PRIDE DETERMINATION COMMITMENT EXCELLENCE
CSUN ATHLETICS 2013–14 ANNUAL REPORT
Rise of the Matadors
Greetings Matadors: While the school year has come to a close, 2013–14 will be remembered in CSUN Athletics history for the tremendous successes of 350 student-athletes both in the classroom and in competition. At our annual Varsity N Academic Athletics Honor Roll event, 72 of our student-athletes received recognition for earning at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA in the last year. Our women’s basketball and volleyball programs won Big West Championships, while our men’s basketball, men’s soccer and women’s water polo teams each made an appearance in the Big West Tournament Final. Our women’s golf program finished second in the conference and was represented at the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. Our women’s 4x100-meter relay team finished 10th at the NCAA Championships after posting the second-fastest time in school history. Our women’s water polo program was ranked as high as #7 in 2014, the highest ever for the team. These are just a few of the many accomplishments that Matador studentathletes achieved in 2013–14. Additionally, CSUN student-athletes garnered attention at the national level by winning 42 All-Conference, five All-American and several Academic All-American awards. Unequivocally, these men and women exemplify the true essence of comprehensive excellence. Recently CSUN Athletics announced the “Rise of the Matadors,” a pride campaign that ushered in a new visual identity for the Matadors. Our new identity pays tribute to the rich tradition and culture at CSUN. Our new image represents more than a logo or a brand, it represents expectations, memories, relationships and the pride that we all have in being Matadors. Join us in looking back at the 2013–14 successes of our dedicated student-athletes, coaches and staff members for our 19 sport programs. Together, we can take CSUN Athletics to even greater heights in the year ahead. Go Matadors!
Dr. Brandon E. Martin,
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
MISSIO
In alignment with the mission of CSUN: We empower our student-athletes and staff to achieve comprehensive excellence.
We provide a diverse and inclusive educational experience for all members of our department and campus community.
We engage and partner with the greater San Fernando Valley to make CSUN shine.
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 our resources.
Discovery
We are continuously learning and growing. Education is the cornerstone of our decision making.
Diversity & Inclusion
We strive for diversity in opinion and background. We look to include all voices in advancing our department.
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.
VALUES
CORE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
CADEMIC
• 70 student-athletes named to the
Academic All-Big West Team in
2013–14
• 72 student-athletes inducted into the Varsity N Academic Athletics Honor Roll • Yarden Azulay and Brian Behrad
(men’s soccer) named to Scholar
All-West Region Team
• Women’s cross country and men’s volleyball received the Public Recognition Award for exceptional academic achievement from the NCAA • Men’s volleyball and women’s cross
country received perfect APR scores
of 1,000
• Casey Hinger (women’s volleyball) named 2013 Big West Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year • Azulay named 2013 Big West Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year • Madalyne Handy (softball) named “Scholar of the Year” by CSUN’s Department of Kinesiology • CSUN was awarded a $900,000 grant as part of a three-year pilot program aimed at increasing academic performance among student-athletes. The grant facilitated the grand opening of the Matador Achievement Center in September 2013 • Implemented Northwestern Mutual’s “Life After Athletics” Program, educating student-athletes on essential professional skills such as resume formatting, interviewing skills and effective networking • Implemented the “Diamond University” life-skills program, combining lessons from behavioral sciences and academics to provide successful habits for life
• Through MEND Adopt-a-Family, the Student Athlete Advisory Council raised almost $900 for meals and holiday gifts for a family of four in need. • Men’s and women’s soccer studentathletes, staff and administrators conducted a free clinic for deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Marlton School in South Los Angeles. About 95 elementary and middle school students joined together for drills, instructional sessions and games. • The Student Athlete Advisory Council paired with the kinesiology department to raise money for the 100 Citizens of Community Fitness Project. They raised $473.43 in February.
SERVICE
• Matador student-athletes supported local nonprofit organizations through volunteer hours and donations for CSUN’s “Unified We Serve” Program.
COMMUNITY
• A group of CSUN student-athletes committed 50 hours to the Granada Hills Elementary Reading Program.
• Baseball student-athletes committed 300 hours of community service in the San Fernando Valley.
ATHLETIC
SUCC
CESS
SUCCESS
ATHLETIC
• In the top 50 nationally for sacrifice hits • Won a series against a Pac-12 opponent (Washington State) for the first time since taking 2-of-3 from USC in 2009 • Played in more games decided by two runs or less than any team in the NCAA (as of April 1, 2014) • The Matadors had individual Big West leaders in stolen bases and sacrifice bunts (as of April 1, 2014) • Ryan Raslowsky was the second-toughest batter in Division I to strike out, averaging one strikeout in every 49.5 at-bats (as of April 1, 2014) • The Matadors launched the “Diamond University” lifeskills program for team and community outreach and education • Bryce Rutherford was one of 16 pitchers in the nation to have a quality start (at least six innings, no more than three earned runs allowed) in each outing (as of April 1, 2014)
Men’s Basketball
• In the top 100 nationally for team ERA
Baseball
2013–14
• Ranked among leaders in fielding percentage in NCAA Division I
• Competed in a school record seven overtime games (5-2) • Won 17 games, the most wins since the 2008–09 season • Advanced to the championship game of the Big West Conference Tournament • Season free throw percentage (.791) was ranked #1 nationally • Led the nation in free throws (765) • Set school records for single season points (2,689), free throws (765), free throw attempts (967) and single game free throw percentage (.969, sixth-best in NCAA history) • Stephen Maxwell named All-Big West Conference First Team • Josh Greene and Stephan Hicks named All-Big West Conference Honorable Mention
• Recorded first home win over UC Santa Barbara since 1984 • Recorded first victory over USC in NCAA era • Posted season sweeps over Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara • Ashlee Guay named Big West Player of the Year and Big West Tournament MVP • Camille Mahlknecht named Big West Defensive Player of the Year • Janae Sharpe named All-Big West Conference Second Team • Guay, Mahlknecht and Sharpe named to Big West Conference All-Tournament Team • Jason Flowers named Big West Coach of the Year • Cinnamon Lister named All-Big West Conference Honorable Mention
Men’s Cross Country
Women’s Basketball
• 2014 NCAA Tournament participant
Baseball | Men’s Basketball | Women’s Basketball | Men’s Cross Country
• 2013–14 Big West Champions, both in regular season and Big West Tournament
• Placed a season-best sixth at the San Francisco Invitational • Marcelo Rosales had the Matadors’ best finish of the season, placing 34th in San Francisco • Jackson Higgins finished a CSUN-best 55th at the Big West Championships • Julio Mora and Marcelo Rosales were named to the 2013 Big West All-Academic Team
• Finished a season-best eighth at the San Francisco Invitational • Megan Magdaleno finished a Matador-best 38th at the Big West Championships, which was the top finish by a CSUN runner in 2013 • Alexis Pichardo had three top-60 finishes including a 44th-place showing in San Francisco • Pichardo was named to the 2013 Big West All-Academic Team
Men’s Golf
Women’s Cross Country
SUCCESS
ATHLETIC 2013–14
• Posted six top-10 finishes and one top-five finish under head coach Jim Bracken • Finished seventh at the windshortened Big West Men’s Golf Championship • Senior Kyler Sauer tied for second at the Big West Championship, the best individual finish for a CSUN golfer since 2011 • Sauer, who was named second team All-Big West, finished with a team-low 72.7 scoring average which ranks sixth in CSUN single season history • Sauer was CSUN’s low scorer in six of 11 tournaments • Best team finish was fourth at the Anteater Invitational
Women’s Cross Country | Men’s Golf | Women’s Golf | Sand Volleyball
• The Matadors finished second at the 2014 Big West Championship under first-year head coach Gina Umeck, their best finish since winning consecutive team championships in 2003 and 2004
• Guce was named Big West Player of the Year and tied for first at the conference championship, the best finish by a CSUN women’s golfer since Beth Allen won in 2004 • Guce set the school record for season scoring average at 73.4, which tops Allen’s 10-year-old record of 74.4. The senior from Artesia, Calif., also set the CSUN career scoring record of 76.1 by topping Allen’s career average of 76.4 • Newcomer Cesilie Hagen had a spectacular Big West Championship debut as she tied for third with a one overpar 220. Hagen was named honorable mention All-Big West • The 2013–14 Matadors received important contributions from first-year players Arinda Bhanaraksa and Ellen Brantberg along with veteran returners Elisabeth Haavardsholm and Sharon Shin
Sand Volleyball
Women’s Golf
• Clariss Guce competed at the NCAA Championship, the first appearance by a CSUN women’s golfer since 2004
• CSUN competed in its first-ever season of sand volleyball in Spring 2014 • Won first match March 27 with a 3-2 win over Oregon • Won two of five matches at sixth-ranked UCLA • Team consisted of 14 members of the Matador indoor volleyball squad
SUCCESS • Three players named to NSCAA Far West Region Team • Team earned #15 national seed, earned bye to second round of NCAA Tournament • Lev-Ari named semifinalist for MAC Hermann Trophy, college soccer’s highest individual award, first time in school history • Seven players named to All-Big West Conference Team • Second consecutive trip to Big West Tournament Final and NCAA Tournament • Yarden Azulay and Brian Behrad named NSCAA All-West Region Scholars • Four players ranked in Top 100 nationally by Top Drawer Soccer • The Matadors won 15 games for second consecutive season to match team’s Big West-era record • Started season 7-0-0 for first time since 1979
Women’s Soccer
• Sagi Lev-Ari named NSCAA/ Continental Tire First Team AllAmerican
Men’s Soccer
ATHLETIC 2013–14
• Ranked as high as #3 in the nation, highest ranking in school history
• Defeated Long Beach State for second-straight year • Chloe McDaniel named finalist for Senior CLASS Award • Five players scored their first career goal in 2013 season • Breanna McCallum scored with one second left in regulation to force overtime against Houston • Brittanie Sakajian and McCallum led the Matadors with three goals and seven points • Seven Matadors named to 2013 Big West Academic AllConference Fall Sports Team
• Matadors won season series with UC Davis for first time since 2008
Softball
• Taylor Glover named one of 25 finalists for inaugural NFCA Freshman of the Year award • Glover set new program Division-I record with six triples in the 2014 season • Brianna Elder became CSUN’s first 20-game winner since the 2001 season • Defeated Oregon State twice, giving CSUN wins against Pac-12 Conference for secondstraight year • The 31 wins in 2014 are the most for CSUN head coach Tairia Flowers
Women’s Tennis
Men’s Soccer | Women’s Soccer | Softball | Women’s Tennis
• Matadors swept season series with UC Riverside for secondstraight year
• Freshmen doubles team Mickey Hsu and Kristen Poei finished the season 17-2 and earned AllBig West Doubles Second Team honors • Hsu and Poei’s winning percentage is the fourth-best in program history • Freshmen Vivian Lin and Hsu earned All-Big West Singles Second Team honors • Junior Criss Rodriguez and Lin received All-Big West Doubles Honorable Mention honors • Recorded notable victories over Air Force, Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Boise State, Montana and New Mexico State • The team’s only senior, Lorraine Cheung, won the ITA Southwest Region Arthur Ashe Award for Sportsmanship & Leadership
• Advanced three student-athletes to the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Fayetteville, Ark. • Freshman Lohnnie TapeJackson won CSUN’s first conference high jump championship since 2011 • Derion Taylor finished second in the triple jump to advance to the NCAA West Preliminary Round • Alex Monsivaiz finished second in the 800 meters at the conference championships after running the third-best time in CSUN history (1:49.69) at the Texas Longhorn Invitational • Jordan Taylor finished third in the 100 meters at the conference championships
Women’s Track & Field
Men’s Track & Field
SUCCESS
ATHLETIC 2013–14
• Finished sixth at the 2014 Big West Championships with 63.50 total points
• 4x100-meter relay team of Hafsatu Kamara, Lexis Lambert, Marie Veale and Le’Shel Vines qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. Finished 10th in the preliminaries to earn second team USTFCCCA All-America honors • The relay team ran 44.38 in the preliminaries, the secondfastest time in CSUN history • Advanced 15 student-athletes to the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Fayetteville, Ark. • The women’s 4x400-meter relay won their ninth conference championship in 13 years • Finished second at the 2014 Big West Championships with 183.33 total points
• Greg Faulkner and Sam Holt were named honorable mention All-MPSF while Bradley Sakaida was named to the All-Freshman Team • Ranked as high as 13th in the AVCA Coaches Top 15 (Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10) • Ranked in the AVCA Top 15 in six of the 15 weekly polls during the 2014 season • Holt was named MPSF Player of the Week on April 7 • Holt had two of the biggest offensive matches in the conference with 37 kills against UCLA and 32 kills against BYU • CSUN had upset wins over #4 USC, #5 UC Santa Barbara, #9 UCLA and #15 Ohio State • Junior setter Travis Magorien moved into eighth place on the CSUN career assists list
Women’s Volleyball
Men’s Volleyball
• 2013 NCAA Tournament participant • Defeated #12 Colorado State (3-2) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to advance to the second round for the first time in school history • Won 24 matches, the most by a CSUN team since 1992 • Won 13 Big West matches, the most since joining the conference in 2001 • Sydney Gedryn and Casey Hinger were named AVCA honorable mention AllAmericans • Gedryn and Hinger were named first team All-Pacific South Region • Jeff Stork was named Big West Co-Coach of the Year • Natalie Allen, Gedryn and Hinger were first team All-Big West selections while Mahina Haina was named honorable mention all-conference • Ranked as high as 21st in the AVCA Top-25 Coaches Poll (Nov. 11), which is the highest in program history • Allen and Haina each reached 1,000 career kills during the 2013 season • Britney Graff and Hinger were both named to the 2013 Big West All-Academic Team
Men’s Track & Field | Women’s Track & Field | Men’s Volleyball | Women’s Volleyball
• 2013 Big West Tri-Champions
• Reached a national ranking of seventh, the highest in school history • Achieved 20 or more wins in a season for the fifth time in the last six seasons
Water Polo
2013–14
ATHLETIC
SUCCESS
PR • Earned a #2 seed in the Big West Tournament • Lindsy Duncan, Marisa Young, and Jenny Jamison finished in the top 10 in career scoring in school history • Duncan set school records in career assists and career field goal attempts • Set a school record with 23 goals over Whittier • Young named All-American third team and Duncan received honorable mention by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches • Kiernan Davis, Melissa Doll, Duncan, Jamison and Young earned 2014 All-Big West honors
RIDE
NewHires
• Greg Moore hired as Head Baseball Coach; Jordon Twohig and Chris Hom hired as Assistant Coaches • Gina Umeck hired as Head Women’s Golf Coach • Colleen Augustine hired as Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach • Eleazar Hernandez and Steve Laguna hired as Assistant Track and Field Coaches • Winnie Voong (MS, ATC, CES) hired as Assistant Athletic Trainer • John Lockwood hired as Assistant Sports Performance Coach • Dawn Ellerbe hired as the Associate Athletic Director for Marketing, Branding and Fan Development • Lizzie Gomez hired as the Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations • Ryan Swartwood hired as the Assistant Athletic Director for Administration
Greg Moore
• Alex Ackles hired as the Assistant Athletic Director for the Annual Fund
Promotions
STAFF
Reggie Theus
• Reggie Theus hired as Head Men’s Basketball Coach; Jason Levy and Chris Pompey hired as Assistant Coaches
• Ashlie Kite promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director/SWA • Tom Ford promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development • Bob Vazquez promoted to Assistant Athletic Director of Strategic Communications • Matt Monroe promoted to Associate Director of Sport Communications/Video Coordinator • Braden Villanueva promoted to Director of Digital Media & Design • Kevin Strauss promoted to Assistant Sports Information Director • Jeff Crelling promoted to Director of Sports Performance • Kelly Korras promoted to Compliance Coordinator
Ryan Swartwood
Honors
• Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Jeff Stork named Big West Co-Coach of the Year for 2013–14 • Tairia Flowers named head coach of the Team USA Junior National Team for 2015 (second appointment to position) • Baseball Head Coach Greg Moore named an assistant coach for USA Baseball Tournament of Stars • Men’s Soccer Head Coach Terry Davila named an assistant coach for NASL Players Combine • Women’s Water Polo Head Coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi was a member of the coaching staff that led the United States Women’s Youth National Water Polo Team (18-and-under) to a gold medal at the 2013 UNANA Youth Pan American Championships; also named the Girls National Technical Director for the United States Olympic Development Program in Summer 2013
Tairia Flowers
Terry Davila
• Men’s Volleyball Assistant Coach Theo Edwards named assistant coach for USA Volleyball High Performance Select Team in Summer 2013; named assistant coach for USA Volleyball Junior National Training Team in Summer 2014; named assistant coach for USA Pan American Team that will compete in Mexico in August
New Hires | Promotions | Honors
Jason Flowers
• Jason Flowers named Big West Coach of the Year for 2013–14
• Significant increase in attendance for four sports in 2013–14: men’s basketball, 65%; men’s soccer, 26%; women’s volleyball, 15%; women’s basketball, 10% • Gate receipt/ticket revenue improved across all sports by 23% • Held 20 special events outside of home competitions to drive fan engagement • Hosted the first Athletic Director 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament for CSUN students • Created the Associated Students Chair for Intercollegiate Athletics to be the liaison between the student body and the athletics department • Retired the number 58 jersey (commemorating the year CSUN was founded) in honor of CSUN’s faculty • Implemented VIP courtside seating in The Matadome to enhance the fan experience
CorporateSponsorships
Marketing
STAKEHOLDE RELATIONS
• Hosted “Rise of the Matadors” launch event for the new athletics identity and pride campaign that ushered in a new era for CSUN Athletics
• Increased sponsorship revenue 963% during the first nine-month operating period of the 2013–14 season • Entered into a multiyear partnership with Providence Health & Services to be the official health-care provider of Matador Athletics • Entered into a multiyear partnership with Sport Chalet to be the official apparel and equipment provider of Matador Athletics
• Produced 45 broadcasts for BigWest.TV, including 16 women’s basketball, 12 men’s basketball, 10 men’s volleyball and seven women’s volleyball contests • All broadcasts were in HD for the first time in Matador history • Continued to set the standard in the Big West Conference for in-game video production
• Produced five team intro videos (men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, and softball) • Produced a student-run featurette on women’s water polo • With student assistance, successfully archived footage of Matador outdoor sports including men’s and women’s soccer, baseball and softball • Utilized students to film and edit various Athletic Department events including the Hall of Fame, Pete Accardy Memorial Ceremony, Varsity N and Senior Sash ceremonies • Utilized commercial spots and live reads for the first time during broadcasts
Media&Web
MatadorTV
• Utilized 33 university students to assist with all aspects of TV production and in-game video presentation
• Redesigned website to coincide with “Rise of the Matadors” launch event • Development of CSUN Front Row, the official mobile application of CSUN Athletics • Media coverage in top outlets nationwide, including ESPN.com, SI.com, Fox Sports and Los Angeles Times • Total monthly visits to GoMatadors.com have continued to rise. Seven of the top 10 busiest months since September 2011 came during the 2013–14 school year • A record 245,000 visits came during March 2014 (March Madness) • Increased individual feature stories on student-athletes • Online video highlights for men’s/women’s basketball and volleyball were made available after competitions
Development
Event Management
STAKEHOLDE RELATIONS
• Created the Dick Enberg Postgraduate Scholarship • Established the “M-Club,” the letterwinners club for CSUN Athletics • Enrolled 57 new members into the M-Club with the class of 2014 • Developed and launched the Matador Legacy Fund • Created the Matador Excellence Fund, an annual giving/priority point program • Restructured sport-specific booster clubs
• Hosted NCAA Tournament Second Round Match for men’s soccer • Hosted the Watson Charity Celebrity Basketball Game put on by Floyd “Money” Mayweather • Trained event staff on the importance of customer service and emergency procedures for each venue • Trained event staff on new high-tech equipment (shot clocks, scoreboard, sideline advertising tables, etc.) installed in The Matadome • Coordinated event schedule with public safety and parking services • Events included “March Madness,” 54 competitions at CSUN venues in 30 days in March
Development | Event Management
FACILIT IMPROVEMENTS
The Matadome
Athletic Conference Room
Matador Achievement Center
Matador Soccer Field
• New spectator seating in The Matadome
Matador Hall
• Redesigned environmental graphics in The Matadome including endwall designs and rail banners • Added entrance banners at the east entrance to The Matadome • Completed construction of the Matador Soccer Field concourse and plaza and installation of graphics highlighting soccer program accolades • Renovation of Matador Pool wall highlighting athletes from each CSUN sport • Addition of environmental graphics to Matador Hall Men’s Basketball Locker Room
• Renovated athletic conference room
Matador Pool Wall
#MatadorsRising