.
Makayla Than, 18, business administration major, also stood out with a dominant 21–2, 21–7 win, showing off her precision and court awareness.
In the first match, Mailan Hoang Vuong, 19, business administration major, set the tone early with a confident 21–9, 21–6 victory.
“There’s still a lot of competition, there’s still a lot of good players in the league,” Hoang Vuong said. “I think I’m confident that we can win the state championships.”
De Anza’s doubles teams were just as unstoppable.
Jenny Thai, 19, psychology major, and Karina Chow, 18, cognitive science major dominated the ninth match with a clean 21–3, 21–0 sweep.
Vuong and Natalee Lam, 19, business administration major, delivered a smooth and calculated 21–11, 21–10 win.
Jamie Min and Adrienne Lee closed out the day with a tight three-game doubles match. They took the first game 21–19, lost the second 15-21 and finally won the match in the third game, 23–21.
“There’s been a lot of buildup for our team, coming from the coaches and coming from each other,” Thai said. “My experience last year … I definitely didn’t see this type of teamwork and challenge. We know that we have something special here.”
The Mountain Lions were confident going into the match — not arrogant. With Mission College seeded fifth in the Coast Conference, and many of its players recruited from the women’s basketball team to qualify, the match became more than just a win; it was a learning opportunity.
De Anza, recognizing the gap in experience, played with sportsmanship and grace while maintaining its competitive edge.
With sharp focus, strong leadership and unmatched chemistry, the Mountain Lions continue to raise the bar in collegiate badminton.
“We want to come through strong and make sure we’re on our game,” Landefeld said.
(Editor’s note: This article was corrected to reflect that the final doubles match of the day was played by De Anza’s Jamie Min and Adrienne Lee, not Makayla Than and Trinity Nguyen)
