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A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE

2019 Volleyball: No. 1 Yotes are National Champions!

Originally posted on csusbathletics.com

DENVER – The No. 1 CSUSB Coyotes put a fitting cap on what was a historic season on Saturday night, claiming the NCAA Division II National Championship and perfect 33-0 record with a 3-1 win over No. 2 Nebraska Kearney in Denver in the National Championship Match from Metro State.
 
The 2019 Yotes ran the table in dominant fashion, claiming the first team national championship, any sport, in school history, and becoming just the third team in NCAA DII Volleyball history to go undefeated.
 
In the final match, the Yotes got out on the right foot with a 25-22 set one win, and after dropping set two in close fashion, 23-25, they snagged set three 25-17 and set four 25-20.
 
The final numbers saw the Yotes punch through 67 kills at a .266 clip against the defensive-minded Lopers.  Alexis Cardoza and Stephanie Doak carried the torch with 20 kills each, as Doak sent the final ball through.  In a rare occasion, the Yotes trailed in blocks, but 63 assists, a career-high 35 from Marlee Nunley and 24 from Mehana Ma'a made up the difference.  The Yotes matched the Lopers on the back line with 67 digs, 27 from Leilia To'omalatai.

Jalyn Hayes supported with seven kills and seven blocks, Lydia Morohunfola had eight kills, and Moira Murphy had five with Mikaela Grove adding four. Finally, Asia Clarke added nine digs and an ace as the Yotes' all-around team effort carried them once again.

The first set was close early before the Yotes put a five-point run on with Cardoza on the serve capped by an ace.  The Lopers got as close as two but the Yotes went sideout to the finish.  The Yotes led set two 23-22, but UNK took the final three points.  The Coyotes were methodical in set three, building a big 18-10 lead.  They took that lead home.  Not wanting to go five, the Yotes fell behind early in set four but fought back immediately.  They took the lead for good at 16-15 on a dump attack from Ma'a.  The Lopers got within two, but consecutive kills from Cardoza, Murphy, and Doak ended the match.

 For the Yotes it was mission accomplished.  After setting out early in the season with the loftiest of goals that required near perfection, the Yotes took it a step further and were in fact, perfect.

2019-20 Academics: Yotes Cap Best Academic Year in Department History

Originally posted on csusbathletics.com

SAN BERNARDINO – After recording the most successful fall and winter quarters in the academic history of CSUSB Athletics, the department and its student-athletes bested that with a third-consecutive record-setting quarter.  All totaled, 2019-20 produced the most successful season in the classroom and competition in department history.
 
The academic year featured unprecedented academic success with true Champion Performance in the classroom.  With the goal of an all-department GPA of above a 3.0, CSUSB programs surpassed that with a 3.4653 Spring Department GPA. 
 
Most impressively over the course of the year, all 10 teams recorded a 3.0 or above cumulative team GPA, a true #10TeamsONEPACK performance.  On the year, the department posted a 3.2403 GPA, another record. Six of the 10 teams improved their GPA from term to term and all 10 posted their highest GPA of the year in the spring quarter even with the challenges presented by the sudden shift to virtual learning. Additionally, 138 student-athletes achieved at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA this past academic year.
 
"2019-20 was a great year academically for CSUSB Athletics," CSUSB Associate Athletics Director for Administration Morgan Walker said. "Despite not being able to play sports, our student-athletes channeled that energy into their academics, thus achieving the highest-ever GPA in one term and the highest GPA ever for an academic year.  I expect the same results for this upcoming year."
 
In the spring, volleyball led the way on the women's side with a 3.659 GPA and the golf team posted a 3.43 GPA on the men's side.  Academic year totals saw volleyball lead women's programs with a 3.43 GPA and golf led the men's side with a 3.292 GPA.
 
RECORD SETTING PERFORMANCE:

• 157 student-athletes posted a 3.0 GPA or better in the spring, up 29 from winter quarter
• 77 earned a 3.7 or better, an increase of 32 from the previous quarter
• 37 perfect 4.0 GPA's, an increase of 23
• 114 student-athletes made the Dean's List with a 3.5 or better GPA in the spring, besting the total of 71 from the record-setting winter quarter

"I am certainly pleased so many student-athletes achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or better," Faculty Athletic Representative, J. Paul Vicknair, said.  "It is a credit to our coaches who support the Division II motto of life in the balance." 

These academic accomplishments paired with the record-setting performances in competition this season, including three ranked teams (volleyball, men's basketball, men's soccer) advancing to the NCAA Tournament with volleyball claiming the first team National Championship in school history, have made it unequivocally the most successful season in CSUSB Athletics history.