INSIDE LMU season and its first-ever WWPA title thanks to a 7-6 win over UC Davis in the championship game. The win set in motion the most successful stretch by any program in LMU history. The Lions would go on to win five straight titles - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 reaching the NCAA National Championship game in 2004 thanks to a win over Stanford in the NCAA semifinals. It was the first time in program history to play in a national championship game at the NCAA Division I level. That same year, men’s soccer earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The Lions compiled a seven game winning streak during the season, including a 1-0 victory at #11 UCLA. It marked the program’s first win over UCLA, who it would face again in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, falling in a heartbreaking 3-2 double overtime decision. The Lions were ranked as high as #16 in the polls and finished the season with a 9-7-2 record.
LMU had climbed as high as sixth in the nation during the season. In 1997, Sarah Noriega became the first player to earn AVCA All-America first-team honors as well as Volleyball Magazine All-America second-team accolades. She was the WCC Player of the Year in 1997 after being named an All-WCC first-team selection for the third consecutive season. Noriega was a threetime All-District VIII honoree, LMU’s Female Athlete of the Year (1997-98), a participant at the U.S. Olympic Festival (1995), a World Games participant, and 2000 Olympian. In her final year as a Lion, Noriega was recognized as the AVCA National Player of the Week twice (Oct. 6 and Nov. 10). On November 7, 1997, Noriega set the NCAA record for most kills in a fourgame match with 47 against San Diego, a mark which still stands today. Second-year Head Coach Frank Cruz guided the Lions to their first WCC title in eight years in 1998. With the nation’s 16th best recruiting class, nearly all of which were freshmen. LMU edged rival Pepperdine by a half game for the conference crown earning the NCAA automatic bid to the West Regional at Stanford. Freshman Michael Schultz nearly no-hit Stanford in the first round (Stanford was ranked No. 2 in the nation) shutting out the Cardinal through the seventh inning. Schultz and freshman catcher Scott Walter were named WCC Pitcher and Player of the Year, the first time in WCC history freshmen from the same school garnered the awards. With their youth, the Lions would become the Lions third team to claim titles in three straight years. They successfully defended their conference crown, defeating Pepperdine in a threegame series for the WCC Championship at Page Stadium. The victory helped LMU
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win back-to-back titles for the first time in program history. LHP Billy Traber led the team and the WCC with 135 strikeouts while earning first-team All-WCC honors. Anthony Angel also earned first-team honors, the only member of the squad to do so in two consecutive seasons. 2000 The new century began with baseball’s continued dominance as they had one of the most complete teams since the 1986 College World Series team. The Lions won their third straight WCC title and their eighth NCAA bid. In 2000, women’s volleyball continued their pursuit of excellence by starting the season on a seven-match winning streak which propelled them to a season-best No. 21 AVCA ranking (Sept. 4). Success of the program has carried over into individual honors as well. Among the program’s top athletes and graduates, Stratos coached Loyola Marymount’s two AVCA AllAmerica first-team honorees, Sarah Noriega (1994-97) and Sarah McFarland (1997-00). As a member of the U.S. National Volleyball team that qualified for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Sarah Noriega became the third Lion to participate in the Olympic Games. Noriega became a key member of the U.S. National team in 1998. She was named team MVP for her efforts that season in 1999. As a member of the 2000 Olympic squad, Noriega finished the summer fourth on the team with 185 kills and a .393 kill percentage. Her serves wreaked havoc for opponents throughout the Summer Games as her 17 service aces ranked second best on the team. In 2001, women’s basketball earned the program’s first postseason tournament bid with an invitation to the NIT, setting up future success for the team. In addition, Edit Pakay won the West Coast Conference with a time of 17:58 in women’s cross country and women’s water polo, who was in just their fourth year of competition at LMU, finished with the program’s first 20-win
Also making waves in 2001 was men’s water polo as they won their first Western Water Polo Association Championship by defeating UC San Diego 4-2 in the final of the annual tournament. The Lions went on to the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championship at Stanford and lost to UCLA 7-5 in the semifinals. They defeated UMass 14-6 in the consolation final to finish third. The men were as dominant in the pool as the women, winning four titles in six years - 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005. In 2002 the women’s soccer team earned their first bid
to the NCAA Tournament and women’s tennis won the program’s first West Coast Conference Championship by knocking off nine-time defending champion and rival Pepperdine. The conference crown gave the Lions the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Also in 2002, the Lions earned their second straight invitation to the NCAA Tournament after winning 14 games in the regular season, including a 2-0 win over #3 UCLA. LMU started the season with an 11-0-2 record, climbing to #7 in the national rankings. As a result of a strong regular season, LMU hosted its first ever postseason game, with the Lions picking up their first NCAA Tournament victory with a 1-0 win over Cal State Northridge. Andres Murriagui and Arturo Tor-