2011-12 Concordia Eagles

2011-12 Concordia Eagles Table of Contents Men’s Soccer...................................2 Men’s Basketball..........................12 Cross Country...............................3 Women’s Water Polo....................16 Women’s Soccer.............................4 Softball.........................................17 Volleyball.......................................5 Baseball........................................21 Men’s Water Polo...........................7 Women’s Tennis...........................25 Swimming and Diving..................8 Men’s Tennis................................28 Women’s Basketball.....................11 Track & Field...............................31 Sport - By - Sport Season Wraps Written by: Brian Gaul Concordia Sports Information Director Men’s Soccer Men's Soccer Sees Jump In Wins In 2011, Offensive Power Back In 2012 12.06.2011 - [Men's Soccer] William Prado Selected NAIA All-American The 2011 Concordia men's soccer season showcased an explosive team that could score in bunches and shows a lot of promise for 2012, with a strong core of returners. The men went 14-4-1 this year, 6-2-1 in the GSAC, and took third in the GSAC regular season and second in the GSAC Postseason Tournament. The team finished the season #11 nationally, the highest ranking among conference teams, and just missed an at-large berth to the NAIA Tournament. CUI was ranked #22 in the final postseason poll, even though they were not accepted into the 32-team NAIA Tournament. The Eagles were led by juniors William Prado and Chris- William Prado in the GSAC Championship against Biola (11/12) tian Ramirez. Between the two of them, they led every statistical category in the conference. Prado was selected as a 2011 NAIA Honorable Mention All-American. Prado, Ramirez, sophomore Edgar Oro- zco, and senior Armando Padilla were all chosen All-GSAC. For head coach Chris Gould it was the most wins his team has had in his three seasons at CUI. The team finished nationally ranked in six categories. They were 13th in assists per game (2.420), 18th in total assists (46), 20th in goals per game (2.89), 21st in total goals (55), 25th in shutouts per game (.37), and 28th in total shutouts (7). Individually, Ramirez was ranked nationally in a number of categories. He finished fifth in points per game (2.530), 10th in total points (48), 11th in total assists (12), 12th in total goals (18), 13th in shots per game (4.790), 17th in shots on goal per game (2.58), 17th in assists per game (.63), 18th in goals per game (.95), and 32nd in total game winning goals (4). Ramirez was also the NAIA Player of the Week one time and GSAC Player of the Week three times. Prado, the team's facilitator, was nationally ranked in four statistical areas. He was first in total assists (18), first in assists per game (1.06), 30th in points per game (2), and 39th in total points (34). 2011-12 Concordia University Irvine Eagles Season Wraps • Page 2 One of the high points of the year had to be the GSAC Semifinals game at Azusa Pacific, where the Eagles domi- nated the NCAA-bound APU squad from start to finish in the 4-2 win. It was only the sixth win against APU all-time. The Eagles graduate eight seniors, but return some talented underclassmen, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Christian Ramirez set some individual records on September 2nd against William Jessup, when he had five goals and two assists to break the school single-game goal and point records in the 10-0 win. 2011 was a great season for CUI soccer and there are many reasons to believe this program will continue to get better and achieve even more. Cross Country Avila Caps Cross Country Programs' Season Long Improvement 12.06.2011 - [Cross Country] All-American Avila Leads Brewer's First Season at Concordia The 2011 Concordia cross country season was all about making giant strides, and first- year head coach Jim Brewer and his squads certainly lived up to that. Brewer, who only had a handful of returning runners from 2010, spent the year building a program and at the same time trying to put a competitive team on the course immedi- ately. The Vanguard Invitational on October 8 was the first race that Concordia was able to place a team score. The ladies placed 11th and set the building blocks for the remain- der of the season. The women improved to sixth at the Biola University Invitational on October 22 and finished eighth at the GSAC Championships on November 5. The end- L to R: Coach Mark Sellers, Rick Avila, and Coach Jim Brewer at ing results were a dramatic change from just NAIA Championships (11/19) trying to record a score, and built the core of a solid program getting better every day. The men were not able to place a team score until the GSAC Championships, but junior Rick Avila was the high- light of the entire cross country program. Rick, from Sylmar HS and North Hollywood, CA, was outstanding for the Eagles in 2011. He hit his stride at the Biola Invite where he placed third, and he followed that with another third place finish at the GSAC Championships, which sent him to the NAIA National Championship in Vancou- ver, WA. The junior made Concordia cross country very visible at nationals, as Rick ran a personal best of 24:39 and finished 20th, in addition to being named a 2011 NAIA All-American. There is no doubt Concordia cross country is in good hands with head coach Jim Brewer and his staff. What they did in a short period of time this season is extremely impressive and very promising for the future. 2011-12 Concordia University Irvine Eagles Season Wraps • Page 3 Women’s Soccer Women's Soccer Punched First NAIA Tournament Berth In 2011 12.07.2011 - [Women's Soccer] Athletes Represent True Meaning of Student-Athlete, Audrey McKay 2011 NAIA All-American The Concordia women’s soccer program made the NAIA National Championship Tournament for the first time in program history, and even though the ladies would have liked to advance further, 2011 represents a big turn- ing point in the program’s history. The women went 13-5-2 and 5-3-1 in conference in 2011, and hosted Graceland (IA) University in the Opening Round of the NAIA Na- tional Championship. The Eagles fell to the Yellowjackets 5-4 in pen- alty kicks, but this year was exem- plary on and off the field for CUI. On the field CUI played an extremely challenging schedule, only the aforementioned Yellowjackets played a tougher one among all NAIA teams. The ladies proved they were for real very early, with wins over then #3 Concordia Oregon, 2-1 on September 3, and always good Southern Oregon, 1-0 on September 5. They beat #9 Cal State San Marcos, 1-0, on the road on September 21, and defeated NAIA Opening Round Banquet (11/18) #24 The Master’s College at home, 2-1 on October 22. The ladies were undefeated at home in 2011. For head coach Chris Gould it was a two-win improvement from his 2010 team. As a team they recorded ten shutouts, tying the school record. Senior Tamara Chagas, junior Audrey McKay, and junior Jaqueline Turner were all selected to the All-GSAC team. McKay earned Honorable Mention All-American honors as well. The Eagles were nationally ranked in two categories. They were 35th in total shutouts (10) and 36th in shutouts per game (.35). Goalkeeper Bekah Garvin ranked 18th in goals against per game (.35). In the GSAC she finished third in shutouts (7), fourth in shutouts per game (.37), eighth in save percentage (.764), eighth in saves (42), and tenth in saves per game (2.21). Additionally, Garvin was selected as the GSAC Defensive Player of the Week twice. Off the field CUI was equally impressive. The team competed in the Habitat for Humanity Invitational in -Day tona Beach, FL on September 9-11. As part of the tournament they participated in some community service to support the local Habitat For Humanity. Coach Gould’s ladies got it done in the classroom as well. Garvin, McKay, and senior Shannon Smith were all selected GSAC Scholar-Athletes. Tamara Chagas, Smith, Garvin, and 2011-12 Concordia University Irvine Eagles Season Wraps • Page 4 junior Felicia Franco were all chosen as 2011 Daktronics-NAIA Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athletes. In addition, Garvin was honored as a Capital One First Team Academic All-American. The ladies graduate eight seniors, losing some of their defensive standouts. But there are solid returners in the midfield and forward positions. CUI women’s soccer is headed in a great direction for the years to come. Volleyball Volleyball Has Season Unlike Any Other 12.08.2011 - [Volleyball] Brooke Marino Selected NAIA and AVCA Player of the Year, Dan Fisher Tabbed NAIA and AVCA Coach of the Year The 2011 Concordia volleyball season was one for the record books, literally. CUI volleyball has had some fantastic seasons in the past, but 2011 was different for a number of reasons. Head coach Dan Fisher entered his first season at the helm with only one of his own recruits, but the cupboard was far from bare, and with Fisher and his staff's tutelage, great things were accomplished. Some of the program-firsts accomplished by this group included, winning the Golden State Athletic Conference (the team posted an unblemished 18-0 conference record, the most conference wins in school history), being ranked #1 in the nation (they earned that ranking on November 1st and held it until the end of the season), beating Fresno Pacific in Fresno (they downed the Sunbirds 3-0 and did not drop a set to FPU all year, as it was 2011 NAIA Runner-Up - Iowa City, IA (12/3) only the third and fourth wins all-time against FPU), winning 36 straight matches (the streak began with a 3-0 win over Eastern Oregon on August 18 and ended in the national championship against Texas at Brownsville on December 3, that's three and a half months without a loss), and winning 37 matches (with a .949 winning percentage).

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