WINTER 2010

-SPECIAL EXTENDED EDITION

-Women’s Cross-Country Repeats as National Champions!

-Fall Season Recaps

-Message from the AD

Message from the Athletic Director

Back-to-Back National TitlesCSUSM Women’s Cross-Country Repeats as NAIA National Champions!

There are few things more difficult than to live up to impossibly high expectations and repeat as a champion.

This makes the accomplishments of Coach Steve Scott’s 2010 Cal State San Marcos women’s cross-country team all the more impressive.

CSUSM was the surprise national champion in 2009, coming in to the meet in Fort Vancouver, Washington ranked #2 nationally but having never won a title.

outstanding top-to-bottom depth. The Cougars took over the #1 spot in the polls following their win at the Biola Invitational, and continued on to win their last five meets of the season.

At the A.I.I. Conference Championships, CSUSM dominated on its home course, winning for the third straight year. It was a breakout race for Thompson, who ran 17:42 to finish second in the field to lead the team for the first time. Sandoval finished right with her, and Cornwell took fourth in the field. Villarreal

That changed when, on the wet and muddy course, the Cougars eked out the closest victory in the history of the NAIA Women’s Cross-Country National Championship.

So, with that establishing the expectations for the 2010 season coupled with the squad losing its #1 runner (All-American Dallon Williams, a senior in 2009), the odds were stacked against Coach Scott’s squad.

CSUSM entered the 2010 season ranked #2, and immediately started taking shape.

and Schryver rounded out the team’s top-five, and CSUSM cruised to a decisive victory over #4-ranked Simon Fraser.

Heading back to Fort Vancouver for the National Championships, the race was looking like a toss-up between the top-three teams: Azusa Pacific, Biola, and CSUSM. Coach Scott came in hoping five of his runners could place in the top-50, which would give the squad a chance to repeat.

They would do that and more. Villarreal delivered her best

The story of the early season was Jennifer Albright, a senior who had battled through adversity to become the team’s improbable #1 runner early on. Albright finished tops on the team at UC Irvine and Pomona Pitzer, giving the squad a nice early-season boost.

Returner Jessica Sandoval was rock-solid throughout the season, finishing in the team’s top-three in every meet and leading the squad three times.

performance of the season at the best possible time, finishing in 14th place (8th for team scoring purposes) with a time of 18:18 to once again earn All-American status.

Not far behind was Thompson, who continued her string of clutch performances with another one at Nationals. She earned All-American status as well with a time of 18:30.

While Thompson was last season’s x-factor, this year it was Schryver, who delivered her best performance as a a Cougar. Schryver took 30th place with a time of 18:33, becoming an All-American.

Sandoval was close behind, capping off the team’s most consistent season with a 32nd place finish. Rounding out the top five was Cornwell, placing 45th to secure the team victory.

After winning by a slim three points last season, CSUSM won by a hefty 39 in 2010. CSUSM won as a true team, giving the University its second ever national championship! Ways to follow your CSUSM Cougars

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Kelly Thompson, who came through as the x-factor last year at Fort Vancouver, started slow but built up as the season went on, peaking at the right time. Same with junior Cady Villarreal, who was an All-American last season, and junior Carol Schryver, who came on very strong at the best possible time.

New addition Suzanne Cornwell proved to be huge, and freshmen Chelsey Cortez and Michelle Cruz had nice debut seasons as well.

As the year progressed, it became clear how Coach Scott’s squad would capture its second national title. While the team lacked a breakaway #1 runner, it had

As we wind down the fall semester we can reflect and be grateful again on what a successful season CSUSM athletics’ has had.

Women’s Cross Country pulled off the remarkable task of winning its second straight NAIA National Cross Country Championship. Not only was it a back-to-back championship for the team, the margin of

victory was nearly 40 points! I liken this to a John Wooden quote, “To win takes talent; to repeat takes character”. Our team is full of character! The Men’s Cross Country team also had a fine performance finishing 12th at the NAIA National Cross Country Championship.

Both men’s and women’s soccer had another tremendous year. The women went 10-2-5 while the men were 12-4-2. Both teams made it to post season play at the AII Tournament and return a strong nucleus for next year.

As we look forward to spring semester there is more excitement around the corner. As you are reading this, we are finishing up work on the new CSUSM Baseball Field to start play in January. Like our new Softball Field last year, this will be a tremendous new addition to our program. Having a home field is crucial for competition and for recruiting! Our athletic facility complex is starting to take shape. Softball will be hosting the AII Tournament this year as a result of winning last year’s conference championship. In addition, both golf and track teams have high expectations for the spring season.Without trying to look forward too much, we are also preparing for next fall’s arrival of volleyball and basketball. Recruiting is in full swing and schedules are almost complete. You can follow all this progress on csusmcougars.com.

This is truly an exciting time for CSUSM athletics. This much growth during a tough economy is certainly challenging, but we know we are headed in the right direction. We have a promising future in the NCAA and CCAA if we can continue in the current manner. To continue with this growth we must rely on external support from friends, parents, alumni and the business community. Now more than ever, if you are not a member of the Cougar Athletic Club, I encourage you to join today. This is the means by which you can support our student-athletes in their quest for excellence in athletics and academics at CSUSM. We need your help! Thank you for your ongoing support and we look forward to seeing you this spring.

Tom SeitzDirector of Athletics

Women’s SoccerOverall: 10-2-5, ranked #12

8/27 Daemen College 2-0 W8/31 Vanguard University 1-1 T9/3 Judson University 4-0 W9/5 Oklahoma Christian 3-1 W9/8 Master’s College 0-1 L9/11 Westmont College 0-0 T9/12 Hastings 1-0 W9/15 Point Loma 0-0 T9/18 Biola 0-0 T9/23 Concordia 1-1 T10/7 Soka 6-0 W10/9 Chapman 5-1 W10/13 San Diego Christian 5-0 W10/17 UC Santa Cruz 3-1 W10/23 Embry-Riddle (AZ) 2-0 W10/27 Marymount College 4-0 W11/12 Thomas (GA) 0-1 (F)

Men’s SoccerOverall: 12-4-2

8/31 Vanguard 0-2 L9/1 Pomona Pitzer 2-0 W9/3 Oklahoma Christian 2-1 W9/5 MidAmerica U. 1-2 L9/8 Master’s College 0-0 T9/11 Westmont College 1-2 L9/15 Point Loma 3-1 W9/18 Biola 1-1 T9/23 Concordia 2-0 W10/7 Soka 2-0 W10/13 San Diego Christian 4-0 W10/17 UC Santa Cruz 1-2 L10/20 Chapman 2-1 W10/23 Embry-Riddle 5-2 W10/27 Marymount College 3-0 W10/31 La Sierra 1-0 W11/10 Thomas (GA) 3-2 W11/11 Simon Fraser (BC) 1-4 L

Men’s Cross-CountryRanked #7, finished 12th at Nationals

September 11 @ U.C. Irvine Invitational-Team: 5th place; Individual: Western Nelson - 8th

September 18 @ U.C. Riverside Invitational-Team: 8th place; Individual: Western Nelson - 36th

October 2 @ Pomona Pitzer Invitational-Team: 1st place; Individual: Western Nelson - 1st

October 16 @ Cougar Challenge-Team: 1st place; Individual: Western Nelson - 4th

October 23 @ Biola Invitational-Team: 1st place; Individual: Western Nelson - 4th

November 6 @ A.I.I. Conference Meet-Team:1st place; Individual: Brett Campfield - 1st

November 20 @ NAIA National Championships-Team: 12th place; Individual: Western Nelson - 7th

Women’s Cross-Country#1-Ranked National Champions

September 11 @ U.C. Irvine Invitational-Team: 3rd place; Individual: Jennifer Albright - 12th

September 18 @ U.C. Riverside Invitational-Team: 8th place; Individual: Jessica Sandoval - 34th

October 2 @ Pomona Pitzer Invitational-Team: 1st place; Individual: Jennifer Albright - 3rd

October 16 @ Cougar Challenge-Team: 1st place; Individual: Jessica Sandoval - 2nd

October 23 @ Biola Invitational-Team: 1st place; Individual: Jessica Sandoval - 5th

November 6 @ A.I.I. Conference Meet-Team: 1st place; Individual: Kelly Thompson - 2nd

November 20 @ NAIA National Championships-Team: 1st place; Individual: Cady Villarreal - 14th

The Cougar Athletic Club

www.csusmcougars.comFor the most up-to-date news and results for all your Cougar teams

Junior forward Lauren Johnson broke the CSUSM women’s soccer single-season scoring record this year, recording 10 goals. She earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team for the second straight season.

Despite not finishing first on the team in any prior race this season, Cady Villarreal came through huge for Cougar cross-country at Nationals, placing 15th in the field to earn All-American status and lead the team to its second straight national title.

Sod is being added this week on the CSUSM Baseball Field! The field is expected to be ready for play for the Cougars’ first scheduled home game, January 28th at 2:00 PM against Vanguard University.

Join the Cougar Athletic Club today! The CAC is the primary fundraising organization for Cal State San Marcos Athletics, and your donation of any size will help our student-athletes compete at the highest level! Become a member by making your donation today, log on to www.csusmcougars.com and click the Cougar Athletic Club link for more information.

www.csusmcougars.comSTUDENTS: You can become a member of the Cougar Athletic Club simply by signing up at our Office in The Clarke! Do so today and receive a 20% Mr. Taco gift card, and be entered to win an iPad!

2010 CSUSM Cougar Scramble a Smashing Success!

It’s safe to say that the third annual CSUSM Cougar Scramble Golf Tournament was the best yet, with a jam-packed field of 144 golfers taking the course at beautiful The Crosby in Rancho Santa Fe to raise money for CSUSM student scholarships. Between golfers, sponsors, and auctions, over $40,000 was raised to benefit student-athlete scholarships and go towards the Alumni Association Endowed Schoalrship.

“The tournament was a tremendous success because of the hard work and cooperation of many Cougar supporters and staff,” commented Athletic Director Tom Seitz. “The funds from the event will go towards athletic scholarships to allow us to remain competitive in recruiting quality student-athletes to CSUSM.”

Thank you to our sponsors:

2010 CSUSM Cougar Scramble a Smashing Success!

It’s safe to say that the third annual CSUSM Cougar Scramble Golf Tournament was the best yet, with a jam-packed field of 144 golfers taking the course at beautiful The Crosby in Rancho Santa Fe to raise money for CSUSM student scholarships. Between golfers, sponsors, and auctions, over $40,000 was raised to benefit student-athlete scholarships and go towards the Alumni Association Endowed

“The tournament was a tremendous success because of the hard work and cooperation of many Cougar supporters and staff,” commented Athletic Director Tom Seitz. “The funds from the event will go towards athletic scholarships to allow us to remain competitive in recruiting quality student-athletes to CSUSM.”

by Kyle Trembley

Face each day with the expectation of achieving good, rather than the dread of falling short.

-- Shannon Miller

A season comprised of new challenges welcomed the 2010 Cal State San Marcos women’s soccer team. With the loss of six seniors who started the program back in 2006 the dynamic of the team changed - but the young squad rapidly excelled. Many key contributors who fueled last year’s success returned, and a strong freshman class paid immediately dividends. CSUSM women’s soccer finished their 2010 season with an impressive 10-2-5 record, with their only losses of the season coming on a controversial overtime call against Master’s, and by forfeit for a post-season roster mistake against Thomas in the A.I.I. Tournament.

After a spirited run to the 2009 A.I.I. Conference Finals, the Cal State San Marcos men’s soccer team said goodbye to eight seniors. With an almost entirely different roster, could this year’s squad even approach the success of last year’s? In short, yes. CSUSM wrapped up its 2010 season with the best record in the team’s five year history, finishing with a 12-4-2 overall mark.

The Cougar men hit their stride early with wins at Pomona Pitzer (2-0) and in Prescott, Arizona against Oklahoma Christian (2-1), as well as a scoreless tie in their home opener against national runner-up Master’s College. Throughout the season, the close-knit squad continued to overcome adversity, bouncing back from every setback to avoid a single two-match losing streak during the entire season.

Following a loss at Westmont, the team responded with a five-match unbeaten streak, including a win against #25-ranked Concordia. The team consistently worked hard to excel both offensively and defensively, persevering for the remainder of the season to get some memorable results, most notably tallying clutch wins against Point Loma (3-1) and conference rival Embry-Riddle (5-2).

The Cougars closed out their regular season with an 11-3-2 record and qualified as the #5-seed in the six-team Association of Independent Institutions Conference Tournament. Despite a rough start against #4 Thomas in their opening match, CSUSM came back and won in 3-2 in overtime to advance to the A.I.I. Tournament

2009 was shaping up as a historic season for CSUSM men’s cross-country. After pulling off an emotional win at the A.I.I. Championships on their home course, the Cougars entered the national championships at Fort Vancouver, Washington ranked #4 in the nation.

But running in tough conditions, the team faltered, finishing all the way back in 17th.Armed with a completely different top-to-bottom squad in 2010, Coach Steve Scott’s team set out to avenge the disappointment of that finish, and accomplished that goal nicely.Heading into the year, predicting how the new-look Cougars would fare was an impossible task. Despite a #10 preseason ranking, it was perfectly reasonable to believe this would be a rebuilding year for the team.

It quickly became apparent that this wasn’t the case. Western Nelson immediately asserted himself as the team’s top runner, posting excellent times in every race this season. Just a freshman, Nelson earned his way to the Track & Field Nationals during the spring, and continued that success in the fall. He finished first on the team in 6 of its 7 meets this season, placing 8th in the field at Irvine, 4th at Biola, and winning at Pomona Pitzer and the Cougar Challenge.

In fact, the only race that Nelson didn’t finish first on the team at was the A.I.I. Conference Championships, where he took second to teammate Brett Campfield. A senior who transferred from Princeton, Campfield made a splash with the Cougars in the spring, earning All-American in both the 1,500 and 800 meter runs. He built up during the fall cross-country season, serving as the reliable #2 runner

#14-ranked CSUSM kicked off the season right with a 2-0 victory at home against Daemen College and followed with a 1-1 tie on the road against #12-ranked Vanguard University. Although the match ended in a draw, the Cougars’ effort demonstrated the toughness and resilience that has been the trademark of the squad for the last couple of seasons. They carried the momentum to Prescott, Arizona, winning 4-0 over Oklahoma Christian and 3-1 over Judson University.

Facing a difficult stretch of games primarily against tough GSAC opponents, CSUSM hit a mid-season scoring drought, tallying just three goals in a six game stretch but still going 1-1-4 thanks to smothering defense. Following a two week break, the Cougars got their second wind and outscored opponents 25-2 in their final six

Semifinals. Less than 24 hours later they were back on the field to face the #2 team in the nation, Simon Fraser, putting forth a valiant effort but ultimately losing 4-1.

It was a very respectable ending to what was a surprising and very positive season for Cougar men’s soccer. “This was one of the most enjoyable teams I have ever coached,” Coach Ron Pulvers said following the Simon Fraser game. “They represent CSUSM with incredible pride, spirit, and class. I am incredibly proud of this group and feel lucky to be their coach.”

The success was thanks to a top-to-bottom team effort. On the back line, starters Jordan Shadeed, Erik Mueller, Richie Kaiser, and Dan Sims were solid throughout the year, combining with keeper Kevin Ernst to hold opponents to barely one goal per game. The midfield was anchored by Bradley Seidenglanz and Jake Kaiser, with Tyler Spitznagel, Panos Kotselas, Alex Rodriguez, and Martin Suarez all contributing in the starting lineup as well. Forwards Max Blumenshine and Warren Ashcroft started for most of the season, with Casey Wootan, Sterling Petersen, and Andrew Podruski helping fuel the Cougar offense throughout the year as well.

CSUSM also got contributions from Cary Cousineau, Turner Ward, Devon Booth, Carlin Kennedy, J.J. Paetow, Anthony Fischer, and Mason Grimes. Keepers Kane Leonard and Kiki Castro were there throughout the year as well.

The young squad’s accomplishments were officially recognized with four players earning spots on the Association of Independent

throughout most of the year and peaking at the Conference Championships, running 24:43 to blow away the field and win the race.

With Nelson and Campfield finishing first and second on the team in nearly every race during the season, spots three through five on the team rotated quite a bit, though Coach Scott’s squad always seemed to come up with three strong performances at each race to fill those slots. Junior Jonathan Alpizar was a consistent contributor throughout his first season as a Cougar.

Freshman Ismael Rodriguez got off to a strong start and contributed early, and junior Lenny Santana posted some strong finishes as well.

Brothers Eddie and Polo Mariscal both had nice seasons back in Cougar blue, and junior Armando Lara developed into a strong runner for the team. Also making appearances in the team’s top-seven at meets during the year were Michael Hansen, Josh Bollinger, and Ryan Jensen.

The Cougars hit their stride during the season, winning at Pomona Pitzer, the Cougar Challenge, and Biola. CSUSM entered the Conference Championships ranked #10, behind #8-ranked British Columbia, but won by a comfortable 13-point margin on the strength of Campfield and Nelon’s 1-2 finishes.

CSUSM moved up to #7 in the polls for the National Championships, with a top-12 finish being a very realistic expectation for the young squad. However, given the disappointment of last year, and the course once again being rugged, there were certainly no guarantees.

regular season games (all wins).

Prior to a 4-0 victory over Marymount College in their final regular season game, the lady Cougars honored their outstanding senior class: Candace Queen, Breanna Brenton, Lucia Asbury, Taylor Ziencina, Taylor Schurman, Brittany Boyce, and Michele Ramirez. This class of seniors played a pivotal role in the program’s success. Captains Taylor Schurman, Michele Ramirez, and Brittany Boyce were the glue that kept the team together by providing superb leadership and motivation. Defenders Candace Queen and Breanna Brenton were a consistent force on the back line. Center Midfielder Taylor Ziencina accentuated the Cougar’s team-first mentality by setting a record with 11 assists this season. Speedy Lucia Asbury played a crucial role as a utility player, with her experience on defense, in the midfield, and at forward.

Institutions All-Conference Team. Coming back from an ankle injury, Bradley Seidenglanz earned a spot on the First Team. Seidenglanz has been a member of the Cougar soccer program since the beginning, and will leave his mark on the program as a dynamic midfielder and team leader, holding team records for goals and points.

Joining Seidenglanz is junior defender Jordan Shadeed, who has proven to be a consistent force on the defensive end as well as a threat in the attack, leading the team with six goals.

Defender Erik Mueller and midfielder Jake Kaiser made their debut as key contributors, as both freshman had exemplary seasons to earn recognition as Second Team All-Conference performers. The two developed strong chemistry on the offensive end late in the season, combining for multiple goals off set pieces.

While this year’s success was a total team effort, the Cougars had a strong foundation in the team’s three seniors: Ernst, Seidenglanz, and Sims. They have been an instrumental force in providing leadership, experience, and composure to the squad. As a starting defender, Sims has stifled many opponents with his physicality and tenacity. Keeper Kevin Ernst holds the CSUSM career record in shutouts, tallying 12 from ’08-’10. And Seidenglanz has led by example on and off the field with his relentless work ethic and dedication.

After refusing to give in to what could have easily been written off as a “rebuilding year” for the program, Coach Ron Pulvers’ team has a lot to be proud of, and even more to look forward to.

The Cougars wouldn’t disappoint, however, placing 12th in the field of the NAIA’s 32 best teams. Nelson led the way, running a fantastic race to finish in 7th place at 25:06 and earn All-American status. Campfield placed second on the team, taking 52nd. Lara (117th), Alpizar (121st), and Eduardo Mariscal (176th) rounded out the team’s top-five, with Polo Mariscal (183rd) and Josh Bollinger (281st) also competing.

While Campfield will be moving on, the core of this young team is set to remain intact for next year, meaning a bright future for Coach Scott’s men’s cross-country team!

The young squad had a tremendous run this season due largely to the team’s chemistry combined with their fierce toughness and competitive edge. Starters Boyce, Ramirez, Brenton and Erin Mulrooney anchored the back line in front of All-American keeper Kaycee Gunion. Among the midfielders were Schurman, Ziencina, Asbury, Kaleigh Dodson, Mary Green, Lauren Misklevitz, Arielle Cohen, Kelly Skvarna, Kelsey Gunion, and Shannon Cox. Starting forwards Lauren Johnson and Shelby Bush dominated in the attack, along with Rachel Schulte, and Natalya Erbel. CSUSM also got contributions from Queen, Kristin Poggioli, Tara Simon, Chelsea Porter, Kaylea Bradley and Rebecca Delaney. Big-time recruits Amy Young and Dani Porter missed most or all of the season with injuries, but both have bright futures in the program.

The lady Cougars were officially recognized

for their achievements on the field, with five players earning spots on the 2010 Association of Independent Institutions All-Conference Team. Junior keeper Kaycee Gunion had another phenomenal run this fall, conceding only three goals in the run of play this season and earning six shutouts. Gunion earned her third straight All-Conference First Team nod and has been named an All-American in her first two seasons as a Cougar. She was the 2009 A.I.I. Conference Player of the Year and is the most decorated student-athlete in CSUSM soccer history.

Joining Gunion on First Team are senior defenders Ramirez and Brenton, who continued their dominance on the back line. Captain Michele Ramirez provided leadership on and off the field, and was a vital force in shutting down opponents. Rock-solid Breanna Brenton was a force defensively and an aerial asset on set pieces, scoring three goals.

Forwards Lauren Johnson and Shelby Bush proved to be a dynamic and dangerous pair in the attack. Johnson had a strong junior year, earning her second consecutive First Team selection with a team record 10 goals this season, including back-to-back hat tricks against Chapman and San Diego Christian. Sophomore Shelby Bush scored six goals and was selected to the Second Team.

While the team’s season ended suddenly on the roster technicality at the A.I.I. Tournament, the lady Cougars had a phenomenal season. Fittingly, the squad won the game it was later forced to forfeit 5-0, and can safely say that they ended this season unbeaten in regulation. With a lot of returning talent and plenty of exciting young players, the future is bright for Coach Ron Pulvers’ Cougar women’s soccer team!

by Clarissa Hidalgo and Kyle Trembley

by Clarissa Hidalgo and Kyle Trembley

by Kyle Trembley

Freshman Western Nelson had a big debut season for the Cougars.(photo by Aaron Jaffe)