The 2022 season didn't go as planned for the CSUDH women's soccer team, but Interim Head Coach Danielle Jones is ready to turn the page. “We had a good group of young women last year, but we just didn't click as a team like we had hoped,” says Jones, who is in her first year in charge of the squad. “We're looking forward to changing that this year.” Despite starting last season with high hopes, the losses quickly began to add up. The team ended the season with a disappointing 1-13-4 record. “It was a rough, rough go,” admits Jones. “But we have a good opportunity now to rebuild the program. The assistant coaches and I have had a lot of time to think about all the things that we want to ... Read More
Athletics
Toro Men’s Soccer Aims to Build on Success
The 2022 CSUDH men's soccer team may have won the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title and reached the third round of the NCAA Division II Championships, but head coach Eddie Soto can't help but think about what might have been. “There was a lot to be very, very proud of last season,” says Soto. “But in the end, we came up short. We missed our expectations, to be honest. We had a team that could have gone further. We all felt that way.” The team's dreams of reaching the Elite Eight were dashed with a third-round tournament loss to Northwest Nazarene University. Despite dominating most of the match and scoring a go-ahead goal in the 83rd minute, the Toros were beaten ... Read More
Athletics Offers ‘Wider Lens’ on Academic Excellence, Says CSUDH AD Eric McCurdy
For CSUDH Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Eric McCurdy, intercollegiate athletics are more than just an entertaining diversion–they're a way for universities to spread the good news about what they're doing everywhere on campus. “Athletics are the front porch of any university,” says McCurdy. “There's an entire section of the newspaper dedicated to what we do. Any time we get a chance to highlight our athletic success, it gives people an opportunity to look deeper and see the university through a wider lens.” McCurdy sees the athletic department as an extension of the CSUDH mission. Successful teams bring alumni and the community onto campus, maybe for the first time ... Read More
Toro Softball Wins CCAA Tournament, Advances to NCAA West Regional
The CSUDH women's softball team advanced to the NCAA Division II West Regional Championship for the second consecutive year, defeating Chico State 4-1 in a dramatic, extra-innings final of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) tournament. It was the Toros' first time winning the conference tournament and earned the team an automatic berth in the regionals. Junior infielder Nayah Pola slammed a 3-run home run in the bottom of the tenth inning to secure the victory for the Toros. Her first home run of the season couldn't have come at a more important time. The Toros forced the decisive one-game final by beating Chico State 8-5 in an earlier game on Saturday. The loss was ... Read More
Dance Team Delivers Historic National Championship Win
The CSUDH Dance team has devoted itself tirelessly to the success of their fellow student athletes for nearly two decades. In Daytona Beach, Fla. on April 6-8, their performance in the finals of the Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship brought national attention to their fierce commitment as representatives of the university and its athletic traditions. The Toro dancers won the Division II National Championship in the newly created Spirit Rally category. Their standout performance among some 8,500 other participants from 430 colleges and universities across the country, capped a season that also saw unprecedented success for several of the university's other athletic ... Read More
