Student Success Hub Mostly a Memory for Now
Erick Gee, a computer technology major at California State University, Dominguez Hills, walked into his first class of the semester assuming masks weren’t required, not after LA County decided not to re-impose its mask mandate a month
A digital rendering (top) of the Health, Wellness and Recreation Center, sched uled to open in 2026, compared to the current site. For the full story, see page 3. [See MASK, page 3]
csudhbulletin.com @dhbulletin
And while some may return after ongoing renovations are completed, students looking for them are better off con sulting Google than heading to the space that was envi
By Leah Quintero Staff Reporter
“Students will take so cial cues from you about the pecptations that come with different contexts,” Spagna said in his Sept. 2 email. “Even if you feel personally comfort able in social settings, your students and other faculty may
NCalifornia State University, Dominguez Hills Toro hardballers Get ThisClose to Title See Page 5 Softball’s MiraculousNearMay See Page 6 September 15, 2022 • VOL. 31, NO. 1 BASEBALL SOFTBALL
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sioned in an April 2018 town hall as the “center of intellec tual and creative life at this university.“Anyof the offices you’re used to seeing there should have updated their web pages with information about their current locations, (and) oper ating hours, “Vice Provost Ken O’Donnell said.
Only two organizationsstudent-servingremainonthe floor, the CSUDH Writing Center and Educational Partnership (The Bulletin newsroom is also on the third floor.)
the Small Business Complex in order to clear room for the Innovation and Instruction Building,Having so many student organizations in such close proximity drew positive and negative comments from tenants, the Bulletin reported in November. 2019. Some appreciated how they could direct students to organiza tions a few cubicles away that could better serve them. Oth ers that dealt with students on matters where privacy was important felt the space’s configuration--slow walls,
The third floor of the North Leo F. Cain Library, which once housed the Student Success Hub, a dozen stu dent-serving organizations and programs,is all but de serted now, its former occu pants either operating virtual ly or scattered across campus.
$85 Million
BULLETI
E-mail sent to faculty urges them to lead by example
However,earlierhe quickly learned that masks are in fact required for all students and staff in both classroom and laboratory settings.
“I went in thinking they wouldn’t be required anywhere anymore, only to find out they were requiring one while in class,” Gee said in response to a Bulletin reporter’s Facebook post asking whether students were confused about the pro tocols.
ConfusionMasked
“We’ve learned that the open floor plan works better for some kinds of offices than for others,” he said.
By Maya Garibay-Sahm Staff Reporter
anyone in classrooms or labs. Corrine Judisch said in her response to the Facebook post that she was the only student not wearing a mask when she stepped into her first class. And Vera Vu, who also walked into her class maskless, asked for further clarification in the Facebook post on whether masks were mandatory.
The programs no longer there include: the Career Center, Educational Opportu nity Program (EOP), Universi ty Advisement Center (UAC), Encounter to Excellence (ETE), Male Success Alliance, Supplemental Instruction –English, Toro Guardian Schol ars (TGS), and the Women’s Resource Center (WRC).
no doors—breached student confidentially laws.
Issues haves plagued the Student Success Hub almost since university construction sparked its creation.Many of the original occupants were relocated to the library’s third floor after the demolition of
Gee wasn’t the only student who was unaware of the cam pus policy requiring masks for
In December, 2019, a griev ance filed with the Califonia State University alleging unsanitary and hazardous working c0nditions.
As far as the future,while there are no definite plans as yet, O’Donnell said that some organizations will be return ing to the third floor, but only those that won’t be unduly affected by its c0nfiguration.
Digital Rendering (top); photo courtesy of Student Engagement Team; Photo below by Dylan Bertanii Makeover
The confusion wasn’t lim ited to a few posts on Face book, and didn’t only involve students. At the end of the first week, CSUDH’s Provost Michael Spagna sent an email to all faculty reminding them of the campus policy.
University days should be the days in which you build memories, where you build future connections, and also improve your skills. Ultimate ly, although academics are important, I value networking and experience much more.
Besides, maybe the number that best tells the story of this campus the past 899 days, the number that makes all the others possible, is the number one. As in every one of us who graduated, or who kept our resolve t0 continue, begin or return to our higher educa tion journey. Every one of us who endured the fear and the uncertainty, the isolation and boredom, the spotty internet connection, faces frozen in mid-sentence and that kid who could never figure out how to tun off that mic. Every one of us who endured getting sick, or worried about it or losing friends and family, of being part of that demograph ic that couldn’t afford to stay home and not work.
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STAFF BOX
STAFF Cesar Armas Tierra CatherineBoothCastillo Garcia
Coming back to campus I was able to find a sense of community through Greek life and due to my prior in volvement as a show host for KDHR, I was offered employ ment as their student produc tion assistant.
coronavirus:
The Bulletin operates within, and is protected by, the First Amendment to the Constitu tion of the United States of Comments,America. criticism, and story ideas can be emailed to bulletin@csudh.edu. We reserve the right to edit any letters for length, grammar and punctuation, and libel.
, Number of first class of graduates with bachelor degrees in wqomen’s studies.
ADVISER Joel
As freshmen, my roomate and I were the only two
6: Elimination games won by the CSUDH softball team in its run to the finals of the NCAA Division II World series.We had numbers that told sobering stories:
But we quickly realized that we had too many num bers and not enough time to arrange them into some kind of coherent narrative. So we scrapped that idea.
The College Experience is What You Make it
28: percentage increase of student mental health appointments from student
Mercy Cruz Calvo Maya
SaidaYenniferGabrielJarmiahGaribay-SahmGergesGomezHoMaalin
By Mercy Calvo-Cruz Staff Reporter
Five days later, wondering what alternative instruction would look like was the least of our worries. National and local emergencies had been called, March Madness axed, travel bans instituted, the Bay Area put on a shelter-at-home order, New York City turned into an open air morgue; and at California State Universi ty, Dominguez Hills, all staff were now working remotely and president Thomas A. Par ham amended his announce ment of five days earlier, telling the now-remote cam pus that the rest of the spring semester would be virtual.
8 million: dollars of phil anthropic donations to the university the past two years.
During my time being active on campus, I have had conversations with people who always tell me they wish they got involved a lot sooner in their college career and built a network. I always express it’s never too late and yet they almost always make an excuse as to why they lack involvement.Icurrently
work two jobs to pay for my tuition, live on my own, and am a part of a cou ple organizations on campus. Yet somehow, I have managed to make it all work.
And it is the hope of the fall 2022 Bulletin staff that,
California State University Dominguez Hills is a major ity commuter CSU campus. When I started at Dominguez, I noticed the quick hustle and bustle of most students. Most people I knew would come to their classes, and leave campus almost immediately to work or go home.
We had big numbers about good things and big numbers about not so good things
though bloodied, that Toro is unbowed and will rise from its rough slumber these past 899 days and once again stride boldly toward realizing presi dent Parham’s oft-stated and laudatory goal: of this uni versity being a model urban
5: Number of pillars in CSUDH’s strategic plan.
to the closure of campus who were unaware of resources such as ASI’s Toro Tuesday scholarship giveaways, free scantrons, sanitary items, and even their children’s center for student parents.
August 24 was the first day since March 11, 2020 that Toro students walked onto a campus that began a semes ter feeling like a campus. No, it still doesn’t feel like what ever normal will eventually look and feel like; not with an indoor mask mandate still in place, or where fist bumps lessen the awkwardness of physical contact,
For although journalists, even student ones, aren’t sup posed to be cheerleaders, we can still be Toros.
university.No,check
Staff Editorial My Turn
50,000: dollars raised in November and December 2021 for holiday food distri bution events.
7.5 million: Dollars in the budget deficit faced by CSUDH in 2021 after state cutbacks.Wehad small numbers that told big stories:
The print and digital version of the CSUDH Bulletin is published bi-weekly and is produced by students in Communications 355, News Production workshop. The views and expressions contained in both do not necessarily reflect that of the Communications Department, or the CSUDH administration.
When the announcement came, 28 days sounded like a lot. But subtract weekends and spring break and it was only 12. Sure, we were halfway through the spring semester, but the campus wasn’t closing and we’d be back April 13. Plenty of time for finals and graduation and how hard can this Zoom thing be anyway?
And because we endured, Toro Nation endures.
CONTRIBUTORS
psychological services Febru ary 2020-April 2021.
Dylan ToddRaymondBertaniCastilloMathews Beers
Due to how involved I became on campus, I real ized that there were several students on campus unaware of the resources available to them so they are unable to be involved and make the most of their student dollars.
In less than a week, 28 days turned into two months; but the multiplier we were concerned with was the expo nential growth of COVID-19 cases. It was dark and it would get darker but at any point did any one of us ever
A Toro’s Hour Comes Round at Last
One of our missions in ASI is to cultivate the student ex perience through our events. Although Spring 2022 was the first semester with the major ity of the campus being back since the pandemic, I ran into a couple students who had been attending CSUDH prior
If I were to give any freshman or transfer advice I would say, try new things. Be open to opportunities and experiences, because you nev er know who you can meet or what you can gain from it.
imagine that it would be more than two years until this cam pus would begin a semester with in-person classes?
that. We’re not hoping for anything. All the hope in the world and $3.66 will buy you an LA Times these days. We are going to help achieve that goal through our work as student journal ists. By accurate reporting on the stories that matter; of ask ing questions, especially the tough ones; of documenting and chronicling and writing stories that in some way big or small capture something about what it means to be at this university in this place and at this time. By using our voice. One that whether it is speaking truth to power or giving voice to the voiceless, lavishing praise or raising just a little bit of hell, is the voice of the student body at this university.
As someone who wasn’t local, but was living off cam pus, I wanted to find a sense of familiarity and belonging to something. I quickly became involved as a podcast host with KDHR, the school’s radio station sponsored by the Associated Students Incorpo rated.
women to have a podcast and almost hosted a KDHR Take over event taking place in late March of 2020, until it was canceled.TheCOVID-19 pandemic hit us like a train. We were just adapting and it felt as if our work was for nothing. Still, we did our best. It felt surreal, experiencing college like this. With mainly online classes and work consuming most of my time, I was feeling unfulfilled. I knew that the pandemic was an obstacle, but I was still seeing organiza tions be active virtually. That was when I knew I had to get involved.Inthe Spring of 2021, I joined Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, Incorporated, before we began in person classes again.
55: number of housing in secure and homeless students provided case management and emergency funding for hotel and dorms stays through basic needs in 2021-22.
PERSPECTIVES CSUDH BULLETIN2 WEDNESDAY, Month 00, 2020
Melissa Melgar Garcia Javier Perez Leah SteveyJosephBrendaDanielKimberlyQuinteroResendizRiveraSanchez-BarreraSankerWilliams
At the end of the day, the
Due to my involvement on campus I find it safe to say that I am not fearful of life after graduation. I have net working experience and skills in areas even beyond my field of study, to the point in which I am proud of my resume.
But considering class es weren’t delayed for two weeks, as they were in Spring 2022, parking lots are full and Greeks are assembled on the east walkway, this feels like a real college campus for the first time in far too long a timeThe original idea for the first issue of the Bulletin this semester was to try to tell the story of that campus over those 899 days, but through numbers. Sort of similar to what Harper’s does with its index every month. We did some research and reached out to campus organizations and we got numbers. Lots of numbers. Some dealing directly with the impact of the
1: number of additional mental health counselors, February 2020-April 2021.
access to their own HWRC facilities and at last CSUDH will too. Felipe expressed how Cal Poly Pomona and some CSU’s have similar facilities but are nowhere near what we will
“We worked really hard as a team to educate the student body as a whole and make them feel as included and involved as possible,” former Athletic Liaison for the ASI, Katrina Felipe said.
But though a clear majority of 53 percent voted in favor of raising tuitions in the semes ter the center opens (currently projected as fall, 2026), the vote was hardly a landslide.
Spagna’s email contained the only other campus-wide notification since last semester of the continued mask man date from Deborah Wallace, vice president of administra tion and finance.
previously held the position Co-chair on the student en gagement team and worked unanimously with select students from different social and academic groups on cam pus to push the referendum.
In order to attain necessary funding to support construc tion and operational costs, students attending Fall 2026 will see a $215 increase in tu ition. The increase may differ for shorter sessions. and may differ for shorter sessions. The intent of the referendum was to get the students permission to increase tuition.
On the CSUDH Linkedin page an update was posted regarding the turnout and a former alumni stated how this new center will be an amazing place for students to utilize. Others shared their pride in their alma mater and how this is long overdue.
11 email to students. She also explained that CSUDH was keeping the mask mandate because it was following the Los Angeles County Health Department’s Institutions of Higher Education protocols, which highly recommend masks for all persons in indoor settings.
O’Donnell said considering most instructors and students are returning to campus after a three-month summer break in which they didn’t have to follow any masking protocols, some confusion is to be expect ed..
*Testing kits are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in room A-120 in the Student Health Cen ter. It is advised to access the Student Health Center from the back of the building so as to limit any possible social interactions..Formore COVID-19 related information and updates, visit the Toros Together website.
Center of Attention
Mask
NEWSCSUDH BULLETIN 3WEDNESDAY, Month 00, 2020
voice this past Spring 2022.
The team will reconvene in the future, possibly for future infrastructure projects invol ing the student’s best inter est. Current students and staff can follow @getcenteredtoros on Instagram to learn more.
By any measure, the studemt referendum this April that finalized financing of an $85 million Health, Wellness and Recreation Center will have a an enormous effect on the student experience at CSUDH..
A team of influential stu dents from different groups on campus were put together to engage and educate the CSUDH community to cast their vote and share their
pushed to get this created,” Ogbonna said, “I know there’s some students that may not see the utility in this but along the line in the future it should be something to be proud of. To be able to say my voice was a part of this! I voted for this!”
“It’s not just the recreation center where you can go to work out. It’s somewhere where you can go get your mind together. You can zen out, find mindfulness, med itate, make healthier deci sions for your life now and then build on those healthy decisions and habits for your future,” Felipe said.
“As we prepare for the start of a new academic year, health and safety remains a top pri ority for our campus commu nity,” Wallace said in her Aug.
not, and consistency matters.”
Here are some other com ponents of the campus mask and COVID-19 policies:\
*Mask dispensers have also been placed near elevators or in entryways of buildings that do not have elevators.
Just like any other past infrastructure projects which involve students such as the LSU building required current students to vote for future students.
“The student engagement team had heavy input through every stage of the design pro cess. It was brought to us and we would observe, analyze and give our feedback on it and they would fix it accord ing to that within reason,” Mancio said.
From 1
“Our field house is very small and mostly dedicated to the athletes on campus. We needed something to serve the student population as a whole and the Athletic Association too, because that field house that we have can only really hold one team at a time, and that’s not doing the service to our school,” Felipe said.
Everyone had a role and collaborated together to find the best way to get the infor mation out with the time they were given. From there the student engagement team was created with the help of Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr.William Franklin.
“Realistically, I think that confusion will be with us for a while, and so you’re likely to see more occasional remind ers, and not just by email,” he said. “ For half a year our policy hasn’t changed, but off campus people get used to different expectations.”
Other CSUs in LA County, in Long Beach, Los Ange les and Northridge are also requiring students and staff to wear masks in classrooms and laboratories.CSUDHVice Provost Ken
Digital Rendering, Aerial View
One of the people who pushed for the center the hardest, Associated Student Inc., Presiedent Obioha Og bonna, believes that one key reason why 47 percent voted against the referendum was the mistaken impression that the money that will be spent in the future c0uld be spent on resources students need now.“I explained to them—it doesn’t have to be this or that. You aren’t sacrificing your housing needs to get a recre ation center and hindering any future plans. We aren’t taking from you to build this, the state has already invested so it’s there for you to see how much you want to invest in yourself,” said Ogbonna.
“As ASI President last year one of my goals was to make sure that students had a proper voice and in order to do that they needed a proper space as well, that was run by students” Mancio said.
From the estimated cost to build the HWRC an ap proximate $20 million was gathered from the $60 million budget administered to CSUDH through the Gov. Gavin Newsom 2021 state budget. The funds are intend ed to be invested in different infrastructure projects to better the aesthetic and foun dation of the campus.
It is estimated the facili ty will cost $85 million but will offer 83,000 square foot space dedicated to overall health and wellness, with a wide range of amenities and resources for Toros to utilize.
Although the center is not set to open for another 4 years Felipe shared the importance of why voting now for future students is necessary. She explained that we are leav ing a legacy on campus and by making this decision now for the future of future toro’s we are setting them up for success.
*If a student forgets their mask, they can pick one up between 8 a.m., and 5 p.m.at the Physical Plant near parking lot seven, the Residence Hall Commons, the Student Health Center located next to Welch Hall and the Toro Welcome Center.
According to the voter information guide the facility will have recreational spac es including two basketball and volleyball courts, a multi activity court, an entirely new 9000 square foot fitness cen ter, a 6000 square foot well ness center, indoor jogging track, study and relaxation spaces, and much more.
“And when involving stu dent tuition, you need the stu dents’ permission to increase it,” former ASI President and Co-Chair of Student Engage ment Team, Jonathan Molina Mancio said.
Both Mancio and Felipe
Thehave.facility will be next to the torodome and the field house located near the tennis courts which will be knocked down in order to begin con struction. When construction will begin is still in question due to financial reasons and final design decisions.
Hopefully, this new state of the art Health, Wellness and Recreational center can boost future student enrollment.
The team worked closely with Dr. Franklin and design ers who came up with the con ceptual renderings provided to showcase the potential look of the HWRC.
By Saida Maalin Staff Reporter
*Individual departments may not enforce different or additional COVID-19 safety protocols that exceed the cam pus protocols.
Page
“We needed the students’ involvement to pass this because it involved student tuition,” Felipe said.
“Alumni who I have spoken to that didn’t have an LSU are so proud of this building because it’s their voice that
Other CSU campuses have gotten the experience to have
By Kimberly Resendiz Staff Reporter
In fact, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. according to the CDC. Approximately 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.
Sunscreen with a mini mum of SPF 30 is recom mended along with reap plying every two hours for ongoing protection especial ly when being exposed to sweat and water.
Erick Molina, a freshman at CSUDH, mentioned that taking the bus can be chal lenging since he has to wait for the bus to arrive, although it does take him to his des tination. In addition, paying for the bus can be expensive since Molina takes two buses, spending around $25 per week.With inflation on the rise, saving money is a must. Unfortunately, many students are unaware of the Student Bus Pass CSUDH provides. The Vocational TAP card is a $22 per month card fee for the Fall and Spring semesters compared to the regular price $43 per month. The Vocation al TAP card only applies for the Metro line such as 246, 51, and 53. These bus lines are the common ones used by CSUDH students to get to theirNedveltdestination.Perez, an incom
CSUDH alumna Angela Le thinks more work should go into informing people about how sunscreen can help guard against those harmful raysl.
Ultraviolet radiation comes from the sun and other sources like tanning beds. It can benefit humans by providing Vitamin C, but exposure can also be danger ous.UVB rays cause sunburns, skin cancer, skin aging, and snow blindness (a sunburn to your cornea that causes a temporary loss of vision) and can lower your body’s ability to fight illness,” ac cording to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
“I think education regard ing how it prevents aging and skin cancer should be made more public to the general population since many believe you only need it when you are spending a considerable amount of time outdoors,” she said.
Mineral or natural sun screens are believed to be safer for humans, but they don’t absorb into the skin as smooth as chemical sun screen due to it sitting on top of the surface.
Based on the CSUDH website, some requirements must be met to qualify for the College/Vocational discount. For example, the student must provide a full-face pho to, official photo ID, and proof of enrollment.
Chavez relied on the Metro line and sometimes took an Uber or Lyft due to the bus schedule delay. She was a fulltime student attending school Monday through Thursday, and would spend around $20 per week on public transpor tation.Public transportation can be cheaper using it on a dayto-day basis instead of using a car or paying for an Uber, but it definitely has a negative impact as well.
If the student is a graduate, they must have eight units minimum for three consec utive months in the current term to apply.
Vocational TAP helps students stay on budget as inflation rises
Photo: Kimberly Resendiz
There are a variety of sun screens that cater to people’s needs including their skin type and age. For instance, there are mineral or chemi cal sunscreens.
Based on the College Board website, transportation takes up almost 20% of students’ income. Students who take public transportation are saving money in the long run but with the Vocational TAP card they will be saving much more money. After all, being a college student on a budget can be challenging.
ing freshman at CSUDH, was unaware of the Vocational TAP but he is considering applying for it. Perez is aware of inflation and said, “I feel as if inflation will affect me only slightly since I take the bus to school and back twice a week, but for other students it will have a bigger effect consider ing most of them go to school for most of the week.”
For more information about the Vocational Tap card, follow the link below. You can also contact them via email, rideshare@csudh.edu or phone call, (310) 243-2893.
Many might assume young people like students don’t need sunscreen be cause they are generally more healthy, but skin can cer can happen at any age.
the person to arrive late to their destination. In other cases, there can be people that make one feel unsafe, it can be dirty, or seats are not available.
If the student is an un dergraduate, they must have 12 units minimum for three
protection.
The application must be completed first. Once the stu dent receives their TAP card, a request must be submitted via the student’s email. The office will verify the student’s eligibility with instructions. Students must then visit the Cashier’s Office, complete payment, and load their TAP card. Every month the student will have to pay a monthly processing fee.
LIFESTYLE CSUDH BULLETIN4 WEDNESDAY, Month 00, 2020
“I put sunscreen on my face every morning and I try to reapply when I’m out in the sun all day but it’s not exactly every two hours,” CSUDH sophomore Corrine Judisch admitted.
The record-breaking heat wave we just went through might have been positive in one respect: as a reminder of the importance of wearing sunscreen to prevent sun burn along with other health issues.
At times, public transporta tion can be unreliable, causing
It is recommended that students apply a month prior because the verification pro
Although she feels like sunscreen is beneficial and a necessity, she doesn’t always wear it and tends to not reapply for further sun
Chavez would rely on two buses or sometimes one if she decided to walk part of her commute.
cess takes from two to three weeks to complete.
“I tend to look for sun screens that are chemical based rather than min eral because I’m a dark er-skinned individual who doesn’t want to deal with a white cast,” Lashea Burgess, CSUDH senior, said.
Besides applying sun screen, wearing protective clothing, limiting sun expo sure, and staying away from tanning beds will further prevent getting skin cancer.
Sunscreen, A Healthy Essential for Preventing Skin Cancer
consecutive months in the current term to apply.
By Yennifer Ho Staff Reporter
As a former California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) student, Carina Melgoza Chavez, understands the struggle of taking public transportation to school. Her commute would vary from one hour up to one hour and 30 minutes, depending on the bus schedules and traffic.
CSUDH student waiting for metro bus 51 on a Thursday afternoon.
The Toros limped into the CCAA playoffs as the lowest seed and now faced tourna ment host and no. 3 seed, Chi co State, in a single-elimina tion game on May 11. This day was one of the most intense four days in CSUDH athletics history and had the Toros nine outs away from claiming their first CCAA championship.
CSUDH was tasked with playing the #1 seed, Cal State Monterey Bay team, who had taken three out of four games from the Toros in Carson three weeks prior to the tournament. The Toros never said die as they rallied with three runs in the ninth inning to take the lead and eventually hold off the Otters 5-4. CSUDH capi
The 2022 CSUDH baseball team apparently felt it needed to make up for lost time. How else to explain the fact that after having its 2021 season canceled, the Toros decided to play three California Collegiate Athletic Association seasons in 2022?Atleast it felt that way. Season one covered the first half of conference action. After sweeping a doubleheader on a blustery day at Chico State to give the tenth ranked Wildcats only their third and fourth losses at home, the Toros were 16-7, three games behind conference leader Cal State Monterey.Season two began the next day. After erasing a four-run deficit and scoring three in the top of the ninth to take an 11-8 lead, the Toros surrendered six runs in the bottom of the inning.That was the first of 13 losses over their last 17 regu lar season games, including a season-ending sweep by Cal Poly Pomona.
Relegated to the losers bracket, CSUDH faced off against Cal State San Ber nardino which proved to be a cakewalk to the championship game for a rematch with Cal Poly Pomona. Seven dominant innings by Toro Starter Hum berto Chiquito and two home runs (one was a grandslam) by shortstop Scott Ogrin who led the way for the first conference championship game since 2015 for Cal State Dominguez Hills.
season, by their captain and shortstop, Scott Ogrin. Ogrin took home Co-MVP of the conference tournament after tying two conference records for most RBI in a single game (6), and most homeruns in a game (2). Ogrin led the CCAA in regular season homeruns (24) and also set the CSUDH individual record for homer uns in a single season.
The #6 seeded Toros handled the #3 seeded Wildcats 11-5 in the winner take all game behind six and two thirds of two-run ball from their ace Isaac Mullins and advanced them from lose and go home to double elimination play throughout the rest of the playoffs.
After having lost already once in the tournament, the lowest seed Toros would have had to defeat the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos twice to capture their first conference championship in school histo ry. Back-to-back bombs in the third inning by seniors Pierson Loska and Scott Ogrin had the Toros believing in the impos sible. Which ended up being exactly just that as their three run lead was wiped away the very next inning in the fourth
(From top) :senior pitcher Isaac Mullins, all-CCAA; senior Scott Ogrin, second-team All-American; Albert Luevano, Pierson Loska, Humberto Chiquito, Ogrin, all CCAA Tournament.
An overall extremely suc cessful season for Cal State Dominguez Hills and Head Coach, Tyler Wright, who com ing into this season was 82-135 overall and 68-112 in the CCAA (.378 winning percentage) with no CCAA tournament bids.
talized on costly mistakes as an opening walk and an error by the left fielder allowed the toros to tie and take the lead after being down 3-2 to begin the ninth.
A tale of two seasons for the Toros as the first half of the year, they jumped out to a 16-7 record in CCAA play and finished the regular season losing 13 out of 17 games to finish with an overall record of 28-27 and 20-20 in CCAA play. Strong play from the bats carried the team at times while the pitching staff struggled to hold leads late in games.
The Toros were led in the postseason, as they were all
In the CCAA tournament, the lowest seeded Toros were matched up with tournament host Chico State to begin play.
The Toros advanced to the semi-finals where they faced off against Cal Poly Pomona. A 3-1 lead evaporated in the seventh inning as an unfor tunate common occurrence would happen, the bullpen could not hold the lead. The Broncos scored four, two, and one in the seventh, eighth, and ninth off of the Toro bullpen to secure an 8-5 victory and bumped the Toros to within one game of elimination.
A Look Back at a Toro Team That Refused to Quit
SPORTSCSUDH BULLETIN 5WEDNESDAY, Month 00, 2020
Wright and his staff produced four All-CCAA tournament team members (Ogrin, Los ka, Humberto Chiquito, and Alberto Luevano), Newcomer of the year (Eric Smelko), three All-CCAA first team members (Ogrin, Smelko, Mullins), and one honorable mention (Alber to Luevano).TylerWright and his team will look to improve on a .500 record in conference play with out their leaders on the field after All-CCAA first teamers Scott Ogrin and Isaac Mull ins, and overall heartbeat of the team, Pierson Loska have moved on after graduating.
Saving Their Best To Last
By Raymond Castillo Staff Reporter
when the Broncos exploded for four runs with all the momen tum in the world. Single runs in the fourth and sixth innings gave the Toros bullpen one last chance to save the game but proved unsuccessful. Four more runs in the seventh in ning by the Broncos cemented the final result of second-place for the Toros.
Photos: CSUDH Athletic Department
Their historic season was one of firsts: their first NCAA West Regional title, tfirst NCAA National Champion ships appearance and first NCAA Division II National Championship World Series appearance.
By Raymond Castillo Staff Reporter
And perhaps most import ant, legendary head coach Jim Maier. who entered the 2022 sesason with a .618 winning percentagez in his 17-years as head cioach, made his first coaching appearance in the World Series,
Legendary Head Coach Jim Maier made his first appear ance in a World Series as a head coach in his 17 years with CSUDH; .618 winning per centage coming into 2022.
After losing the first game of the Super Regional to Cal State San Marcos 3-2 in 10 innings, the Toros came back with a vengeance beating the Cougars 10-2 in six innings and 3-1 to advance to the World Series.
Three times in this uni versity’s nearly 50 year athletic history Toro teams have scaled the ultimates mountain: winning a nation al championship. But even though the 2022 CSUDH softball team did not join the 2000 and 2008 men’s soccer squads, or the 1991 woman’s socceer team, they may have climbed the hjghest.
CSUDH Athletic Department
The Toros showed up in Denver, Colorado for the NCAA Championships and were greeted with the task of taking down the #1 ranked team in all of Division II soft ball, The University of Texas at Tyler. The Toros defeated the Patriots convincingly 5-1 behind two doubles from Jai me and a clutch two-run home run by Maiya Lopez to move on in the tournament.
(Top) Junior Raquel Jamie. NCAA Championship MVP; (upper left) Sophomore Ashley Weis and (upper right) senior Kianna Abellara, NCAA Alll Tournament team.Photos:
Raquel Jaime went six for sev en with five RBI to help secure both victories for Cal State Dominguez Hills and keep the defensive miscues out of focus. Jamie set the NCAA Championship Final Site re cord for most hits with 16.
SPORTS CSUDH BULLETIN6 WEDNESDAY, Month 00, 2020
The Toros went 5-1 in the elimination games, while outsoring their opponents by a whopping 40-25. The Toro pitching staff was led by Soph omore pitcher Ashley Wies, and catcher Maiya Lopez who both made the 2022 NCAA Championship All-Tourna ment Team.
An eight run loss by the Toros set up a gauntlet of three straight elimination games if they wanted to keep their dreams of winning a national championship alive.
A 35-19 record and .534 Division II strength of sched ule got the Toros their auto matic bid to the NCAA West Regionals where they beat Chico State once and Con cordia two out of three times to punch their ticket to the NCAA Super Regional.
A 9-6 victory over Seton Hill that included scoring six runs in the final two frames to give the Toros the lead late set the stage for the Toros to double dip the #18th ranked North Georgia and advance to the World Series. Toro captain
The Toros finished the season with a 45-24 overall record and 23-13 in CCAA play. Led by team captain, Raquel Jaime, the Toros were able to battle through adversity. A car break-in on the road that left much of the team without their belong ings, #4 seed heading into the CCAAtournament, and facing SIX elimination games in the playoffs leading up to the NCAA National Champion ship World Series only banded the Toros even closer.
Upon advancement to the World Series, the Toros were rudely met by the only team to beat them in a two week time period, Rogers State. The Hill cats defeated the Toros earlier in the week giving the Toros their only loss since May 14 versus Concordia. A three home run game for Rogers State in the first game of the World Series with the last one being a walkoff took the wind out of Dominguez Hills’ sails. The Toros lost 6-5 in game one after leading 5-0, and then 6-1 to end their season.
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