2017-18 Annual Report

Rising to the Occasion 3All-Americans

NCAA Tournament 3Appearances for WBB since 2014 Individual Big West 5Champions

Conference89 All-Academic Team Awards Student-Athletes honored at Varsity N 87

Big West 2Championships

48Student-Athletes earn All-Big West honors

Big West Players 5of the Year Highlights Core Values Six core values guide and govern our actions at all times: Service We approach all our relationships with a spirit of service.

Accountability We are personally accountable for our actions and are thoughtful with the use of Mission our resources. In alignment with the mission of CSUN: Discovery We are continuously learning and growing. We empower our student-athletes and staff to Education is the cornerstone of our decision achieve comprehensive excellence. making.

We provide a diverse and inclusive educational Diversity & Inclusion experience for all members of our department We strive for diversity in opinion and and campus community. background. We look to include all voices in advancing our department. We engage and partner with the greater to make CSUN rise. Sportsmanship We conduct ourselves with character, on and off the field.

Integrity We know the right thing to do is the only thing to do. Marketing

n Branding - Introduced the new CSUN, CA logo. The CSUN, CA campaign uses the hashtag #OneMatador to signify that all CSUN Athletics Division I programs and student-athletes are united as one. Nineteen sports programs together make one team with one goal as One Matador strives for comprehensive excellence.

n Attendance – Continued to increase at home games during the 2017-18 season over the previous season (2016-17). Increases were highlighted by baseball which boasted a 32% increase in overall attendance. Men’s volleyball had an 18% increase in overall attendance while women’s basketball posted a 15% increase in attendance.

n Game Day Environment - CSUN Athletics Marketing and Event Staff introduced the new on-field Red Rally Student Section at men’s soccer. The Matadors, in partnership with Student Clubs and Orgs, introduced the CSUN Rally Squad to the game day experience.

n Events – Both the Fall Season Kick-Off and Basketball’s Matador Madness saw an increase in sponsorship/partner participation.

n n CSUN Athletics entered into a Community Outreach – The CSUN Athletics Marketing Academic Department increased their community outreach efforts, multifaceted partnership with Dignity Health Northridge Hospital Medical bringing more youth to home sporting events which Center. Designated as the “Official touched over 3,500 youth in the surrounding communities. Success Community Health Partner of the CSUN Efforts included team days, campus tours, a partnership Matadors” Dignity Health Northridge with LAUSD-Beyond Bell, Cub Scout Days and Read with the n In the Spring, 104 CSUN student-athletes  Hospital Medical Center spans campus Matadors elementary school reading program. were Scholar-Athlete Award recipients with wide throughout CSUN Athletics, the a 3.5 GPA during the Fall 2017 term. n University Student Union, the Student Campus Support - The CSUN Athletics Marketing Rec Center, the Soraya Valley Performing Department continued to support campus initiatives n 166 CSUN student-athletes were named to  Arts Center, and the Alumni Association. with staff members working on the 2018 Grand Reunion the Commissioner’s Honor Roll. (Homecoming 2018), New Student Orientation, Freshman n CSUN Athletics began a partnership with Convocation, Housing Move-In Day, Explore CSUN, n 87 student-athletes earned a cumulative  Freebirds World Burrito in Granada Hills Winter and Summer Celebrations. The CSUN Athletics GPA of 3.2 or higher during the Spring and to enhance the food variety and a local Marketing Department also offered assistance to the Fall 2017 academic terms. location offered to the CSUN community. University Deans and Chairs Retreat and the Freebirds receives signage in multiple Student Appreciation event. n All nine full member  CSUN Athletic facilities, printed program institutions posted impressive All-Academic ads and social media ads along with numbers, with CSUN leading all schools multiple on-site Athletics spirit night with 65 representatives in the Spring. food giveaways for the CSUN students and fans. n The 2018 Varsity N ceremony honored 33  repeat honorees and 48 new inductees. n CSUN Athletics inclusion of digital partner ads on GoMatadors.com and n Highest Female GPA’s (4.0):  the CSUN Athletics App provides easily Women’s Water Polo, Shannon Hovanasian accessible click-throughs to partner’s & Vivian Talamage webpages for discounts, specials, Women’s Tennis, Scout Shutter and services available to the CSUN Women’s Soccer, Jenna Koziol community. Women’s Golf, Alice Duan

n Highest Male GPA: Baseball, Nolan Bumstead (4.0)

n Corporate Men’s Team GPA: Men’s Volleyball – 2.87 n Women’s Team GPA: Women’s Soccer – 3.38 Partnerships n Dick Enberg Post-Graduate Scholarship for Academic Excellence – Scout Shutter

6 CSUN Athletics 2017-18 Annual Report 7 Development CSUN n Major Commitments This year: n Kennedy’s #40 is now prominently • $100,000 for the Men’s Volleyball Locker displayed on the center field fence at Sports Room Renovation. . • $50,000 to the Sam Winningham Spirit Plaza n CSUN Athletics inducted Heather Hafner Network (Volleyball), Thor Lee (Soccer), Ofa n Following the generous lead gift from Tulikihihifo (Basketball) and the 1984 n In its third year, the CSUN Sports Network Irv Zakheim, broke ground on the new CSUN Baseball Team into the Matador Hall continued to expand the reach of CSUN baseball entry plaza. of Fame at a ceremony in February. Athletics through live streaming and feature video content. n CSUN Athletics continued to grow their Hospitality events at men’s soccer, men’s n The CSUN Sports Network live streamed a basketball and baseball. record 84 Matador athletic events in 2017- 18, which amounted for more than 300 n CSUN Baseball retired the jersey of hours of live content. alum Adam Kennedy. n The CSUN Sports Network streamed a full schedule of Matador men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball in the Fall, men’s and women’s basketball in the Winter and baseball, softball and men’s volleyball in the Spring.

n The CSUN Sports Network utilized the talents of nearly 50 student crew members, ranging from Cinema-Television Arts to Music majors.

n CSUN Sports Network broadcasters Jose Avalos (Men’s and Women’s Soccer), Eduard Cauich (Men’s and Women’s Soccer), Ghizal Hasan (Men’s Basketball), Eric Kaback (Women’s Basketball, Softball), Brandon Marcus (Softball), Ross Porter (Baseball), Darren Preston (Men’s Volleyball), Kevin Strauss (Women’s Basketball) and Alan Zinsmeister (Men’s Social and Women’s Basketball) continued to call games and provide expert commentary while advocating for CSUN Athletics.

Media n The CSUN Sports Network live streamed the introductory press conference n Created a consistent handle for CSUN announcing the hiring of Mark Gottfried as Athletic accounts across all platforms. CSUN Head Men’s Basketball Coach.

n Increased following by more than 15% n The CSUN Sports Network continued to add on all @GoMatadors accounts. new camera angles and graphics to its live in-game production package in 2017-18. n The Student-Athlete AD video was the highest viewed video ever on n In addition to live video streams, the @GoMatadors Twitter. Event CSUN Sports Network produced live audio broadcasts for various men’s and women’s n For the first time ever provided live social basketball, baseball and men’s volleyball coverage of Big West Championships, Management contests. including Women’s and Men’s Golf and n n the Track and Field Championships. CSUN Athletics successfully hosted numerous Big Implemented new entrances and procedures for n CSUN Sports Network crew members West Conference events in multiple sports, including and The to improve produced numerous in-game videos and n Integrated animated graphics and gifs Men’s and Women’s Soccer Tournaments and the guest flow. highlight reels for on and off campus into game day coverage, that led to a Big West Track & Field Championships. events. 25% increase in engagement over the n CSUN Athletics introduced a Code of Conduct for n last year on all platforms. CSUN Athletics successfully hosted more than 177 our student staff, which not only holds our students n Several CSUN Sports Network student crew competitions at Matador athletic venues over the accountable for their game day responsibilities but members interned with ESPN and the Big n Made a conscious effort to highlight course of the 2017-18 season. also management in terms of formal discipline. West TV crew throughout the 2017-18 game day experiences and fan season. engagement on Instagram stories to n Trained all staff in being TIPS certified in order to show fans how much fun it is to attend a adjust to the introduction of alcohol sales in all CSUN athletics event. venues.

8 CSUN Athletics 2017-18 Annual Report 9 New Hires & Promotions n Nkosinza Balumbu was hired as Track & n David Lopez was hired as Athletics Event Field Assistant Coach. Manager and Game Operations Manager.

n Chris Caden was hired as Assistant Sports n John McElfresh was hired as Associate Performance Coach. Director, Social Media & Feature Production. n Danae Delfin was hired as Assistant Athletic Trainer. n Matt Monroe was promoted to Associate AD/Sport Communications. n Jeff Dunlap was hired as Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach. n Amy Olsen was hired as Women’s Water Polo Assistant Coach. n Tanner Fowler was hired as Assistant Athletic Trainer. n Hayley Paxton was hired as Compliance Coordinator. n Ronnie Garcia was hired as Director of Marketing. n Ronnie Robles was hired as Sports Medicine Insurance Coordinator. Sports n Victor Garcia was hired as Men’s Soccer Assistant Coach. n Noelle Rooke was promoted to Beach Volleyball Head Coach. Performance n Mark Gottfried was hired as Men’s Basketball Head Coach. n Mysha Sataraka was hired as Softball Assistant Coach. & Sports Medicine n Walter Grandez was hired as Assistant Sports Performance Coach. n Leon Settle was hired as Track & Field n The addition of a sixth full-time n In collaboration with the CSUN n In collaboration with the CSUN Assistant Coach. certified athletic trainer improved Sports Performance Department, Sports Performance Department, n Danny Griffin was hired as Men’s the department’s efficiency in we continued our knee injury we piloted an upper extremity Basketball Assistant Coach. n Susie Terrusa was promoted to Women’s delivering equitable medical care prevention warm-up for the men’s/ injury prevention warm-up with Volleyball Associate Head Coach. and coverage. In particular, the women’s soccer and men’s/ our women’s water polo team n Ashlee Guay was hired as Women’s additional position enhanced the women’s basketball teams for this year. The end result was a Basketball Assistant Coach. n Matt Turk was hired as Assistant Director, care provided to the CSUN Baseball the third consecutive year. The decrease in shoulder and elbow Sport Communications. team in 2017-18. In October 2017, end result was a decrease in knee injuries this past season from n Monica Hargrove was hired as Track & we officially opened the Satellite injuries across all teams over the previous years. Field Assistant Coach. n Danielle Vailes was hired as Assistant Athletic Training Center. It course of the academic year. We Athletic Trainer. extended our reach to our outdoor have seen a reduction in ACL n Jim Harrick was hired as Men’s teams in 2017-18 by providing injuries in women’s soccer from 5 Basketball Assistant Coach. n Nelson Ventress was hired as Assistant a venue more proximal to their in 2014-15 to 2 in 15-16, 0 in 16- Events Manager. practice fields and facilities. 17, and 0 in 17-18. n Cheridan Hawkins was hired as Softball Therefore improving access to care Assistant Coach. n Jenny Williams was hired as Women’s for student-athletes from outdoor Soccer Assistant Coach. teams and decreasing congestion n Greg Jack was hired as Track & Field in our current facility. Assistant Coach. n Mo Williams was hired as Men’s Facilities Basketball Assistant Coach. n Kristine Kerobyan was hired as Travel & Branding Coordinator. n Replaced the wrap-around chain link backstop at Matador Diamond with panoramic netting which provided unobstructed views to enhance the fan experience.

n Completed the new CSUN Satellite Training Center, which services the the healthcare needs of various CSUN outdoor sports.

n Broke ground on the new Beach Volleyball Facility.

n Broke ground on the Irv Zakheim Entrance Plaza at Matador Field, located in the southwest corner of the baseball facility.

n Resurfaced Matador Soccer field.

n Created locker room space for both Men’s and Women’s Soccer inside Redwood Hall, with construction to begin in Fall of 2018. 10 CSUN Athletics 2017-18 Annual Report 11 Baseball

n CSUN Baseball (28-30) posted a 13-11 record in Big West play, finishing tied for third in the conference. The third-place Women’s finish is the program’s best since 2002.

n The Matadors won five Big West series Basketball and three road series for the first time in 16 years. Also, CSUN started conference CSUN became play with two series wins for the first time the first No. 5 since 2002. 5 seed to win n CSUN won the Big West Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament n The team’s offense led the Big West in the Big West for the third time in five years, defeating UC Davis 63-55. runs (329), home runs (65), RBI (309) and Conference slugging percentage (.429). The Matadors Tournament. n CSUN took the long road to the Big West Tournament title. The also finished tops in the Big West in Matadors became the first No. 5 seed to win the league tournament fielding percentage (.977). and became the first team to earn the title by winning four games in five days. n CSUN played seven extra-inning games, posting a 6-1 record. n The Big West first used the double bye format from 2004-2010 but the tournament was actually over consecutive days. In 2011, the Big n The Matadors collected four walk- West women’s tournament went to the traditional eight team format off wins on the year as seniors to coincide with our move to Honda Center. That lasted on the Albee Weiss and Kevin Riley hit women’s side for two years. In 2013, the Big West went back to the game-winning home runs, and double bye format, but it was spread over five days. So, while a team Joey Cooper and Riley Conlan having to play on day one still has to win four, the off day is different notched RBI singles. n The Matadors finished 6-24 on the season and from the previous double-bye format. 3-13 in Big West play. The team was led by n On Feb. 24, the Matadors scored Tavrion Dawson who finished tops on the team n The Matadors advanced to the NCAA Tournament where CSUN lost 31 runs against Manhattan, tying in points per game (16.7), rebounds per game to the eventual national champion, Notre Dame, 99-81. The 81 a school record for runs in a single (6.2) and blocks (22). points scored by the Matadors were the most by a 16-seed since the game. In all, CSUN scored 57 tournament went to the 64-team format in the mid 1990’s. runs in a three-game sweep over n Guard Terrell Gomez was named Big West Manhattan, which were the third- Freshman of the Year after leading the league in n For the second year in a row, CSUN’s Channon Fluker was named Big most runs scored in a series in minutes per game (34.1) and 3-point percentage West Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. She became team history. (46.1) as a true freshman. Gomez is the third the fifth player in BWC history to repeat as Big West Player of the Matador in team history to earn the Big West Year and is the first since Brittany Crain of UC Riverside (2015, 2016). n Weiss received All-Big West First Freshman of the Year award. Fluker is the fifth Big West player to lead the league and blocks in Team honors for the first time in the same season and is only the second in to do it in consecutive his career after leading the Big n Dawson received All-Big West Second Team seasons. Fluker, who recorded 20 rebounds on three separate West in home runs (20) and RBI honors during the year, giving the forward two occasions, was also named Big West Conference Defensive Player of (61). Junior Trevor Casanova and all-conference accolades in his career. Dawson the Year, and first team All-Conference. seniors Justin Toerner, Hayden earned two Big West Player of the Week nods Shenefield and Riley also earned on the year, giving him the most career weekly n Fluker is only the second CSUN player (Ashlee Guay, 2015) to be Second Team nods. honors (four) in team history. He also surpassed named Big West Conference Player of the Year and is the third 1,000 career points in January as he finished Matador in the last five seasons to be named Big West Defensive n Casanova was named a Johnny the year 10th in team history in scoring (1,221 Player of the Year. Bench Award Semifinalist during career points). the year. The junior catcher led n Fluker became CSUN’s all-time leading rebounder Feb. 3 vs. UC the Big West in doubles (18) and n Senior Micheal Warren ended his collegiate Davis. Fluker recorded the fifth triple-double in CSUN history and finished second in hits (77) and career tied for eighth in CSUN history with an 13th in Division I on Dec. 30 against Seattle U. She scored 28 points, batting average (.345). 80.2 free throw percentage. Warren finished grabbed 16 rebounds, and blocked a school-record 13 shots against second on the team in points per game (12.1) the Redhawks. Fluker broke the previous school record of 11 blocks n Three Matadors were selected in and rebounds per game (6.1). which was set by Camille Mahlknecht against Cal State Fullerton On the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Feb. 8, 2014. Draft. Both drafted by the Twins, n The Matadors set a school record with a 1.000 Casanova was taken in the 13th free throw percentage (15-for-15) vs. UC Irvine on n Tessa Boagni was named Big West Conference Tournament MVP. The round while Weiss went in the Jan. 13. The team also won in Hawai’I for the first 6-2 New Zealand native average 19.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.8 23rd round. Toerner was chosen time in 20 years with a 77-71 triumph on Feb. 10. assists per game during the tournament. in the 28th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. n CSUN announced the hiring of 11-time NCAA n Boagni shot 53.7% (29-of-54) from the floor and 79.2% (19-of-24) Tournament coach Mark Gottfried on March 13. from the free throw line. Boagni added five steals and two blocks n Off the field, the Matadors posted Gottfried brings a rich basketball background during the tournament. She became the 12th CSUN women’s a 3.05 grade point average last fall, Men’s and track record of success to the Matadors basketball player to score at least 1,000 points in a career Mar. 6 the program’s highest semester with head coaching stints at the University of when she scored 19 against the University of Hawai’i. GPA on record. Alabama, North Carolina State University and Basketball Murray State University. 12 CSUN Athletics 2017-18 Annual Report 13 Beach Volleyball n CSUN finished the 2018 season with n CSUN’s No. 1 pair of Sato and Owens an overall record of 17-8, which was finished the season with an overall the most wins in program history. record of 18-7. Nicolette Pinkney The Matadors more than doubled and Lauren Conati ranked second the previous program high for wins on the squad with 17 wins while in one season. CSUN’s best coming the teams of Markle and Williams into 2018 was eight wins during the and Lauren McMurray and Autumn 2016 season. Russell each won 14 matches.

n CSUN received votes in the AVCA n Erin Indermill and Daniella Molinari Collegiate Beach Volleyball Top 20 also posted double figures in wins Poll for the first time in program with 11 while the pair of Shawnee Men’s history on Mar. 5 and Mar. 12. De Oliveira and Cassidy Rosso won eight times n The Matadors earned the No. 4 seed Golf in the Big West Tournament before n The Matadors went undefeated at falling to CSU Bakersfield (3-2) and the Big West/West Coast Challenge, n CSUN finished seventh at the Big n The Matadors posted a pair of Cal Poly (5-0). sweeping both San Francisco and West Championship. The Matadors top-five finishes and three top-10 Portland before topping Pacific 4-1. posted a season-low team total of finishes in 12 tournaments. CSUN n CSUN also had two teams earn a 879 at the conference championship finished a season-best third at berth in the first-ever Big West Pairs n Sato and Owens were named as senior Felix Mory finished in a tie the UCSB Intercollegiate and were Championship as Katie Sato and to the All-Big West for seventh at two-under 214. fifth out of 17 teams at the Seattle Aeryn Owens along with Kristey Second Team. University Redhawk Invitational. Markle and Nickeisha Williams n Mory, who was named All-Big West represented the Matadors. for the third time in his career, n Mory led CSUN with six top-10 finished the season with a team-low individual finishes along with 72.0 scoring average which lowered five top-20 finishes. He was the his career scoring average to 72.3 Matadors’ low scorer in 11 of 12 which ranks second in CSUN history. tournaments in 2017-18.

n Mory earned a berth in the NCAA n Senior Trym Falch had one top-10 Regionals for the second straight finish and one top-20 showing while year after being selected as an Tomas Skajem finished tied for sixth individual for the Stockton Regional. at the UCSB Intercollegiate. Women’s Men’s Cross Women’s Cross Country Country Golf n CSUN cross country n The Matadors did not (25:57.1) as did Manuel n CSUN cross country finished seventh at the Big West Cross finished sixth at the place a runner in the Vargas in 51st (26:25.6) Country Championships. The seventh place finish for the n CSUN finished eighth at the Big Big West Cross Country top 20 but did have and James Atwell in 53rd CSUN women was the team’s best since 2014. West Championship as senior Championships. By several score well in (26:25.7). Christopher Shenna DeLeon led the team with a finishing sixth, the the middle of the pack Pinelo placed 62nd in a n In the Big West Championship 6K, the Matadors posted 202 17th-place finish. Matador men posted led by Gefry Sarco who time of 27:13.5. total points while running a team time of 1:53.04 which n Junior Kayla Yn their best-ever finish finished a career-best included individual personal bests for every CSUN runner. n Sophomore Alice Duan finished the ranked second on the team at the conference 22nd in 25:11.3. Michael n During the season, season with a team-leading 75.7 in scoring average at 77.0 which championship meet. Merchan posted his Merchan finished with n Bianca Frausto was CSUN’s top runner, placing 28th in a time scoring average which ranks fifth lowered her career scoring average best ever conference a season-best second of 21:56.5. Katie Alvarenga was just behind in 37th place in a in CSUN history for a single season. to 78.1 which ranks seventh in CSUN n The CSUN men, who championship finish in place finish at the time of 22:12.7 while a host of other runners scored for CSUN. With a 76.9 career scoring average, history. had never finished three tries by placing Pepperdine Invitational. Duan ranks third in program history. 27th in a time of 25:27.0. n higher than eighth Merchan also finished n Serena Garcia finished 50th in 22:50.6, Kimberly Newton was Yn had two top-10 finishes along n at the conference in the top-10 at the 52nd in 22:57.1 and Jasmine Vasquez was 53rd in 23:07.1 but Duan was the low Matador scorer in with one top-20 finish. DeLeon and n championship, tallied Mario Ramirez and Master’s Invitational, posted a 36-second PR. Also for CSUN, Heidi Eligio was 55th six of 10 tournaments and had four Michelle Duan each had a pair of 149 points in the 8K race Charlie Nettle were finishing ninth. Nettle in 23:27.2 and Sonsoles Barba was 59th in 23:48.5. top-10 finishes. She finished tied top-20 finishes. to tie Long Beach State just outside the top 30, also had a top-10 finish for first at the Battle at the Rock in at the season-opening n but edged the 49ers finishing 32nd and 34th n For the Matadors, Alvarenga posted a pair of top-10 February for CSUN’s lone individual CSUN posted a pair of top-five Pepperdine Invitational. with a total team time of respectively. Ramirez finishes during the season, finishing eighth at the Master’s victory. finishes and five top-10 finishes 2:07.54. The men’s team ran a time of 25:38.6 Invitational and ninth at the Pepperdine Invitational. during the season, including a were just five points followed by Nettle who n Duan, along with her sister Michelle, season-best third place finish at the behind fifth place UC posted a time of 25:40.8. qualified for the USGA Four-Ball Battle at Old Works in Montana in Irvine and eight behind James Silva finished in Championship Tournament in May. September. fourth place UC Davis. a scoring spot in 41st

14 CSUN Athletics 2017-18 Annual Report 15 Men’s Soccer Women’s Soccer

n CSUN went 10-9-2 and tied for the Big n The Matadors finished 9-4-8 Sanchez is also the school’s West South Division Championship, and in second place in the all-time points (52) and shots marking the second year in a row and third Big West Conference. The (183) leader. time in the last six years, the Matadors times over the last team advanced to the Big won the South Division. 3six years that the West Championship match n McCaskill and junior Matadors have for the second time in defender Lindsay Kutscher n Emmanuel Usen Jr. and Darion Mealing won the Big West program history and were earned All-Big West First earned third team United Soccer Coaches Men’s s Soccer only denied of an NCAA Team nods while junior Association All-Far West Region honors. South Division Tournament berth after a Marissa Favela and Sanchez penalty kick shootout loss to Championship career goals for received a Second Team Cal State Fullerton. n Usen Jr., a first team All-Big West 23Cynthia Sanchez, honor and junior Christina Nixon collected an Honorable Conference selection, finished the regular a new CSUN record. season tied for second in goals the Big n CSUN went undefeated over Mention. Amy Aquino was West (8) with two other players. Usen Jr. its final nine matches, tying also placed on the All-Big was fourth in the league in points (19) and a school record set by the West Freshman Team. was tied for fourth in the Big West in shots 2005 and 2012 teams. (19) with one other player. n Kutscher earned United n Senior goalkeeper Jovani Soccer Coaches All-West n Mealing who was also named first team McCaskill set a new program Region Second Team honors All-Conference as a defender, anchored the record for career shutouts after playing in all but one Matadors backline and led a CSUN defense with 29. She would be named minute this season. that paced the conference in goals average Big West Co-Goalkeeper of (1.12). the Year. McCaskill is the n Favela led the Matadors with second Matador in team seven goals and 16 points n Henrik Regitnig was named Big West history to win back-to-back during the season while Goalkeeper of the Year. A three-time Big West Goalkeeper of the Sanchez netted six. McCaskill Big West Defensive Player of the Week Year awards. racked up eight shutouts selection, Regitnig led the Big West in along with 67 saves in net. goals against average (1.13). The 6-5 junior n Senior forward Cynthia was second in the conference in saves Sanchez broke the school’s n In the 2017 calendar year, (62), second in save percentage (.738), and career goal record at the Big the Matadors registered a third in goals against (22). He is the second West Tournament. Notching 3.38 cumulative grade point straight Matador and fifth overall to be two goals in the Matadors’ average. Last fall, while in named the league’s top goalie. semifinal win over UC season, the team posted a Riverside, Sanchez pushed 3.43 mark, the highest mark n Giovanni Aguilar was among the her career goal total to 23. among all CSUN teams. postseason Top Drawer Soccer top 100 freshman player rankings. Aguilar was ranked 70th by TDS.

n Aguilar was selected honorable mention All-Conference and was named to the Big West Conference All-Freshman team. A midfielder, Aguilar recorded two assists and 10 shots during his inaugural season with the Matadors.

n Earning second team All-Conference honors was junior Andrew Rizeq. A midfielder, Rizeq is used primarily on the defensive side of the pitch. Offensively, he took six career shutouts for shots in 18 appearances. He also earned Academic All- 29Jovani McCaskill, Conference honors. a new CSUN program record. n Junior Jumoke Hutton was selected honorable mention All-Conference. Hutton, a defender, recorded three assists in 17 appearances, taking four shots.

n Daniel Trejo was also named to the All-Freshman team. Trejo completed his inaugural season in a CSUN uniform with seven goals, tying him with one other player for the sixth most in the Big West. His 16 points are the eighth most in the league.

16 CSUN Athletics 2017-18 Annual Report 17 Softball

n Savannah Horvath became n Horvath is fourth in school the all-time leader in career history in career stolen home runs at CSUN when bases (73), ninth in Big West Men’s she hit her 47th on Mar. 31 history in the category, and against UC Davis. She broke 42nd among active Division I Scia Maumausolo’s (1993- players in stolen bases. Track & Field 96) previous school record of 46. n Horvath recorded her 200th n A total of eight CSUN the fifth best in the West career hit against Oklahoma competitors were selected Region during the 2018 n With 51 career home runs, Mar. 19. She has 225 for to participate in the NCAA season. Horvath ended her career her career and is now 46th Regionals which will were second in Big West history among active Division I held at Sacramento State n Clint Meyer earned the in the category and was just players in the category. from May 24-26. first Matadors’ Big West two away from tying Darian title in the shot put since Tautalafua’s (Long Beach n Jessica Alexander and n Erick Loomis became the 2010 (Derek Cooper) by State, 53, 2013-16) league Mackenzie Babbitt were first CSUN competitor to recording a toss of 60-1 record. She is currently 10th chosen second team All- win the Big West hammer 3/4. Meyer defeated among active Division I Conference. Alexander hit throw since the 2010 second place Lawrence players in the category. .293 with four home runs and (Alex Butler). Loomis reset O’Hara UC Riverside by 17 RBI and was named Big the school record in the almost six feet (55-8 1/2). n Horvath became the school West Player of the Week on hammer during the Apr. His throw was the sixth record holder for career May 7. Babbitt was second 14 Triton Invitational. His longest in school history. doubles when she recorded on the Matadors in batting 223-11 performance was her 51st double against with a .314 average. She DePaul. She broke the old scored 25 runs and posted a mark of 50 which was set by .348 on-base percentage. Women’s Katie Hooper (2014-17). n Megan Stevens was selected n Her 54 doubles are the fifth honorable mention All- Tennis most in Big West history. Conference. Stevens was n Barbara Moody of Pacific second in the Big West in RBI Monika Van de Vondel was selected (2000-03) is the Big West with 48. Stevens was third in second team All-Conference as a record holder with 59. She is the conference in home runs singles player. Van de Vondel played ninth among active Division I (13) and would finish eighth in the No. 1 position for the Matadors players in doubles. in runs scored (31). for the entire season and posted a 4-11 record. n Horvath finished 12th in n Jillian James was named to n Division I in doubles (16) this the Big West All-Freshman Alicia Dinkelmeyer earned honorable season. She is also 11th in Team. James led the mention All-Conference honors as a Division I in total bases with conference in appearances singles’ player. Dinkelmeyer led the 116. Her .686 career slugging with 41. She was third in team with a 10-2 singles mark. She percentage is the 45th best the league in strikeouts won 10 matches in a row at one point. among active Division I (153) and was fourth in players. games started (26). n Van de Vondel and Skyla Alcon were chosen second team All-Conference n Horvath charted 149 runs in doubles. The pair posted a team batted in during her career high nine wins (9-6) in the No. 1 slot which is the fourth most in for the Matadors. school history. She is tied with UNLV’s Kim Rondina n CSUN went 7-12 in dual play in 2018, (1994-97) for eighth in Big 3-4 in Big West play and finished West history and is the 34th sixth in the league standings. most among active Division I players. 51 Samantha Horvath became CSUN’s career leader in home runs this year

18 CSUN Athletics 2017-18 Annual Report 19 Women’s Men’s Volleyball n CSUN finished the season with an n CSUN was ranked as high as seventh n Byers was named Big West Defensive overall record of 16-11, its best record nationally, its highest AVCA national Player of the Week (Feb. 12) and Track & Field since finishing 23-10 in 2010. The ranking since 2013 when the Ptaszynski was named Big West Matadors finished 2018 season with Matadors were also ranked seventh. Freshman Player of the Week (Apr. 16). n A total of eight CSUN competitors were selected to participate in a No. 9 national ranking, its best final the NCAA Regionals which will be held at Sacramento State from ranking since 2010. n The Matadors were ranked in all 15 n Byers, Greene and Chance completed May 24-26. polls in 2018 and have been ranked in their CSUN careers with Byers and n In their first season in the Big West the AVCA Top-15 Poll 246 of the last Chance etching their names in the n Courtney Robinson became the first CSUN competitor to win the Conference, the Matadors finished 272 weekly polls dating back to the Matador career record books for Big West 100m hurdles since 2002 (Heather Herron) when she fourth with a 5-5 conference record. 2002 season. blocking and hitting percentage ran a time of :13.56. Robinson would score in two other individual respectively. events. She finished fifth in the 100m dash (:11.93) and seventh n The Matadors reached the n CSUN defeated three top-15 teams this in the 200m (:24.28). Robinson also helped CSUN points as part of Semifinals of the inaugural Big West season, including a pair of 3-0 sweeps n Setter Sam Porter finished his junior the 4x100m and 4x400m relays at the league meet. Tournament, defeating UC Santa over No. 3 Hawaii in March. season ranked sixth in CSUN history Barbara in a Quarterfinal match with 2,659 career assists. n Brandy Williams won the shot put at the Big before falling to top-ranked Long n Head Coach Jeff Campbell earned his West Championships with a toss of Beach State. 300th win when the Matadors upset 51-7 3/4. No. 3 Hawaii Mar. 15. n Senior Arvis Greene, Jr. was named an AVCA All-American for the second n Kalchev moved into third place on the straight season. He is CSUN’s first two- CSUN career list with 152 service aces. time AVCA All-American since Jacek Ratajczak in 2009 and 2010. n Greene, a four-time Big West Player of the Week, led the nation in kills per n Greene, Dimitar Kalchev, Eric Chance, 9 set (4.55) and points per set (5.19). The CSUN men’s volleyball Josiah Byers and Maciej Ptaszynski team finished the season were all named to the 2018 All-Big with a No. 9 national ranking. West Team. Women’s Volleyball n CSUN finished the 2017 season with n Owens ranked among the national an overall record of 13-15 and tied for leaders in kills per set (12th), points fifth place in the Big West at 7-9. per set (15th) and total kills (19th). She posted a career-high 30 kills n Junior outside hitter Aeryn Owens twice during the 2017 season; against and senior middle blocker Rachel Diaz Fresno State on Sept. 9 and at Long were named to the 2017 All-Big West Beach State on Nov. 18. Owens also led Conference Team. the Matadors with 11 double-doubles.

n Owens earned first team honors for n Diaz ranked second on the team in the second consecutive season while kills with 239 while setting season Diaz earned all-conference honors for career highs in virtually every the first time in her career as she was statistical category, including a team- voted honorable mention. leading .368 hitting average.

n Owens became the 13th player in n Seniors Lauren Conati and Katie Sato CSUN history to reach 1,000 career both moved into the CSUN career top kills after leading the Matadors with a five in assists and digs respectively. career-high 488 kills while averaging Conati finished her Matador career 4.60 kills per set which ranked third in with 2,640 career assists which ranks the Big West. fifth in school history.

n Sato led the Matadors with 389 digs, which ranked eighth in the Big West and gave her 1,318 career digs which ranks second in CSUN history.

488 n CSUN led the Big West Conference in Aeryn Owens led the aces, led by Kristey Markle’s career- Matadors with 488 kills, high 41 which is a single-season a career high. record in CSUN’s Rally Scoring era.

CSUN Athletics 2017-18 Annual Report 21 Women’s Water Polo n CSUN posted its most wins since 2015 as the Matadors finished with a 15-18 record. n The Matadors faced 22 Top 25 teams during the season, eclipsing last year’s total. n CSUN concluded the regular season ranked No. 19 nationally. n During the year, CSUN knocked off five Top 25 teams (Cal Baptist, Long Beach State, San Diego State, Harvard and Cal State East Bay) including two squads ranked in the Top 15 (LBSU and SDSU). n Senior Madeleine Sanchez broke the Matadors’ career scoring record, held by Allison Brookes, on Apr. 14. A day later, Sanchez notched her 225th career goal, breaking the Big West scoring record. Sanchez concluded the season with a conference-leading 54 goals, giving her 229 for her career. n Sanchez earned her second career ACWPC All-America Honorable Mention award and was named First Team All-Big West for the second time. Sanchez also nabbed her third career Big West Player of the Week honor. n Seniors Katelyn Fairchild and Shannon Hovanesian both received All-Big West Honorable Mention accolades. Fairchild scored a career-best 49 goals along with 51 steals while Hovanesian led the Big West in assists (40) and steals (53) to go with 28 goals in 2018. 229 Madeleine Sanchez scored 229 goals over the course of her CSUN career, a school and Big GoMatadors.com West Conference record.

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