Twenty-three… Twenty-two… Twenty-one… The seconds were counting down on the clock as Palomar’s women’s basketball team squared up against Moorpark College. The game was nearing the end, and Moorpark had a two-point lead. It wasn’t just any game; it was the game that would decide if the Comets went on to the State Championship games.
Five… Four… Three… Kylee Trujillo received the ball. Time slowed down. She shot the ball as the buzzer rang. A three-point shot put Palomar in the lead at the last second, securing their place in the next game. Cheering erupted from Palomar’s side of the court as the team rushed to congratulate Trujillo on her first game-winning shot.
Kylee Trujillo is a first-year student at Palomar studying criminal justice. She’s also a guard for the Palomar women’s basketball team. During the 2024-25 season, she scored 13.7 points per game, 2.9 rebounds, 62 steals, and 61 assists.
Coming from a family that loved sports, she found her passion in basketball. She began playing different sports in elementary school but was drawn to the court.
“I just really liked playing sports, I was a crazy child and really active,” Trujillo said.
In high school, Trujillo played for the Mission Hills High School basketball team. In 59 varsity games, she averaged 4.4 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. However, she felt like she was overlooked.
“I didn’t really have that big of a spotlight,” Trujillo said. “I didn’t really get noticed that much.”
Then, she knew Palomar would be the school where she would succeed. She already had a relationship with Leigh Marshall, head coach of the Palomar women’s basketball team.
“I’ve known Coach Marshall for years, even before my high school years,” Trujillo said. “I also knew that the basketball program is really good, and I’ve always been interested in coming here. I think [Palomar] is the best option because basketball is really competitive here, and that competitiveness can really prepare me for D-1.”
Kylee Trujillo explained that college basketball is different from high school basketball. As a right-handed player, she was able to rely on her right hand during high school games and didn’t have to practice shooting and dribbling with her left hand. However, being on a college team, Trujillo has had to push herself to round out her skillset.
“I was definitely really nervous to first come here because I knew college basketball would be different than high school,” she said. “I knew it was going to be hard, but I think I got into it easily.”
In high school sports, players typically compete against players in the same grade or age group as themselves. Varsity and junior varsity teams also help to balance the skillset proficiency of players. However, in college, a first-year player may play against teams with women who have been on the team for years.
“You’re going up against older girls who have been on that team for two or three years,” Trujillo said. “It’s not like you’re playing against a team of girls, you’re playing against strong women now. They’re a lot stronger, a lot more skill-based, and they have more experience than you.”
These challenges pushed her, rather than discouraging her.
“This year has really taught me how to be more aggressive and really use my voice,” she said.
Finding that strong voice was something Kylee Trujillo knew she would have to do. Before coming to Palomar, she said that Coach Marshall talked about the role she would play for the team — the role of a leader.
Taking on the role of leader meant that Trujillo would have to push herself and her teammates.
“I’m a better player now, and I make my teammates work harder. I had to make them work harder, because if they don’t push me, then I can’t make me better. So, if I push them, then they have to push me back,” Trujillo said.
All that time spent on pushing herself and her team paid off on March 8 in a game against Moorpark College. The score was 49-47 with Palomar down by two points, and the time was ticking down. With only three seconds left, Kylee Trujillo shot a three-pointer, putting Palomar in the lead with 51 points. It was her first game-winning shot, and it was the shot that sent the team to state.
“It was really surreal,” Trujillo said. “I got the ball and I just shot it, because I knew we didn’t have much time left. It was really crazy for me when it went in. It was really like slow motion.”
At the game, when Trujillo sank the shot, the Palomar side of the court went wild. The team congratulated her and thanked her for winning the game for the team. But Trujillo reminded them she didn’t win the game. It was a team effort.
“I know my team had put their trust in me, they put their trust in me throughout this whole season,” Trujillo said. “It wasn’t just me that won that game, it was literally the whole team. We did really good defensive-offense, and we really fought towards the end. So, I think it was a good team moment.”
Comets matched up against top-ranked College of the Sequoias in the Elite Eight. The Comets lost that game 77-71, ending its season.
“It was a really bittersweet moment,” Trujillo said. “It sucks that we lost, but I’m happy we put on a show for people. I’m happy with the way we played … We played our hardest until the end and never gave up … I’m just really happy we were able to show people this is how Palomar plays.”
Though being a student athlete is more than the games. Like all student athletes, she’s had to balance the game, her classes, and her personal life.
When Kylee Trujillo first joined Palomar College, it wasn’t an easy journey. She struggled with procrastination and the drive to complete assignments on time. The change from high school to college presented challenges not only in the game but also in her academic life. She said her first semester was a difficult one, but she was able to develop the study skills needed to succeed.
The new schedule also had an impact on her family life. Most days, Trujillo would wake up before her family, go to campus for practice and classes, then come home as dinner was being made. She’d spend her evening working on homework, only taking a break to have dinner.
“It’s kind of brought because I don’t see [my dad] as much,” Trujillo said. “The only time I would see him is on the weekends … But my dad knows how hard it is because he was an athlete in high school … But I think my dad was really proud of me for being able to do all this, because he knows how stressful it can be.”
However, when she’s not in class or at practice, she’s at home bonding with her family. These moments are crucial to her, especially as she considers transferring out of state when she graduates from Palomar College.
Kylee Trujillo is looking forward to the next season, and as practices continue, she’s working on perfecting her skills to join a D-1 team.
“I still have next year to figure out where I’m going, but I’ve had this idea of wanting to go to Colorado … Whatever really benefits me the most and has a program from my career path,” Trujillo said.
