Prep notes: Vause chooses BYU, Mayfield's Maya reaches 600 wins

BYU, Charlie Vause said, was the natural fit. And the right one.

The Rio Rancho High senior, one half of New Mexico’s dynamic boys running duo along with Organ Mountain’s Corbin Coombs, earlier this week signed to run collegiately at BYU.

Vause was the 2023 Class 5A state cross country champion, and was the runner-up to Coombs last November.

Vause late last year won the Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon, the first New Mexican to win that elite meet. He will run cross country and track for the Cougars in Provo. Vause is also a state champion in track and field.

He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Right off the bat, it’ll be cool to be surrounded by people of similar faith,” Vause said. “Honestly, I feel very drawn to that.”

Vause has a busy winter/spring ahead of him. He’ll run at the Simplot Games in Idaho next weekend, and he will join Coombs at the Nike Indoor Nationals in New York City next month. Vause also is headed to big outdoor prep meets in suburban Phoenix and southern California.

Vause last weekend placed ninth at the Nike Boys’ Mile at the Millrose Games in New York City.

MAYA MILESTONE: No coach has won more high school girls basketball games in New Mexico than George Maya.

And last week Maya reached his latest milestone victory for the Mayfield Trojans. A 34-32 District 3-5A win over Las Cruces on Feb. 6 was Maya’s 600th win inside the state.

“You know, I never thought about it. It was never a goal of mine,” Maya said. “My thing was being successful, make an impact on these kids.”

Maya, 64, already entered the season as the all-time leader in this category. He has been coaching the Trojans for 30 years, and has led the school to three state championships (2004, 2007, 2011).

The New Mexico Activities Association website lists Maya with 570 wins starting this season, and the Trojans are currently 19-3. But New Mexico’s resident prep basketball historian, Marty Saiz, confirmed to the Journal that after re-checking Maya’s year-by-year record, he did indeed reach the 600 win mark last week.

Maya didn’t put much stock in 600 victories. (And he is now at 601).

“To me, it’s not that significant, or a big deal,” he said. What is important is the energy he said he still has for his job.

“Oh I love it,” he said. “Everyone keeps asking me, how long you gonna be coaching? … I haven’t even thought about getting out. I feel great. I’m happy. I’m excited to get up in the morning and go to practice. And I love the kids.”

TURCOTTE: Longtime St. Pius track and field/cross country coach Jeff Turcotte has been named a finalist for the 2025 National Coach of the Year in cross country by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.

The NHSACA will consider longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship years and winning percentage as they decide on the eventual winner. Turcotte has led the Sartans to a combined 37 district titles in the two sports and 24 state trophies.

The NHSACA national Coach of the Year banquet is scheduled for June in Rapid City, South Dakota.

THIS AND THAT: The MaxPreps.com preseason top 100 for prep baseball was released on Wednesday, and defending Class 5A state champion La Cueva came in at No. 66. … Audri Wright, a senior for the Sandia High girls basketball team, has joined the 1,000-point club for her career. Albuquerque High senior wing Ari Mireles has also reached the 1,000-point total. … Corona sophomore Harper Dunn, who already was at 1,000 career points, now has 1,000 career rebounds.