After helping to lead the CSUDH men’s soccer team to their best season in years, Toro sophomore midfielder Sulaiman Bah won the Division II Conference Commissioners Association West Region Player of the Year for the 2022 season. He became the first CSUDH player to win the award.
Bah finished the season with 18 goals and 12 assists, establishing a new CSUDH single-season scoring record. Seven of his goals were match-winners, which ranked first among all players in NCAA Division II.
A native of Sierra Leone, Bah graduated from Laguna Blanca High School in Santa Barbara, Calif., before attending CSUDH. “Winning player of the year was a special moment to me and my family,” said Bah in accepting the award.
“It shows that all the work I put in over the years is paying off,” he continued. “Not being able to have a season in 2020 [due to the COVID-19 pandemic], I still dedicated myself to work out and train every day to prepare for moments like this. I will cherish this season for the rest of my life, and will use this to inspire others, especially little kids, to always work hard and believe in themselves.”
Under head coach Eddie Soto, the Toros enjoyed their best season in years in 2022. The team finished with an overall record of 15-2-5, with a 7-0-4 record in the rugged California Collegiate Athletic Association. The team rose as high as number two in the national Division II rankings, and highlights included a 1-0 win over then-number one team Cal State Los Angeles.
The Toros made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017, eventually losing 3-2 to Northwest Nazarene University of Idaho in the third round.
