Pioneer Points
- May 29, 2013
Our 2012-13 athletics season has come to an end, and what a remarkable year it’s been! This past month was a busy one for Pioneer Athletics as we wrapped up a spring season that saw our many of our student-athletes reach new heights in their respective sports.
The baseball team capped off one of the best seasons in school history during the first weekend in May. With a pair of wins at Cal Poly Pomona, they finished 32-18, matching the CSUEB record for victories. They posted a fifth-place finish in the CCAA and went 23-6 at home, both of which are the best in program history. They placed eight players on the All-Conference teams (another record), led by senior catcher David Castillo, a first-team selection, and junior pitcher Sean Becker, who won CCAA Co-Newcomer of the Year.
This August, the baseball team will have the privilege of traveling to Japan for a week of friendly competition with the Fukuoka Institute of Technology. The trip will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our players to engage culturally with other student-athletes and compete on the international stage. The University is currently accepting gifts for this unique experience for our student-athletes. .
May also included our track team’s visit to Cal State Stanislaus to compete in the program’s second-ever CCAA Championships. Junior Will Weekes had an impressive showing, placing fifth in the 800 meters and running the fifth-fastest time in school history. In addition, junior Daniel Damian posted an eighth-place finish in the 3000 meter steeplechase, while the Pioneers’ 4x400 meter relay team took sixth.
The following week, our men’s golf team finished off a strong spring season with their second straight trip to the NCAA Division II West Regional tournament. Senior Blake Ahlin had an outstanding tournament, shooting three under par and finishing in ninth place overall. The women’s golf team finished with an 11th-place regional ranking, moving closer to qualifying for the NCAA postseason, which features the top 10 teams.
On May 11, we hosted the first Hayward Hills 5k at East Bay. The sold-out event was a tremendous success, with over 200 people coming out on a gorgeous day for the 5k run through campus. It was followed by an expo with food, prizes, and games from our sponsors and awards for the top finishers in every age group. Two days later, Pioneer Athletics hosted our annual fundraiser, the 17th CSUEB Golf Classic at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward. Be sure to visit our to see photos from both events!
The following weekend, we wrapped up the year with our annual student-athlete awards banquet, which gives us a chance to recognize our seniors and celebrate the accomplishments of our athletes in competition and in the classroom. It’s always one of my favorite nights of the year. We presented awards for our Male and Female Athletes of the Year, and this year’s recipients were baseball player Kyle Zozaya and All-American swimmer Jenel Lopez.
Finally, this will be my last edition of ‘Pioneer Points.’ I’m very excited to be retiring and leaving my position as the Director of Athletics. I’ve spent more than 40 years working in collegiate athletics, and the last 12 of them here at Cal State East Bay. Now I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life, but I’ll always consider myself a Pioneer!
I’m extremely pleased that, starting in June, Sara Lillevand Judd will take over as the new Director of Pioneer Athletics. Sara has been at East Bay for 16 years, first as our head women’s basketball coach, and most recently as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Compliance. The university couldn’t pick a better person lead the department, and I’m confident that Pioneer Athletics will reach new heights under Sara’s leadership.
Go Pioneers!