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WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
3-25, 2-18 CCAA
A young squad, the Cal State Dominguez Hills volleyball took its lumps in 2008, but displayed a maturity that will serve them well in 2009. Marissa Anderson was one of the many bright spots for head coach Scott Davenport after leading the Toros with over 2 kills a game, with Ashley Clark following Anderson’s lead at just under 2 kills per game and 26 service aces, good for second on the squad.
After starting the season 0-5, CSUDH clawed out a five-set thriller over Notre Dame de Namur at the UC San Diego Tournament in early September, before picking up its next win against Humboldt State in late October. With signs of improvement starting to show consistently, the Toros took their final win of the season just two weeks later in a 3-1 win over Cal State Monterey Bay.
With just two seniors departing from this year’s team, the 2009 squad features 12 returners and key recruits who should help the Toros take the next step in what is the strongest conference in the nation.
2008 Volleyball Information: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
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CROSS COUNTRY
11th Place CCAA Finish, NCAA West Region
Long distance specialists Liliana Yera and Dora Baldwin were bright spots on a Toro squad that featured just two returning runners. Yera broke the 30-minute mark in the 6K for the first time at the season’s opening meet, the CCAA Preview Invitational hosted by CS San Bernardino, and established another season-low in the following week’s 5K run at the UC Riverside Invite, crossing the finish line in 21:57.9.
Just one week later, three Toros all broke the 30-minute mark in the 6K, led by Yera’s 27:04.16 time in the race to finish 11th, with Dora Baldwin (27:51.65) and Faviola Fernandez (29:31.55) following Yera’s lead.
Yera then lowered her time again the following weekend after a 6K time of 26:43, with Baldwin a close second in a time of 28:52, just off her previous week’s season best. Baldwin then took her turn to lead the Toro distance runners, running her season-best 27:33 in the CCAA Championships to pace the Toro runners. Yera then broke the 30-minute mark for the fifth time this season at the NCAA West Regionals, finishing in 28:29, with Baldwin finishing the 6K race in a time of 29:08 to give the freshman her fourth sub-30-minute finish of the year.
The Toros look to make their mark next season, with 10 letter-winners set to return.
2008 Cross Country Information: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
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MEN'S SOCCER
21-2-4, 10-2-2 CCAA, NCAA National Champions
The men’s soccer team accomplished all but one of its goals during the 2008 campaign, culminating with the 2008 National Championship, its second in the past eight years. Adding the proverbial icing on the cake, head coach Joe Flanagan was tabbed the NSCAA National Coach of the year, while junior defender Kevin Gallaugher added the NSCAA National Player of the Year honors to a laundry list of 2008 awards including two 1st-team All-Americas, two 1st-team All-Regions, three Defensive MVP honors (NCAA Final Four, NCAA West Region and CCAA), a 1st-team All-CCAA honor and a CCAA Player of the Week nod.
After CCAA rival Sonoma State dethroned the two-time CCAA Champion Toros in the CCAA Championship Game in penalty kicks, CSUDH kicked it into high gear as the NCAA postseason commenced, starting with a 3-0 blanking of No. 25-ranked Notre Dame de Namur and a 4-0 win over No. 18th-ranked Cal State L.A. to claim the West Region crown.
A thrilling 2-1 win over No. 3 Midwestern State on a foggy night on Toro Field ensued that sent the Toros to Tampa for the Final Four, where CSUDH survived a classic 3-2 overtime win over host and No. 11 Tampa in the National Semifinals before taking a 3-0 win over No. 12 Dowling (NY) to claim the Championship.
"Complete satisfaction," said a jubilant Flanagan, about the win, and the season. "This team has come together at the right time, played its best soccer at the end of the season and played to its ultimate potential. I can’t be more proud of a team because they played their best in these games that counted most, and that’s all I can ever ask of them."
This marks the second NCAA National Title for the Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s soccer program after the Toros won their first in a 2-1 four-overtime thriller over Barry University in 2000, and the third overall NCAA National Title after the 1991 women’s soccer team claimed the first ever NCAA Championship.
2008 Men's Soccer Information: Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Trophy Tour
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WOMEN'S SOCCER
14-10, 9-5 CCAA, NCAA 2nd Round
The women’s soccer team again was a force with which to be reckoned, as a talented trio of strikers and an all-world keeper all were recognized with All-CCAA awards heading into the CCAA Tournament. In the league playoffs, CSUDH up-ended top-seeded Sonoma State in a dominating 2-0 semifinal win in which the Toros out-shot the Seawolves 18-8, before falling to nemesis and host UC San Diego in the CCAA Championship game.
Qualifying for the NCAA postseason, CSUDH drew CCAA school San Francisco State in the first round, and disposed of the Gators by a 2-1 count, before falling to host Western Washington 1-0, ending the Toros season at 14-10.
Newcomers Melanie DeSalvo (1st-team Daktronics All-Region, 2nd-team NSCAA All-Region, CCAA Newcomer of the Year, 1st-team All-CCAA) and Jessica Murphy (2nd-team NSCAA All-Region, 2nd-team Daktronics All-Region, 1st-team All-CCAA) led the award winners, with senior forward Yvonne Vasquez (2nd-team NSCAA All-Region, 1st-team All-CCAA) and sophomore keeper Alyssa Congdon (2nd-team All-CCAA) rounding out the Toro accolades.
2008 Women's Soccer Information: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
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MEN'S BASKETBALL
22-8, 15-5 CCAA, NCAA 2nd Round, CCAA Regular Season Co-Champions
The men’s basketball team enjoyed its finest season in two decades as it tied the program record for wins in a season en route to earning a share of the CCAA regular season title for the first time in 21 years, also making its first NCAA postseason in 20 years after earning the No. 4 seed in the West Region.
After dropping a first-round decision to Cal State Monterey Bay in the CCAA Championship Tournament, the Toros re-grouped to take a convincing 87-83 win over Central Washington in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, before falling to top-seeded and host BYU-Hawaii in the second round 84-71, in a game that was tied with five minutes remaining in regulation.
Head coach Damaine Powell’s squad featured five seniors who made their respective marks on this season, with Michael Hernandez (NABC 1st-team, Daktronics 2nd-team, All-CCAA 1st team), Jerrell Smith (NABC 2nd-team, All-CCAA 1st team) and Rodney Yearby (All-CCAA 2nd-team) all earning post-season honors. Smith (career blocks) and Jonathan Toliver (career 3-pointers made) took it one step further by both establishing CSUDH career records in their swan songs.
Although losing five seniors this year, the 2009-10 campaign features eight returning letter-winners who know what it takes to win, with a CCAA regular season title under their collective belts.
"Our five starting seniors, through a lot of hard work, turned the program around and took us to new heights," says Powell, reflecting on the tremendous season and what lies ahead.
"We have a good nucleus and we go back to work now. There are teams in our conference that have one good year then go back to the bottom, but our coaching staff likes to compete. We look forward to this experience as we will be successful in the coming years," he closes.
2008-09 Men's Basketball Information: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
21-10, 13-7 CCAA, NCAA 1st Round, CCAA Tournament Champions
Led by CCAA Newcomer of the Year Neka Mixon, who also earned 2nd-team Daktronics and 1st-team All-CCAA honors, as well as fifth-year senior and 1st-team All-CCAA selection Brittney Blankenship, the 2008-09 Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s basketball team left no doubt as to which team reigned supreme in the league’s postseason tournament, outscoring Humboldt State 44-36 in the second half to take home the the CCAA Tournament title, and with it, an automatic berth to the NCAA postseason.
Traveling to Seattle for the first-round game against CCAA rival UC San Diego after the thrill of victory in the tournament, the Toros experienced the agony of defeat at the hands of the Tritons as UCSD survived an exhilarating game in which its star guard tossed up a 20-foot spinning prayer with three Toros surrounding her that hit nothing but net as the buzzer expired, advancing the Tritons to the 2nd round and ending the Toros’ season at 21-10.
Although bidding a fond farewell to four seniors from this year’s squad, head coach Van Girard feels confident the 2009-10 squad has both the talent and experience to make a run at defending its league title, as well as getting deep into the NCAA postseason.
“We lost four players this year, but from our rotation of eight or nine, we have four or five returning players who either started or played significant minutes. We have to add players of course, but with Neka as a starting point, that’s a great place to start,” Girard says with a smile.
2008-09 Women's Basketball Information: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
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BASEBALL
34-23, 23-13 CCAA, NCAA 1st Round
Senior first baseman Jon Alia was the story for the Toro baseball team in 2009, earning multiple awards for not only his performance on the baseball field, but also in the classroom.
The Newbury Park native claimed three All-America awards on the season, including being named the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year, the CCAA Male Scholar Athlete of the Year, and the CCAA Conference MVP in leading the Toros to the NCAA West Region postseason held in Keizer, Oregon, where CSUDH fell in two heartbreakers to see their season come to a close at 34-23, 23-13 CCAA.
In addition to Alia’s honors, two teammates in senior pitcher Matt Hopps and junior utility player Paul-Michael Klingsberg were drafted by Major League Baseball teams in the amateur draft in early June by the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins, respectively, marking the first time since 2003 that CSUDH has had two players called in the MLB draft. One week later, Alia was summoned by the San Diego Padres, keeping his professional playing career alive.
The year also marks the most All-American honors in Toro baseball history. Aside from Alia's three, Carlos Leyva claimed one and Klingsberg two.
Overall, the Toros boasted 6 All-Americans, 13 All-Region selections, 6 All-CCAA, the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region MVP, Daktronics All-Region MVP, NCBWA All-Region MVP, CCAA MVP, CCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the ESPN Academic All-American of the Year.
Statistically the 2009 season was a landmark year for the Toros with three team records on the books (batting average, consecutive home wins and strikeouts) and eight individual single-season records. The Toros also represented their home field well with a 24-4 home record including a season-closing 15-game home winning streak, both groundbreaking marks in Carson.
2009 Baseball Information: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
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SOFTBALL
35-23, 17-15 CCAA
Softball looked to be on its way to both the CCAA and NCAA postseason, needing only one win in its final regular series of the season to most likely solidify both spots. However, CSUDH suffered its first sweep of the year on its trip to Cal State Stanislaus, depriving the Toros of postseason play.
Senior ace Regina Farfan was dominant in the circle after notching 25 wins en route to 1st-team All-Region and 1st-team All-CCAA honors, as well as a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Pitcher of the Week award, her first and only the second such honor garnered in the storied softball program. The Chino native logged 264.2 innings of work, fanning 107 batters to accompany her 2.12 ERA and twice was named the CCAA Pitcher of the Week.
True freshman Emiley McEwen made her presence felt immediately on her way to CCAA Freshman of the Year honors and a 2nd-team nod, while Liz Vazquez joined Farfan on the 1st-team after spending most of the year atop the NCAA list for being the hardest batter to strike out.
The two Katies, Garcia and Jordan, also earned 2nd-team honors, marking the 3rd All-CCAA honor for each outfielder as the defensive duo combined for just three errors in 112 chances, while Jordan led the teams with 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts, with Garcia tallying a team-best 13 doubles. Newcomer Amber Angel emerged as a force late in the season with 10 doubles and 8 home runs, two bombs shy of tying the CSUDH single-season record for home runs.
Head coach Jim Maier achieved a personal milestone after picking up win No. 300 on March 17, in a 12-0 rout of Cal State San Bernardino. Next year the Toros return nine letter-winners in hopes of making the NCAA postseason for the sixth time in eight years, and continuing to average over 35 wins a season under their skipper.
2009 Softball Information: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
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MEN'S GOLF
8th Place CCAA Finish
The men’s golf team enjoyed a fine overall season, with two newcomers blazing a trail for next season’s success. Newcomer Cavin McCall was a major bright spot after posting the team’s lowest average of 77.90, including a low score of 69 over the first round at the CCAA Championships during the final 18, good for a 19th place overall finish. In addition, McCall placed a 5th-place finish at the CS Monterey Bay hosted Otter Invitational in mid-March, solidifying his place as the team’s top golfer.
Another junior newcomer in Kenneth Roberts, as well as senior Kevin Ritter also shot under 80 on average, as both linksters placed their best respective finishes during the CCAA Championships.
Next season will return five letter-winners including McCall and Roberts, as Keith Johnson, Sal Del Toro and Ben Araya are set to return, with Johnson and del Toro both shooting low scores of 73 during the season, tying for second best behind McCall amongst next year’s returners.
Head coach Dr. John Johnson also found himself busy as a feature in the Los Angeles Times, as well as pieces on both KABC and KCBS, kept Dr. J in the limelight throughout the golf season.
2009 Men's Golf Information: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
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WOMEN'S INDOOR/OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
8th Place CCAA Finish, NCAA T-51st
The track and field season served as a highlight reel for sophomore Chanel Parker, who claimed two All-American honors in 2009.
The sophomore speedster made her mark early by winning her first All-American award at the Indoor Championships in the 60-meter hurdles, and held the 8th-fastest time in the nation in the 100-meter hurdles heading into the Outdoor Championships in late May.
In Outdoor, Parker doubled her All-American total by picking up her second after placing 7th in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 13.97, becoming the first Toro to earn multiple All-America awards since the 2004-05 season, when Lynnae Samuels (three) and Marcia Fenton (two) last accomplished the feat.
Parker also held a provisional mark in the 100 meter dash but just missed gaining entry into the Outdoor Championships, while freshman Dora Baldwin also barely missed qualifying with her 400 meter time of 56.50, the 28th fastest time in the nation.
2009 Track & Field Information: Roster | Schedule
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