04 Fall2.indd - CSUSB Magazine - California State University, San ...

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PACKTRACKS20CSUSBBlazing new trailsThere was a time, in the early to mid 1990s, when CSUSBathletes made more news for unflattering incidents away fromtheir play than they did for any competitive success. Simpson’smission statement in taking over – “I wanted to be sure we havewinning grades and a winning image” – helped to rid CSUSB ofmuch of that tainted history. Now, the average CSUSB athletecarries a grade point average of about 3.0 and athletics generatea source of greater pride for the university.It took a strong woman to become one of the firstfemale administrators in college athletics in SouthernCalifornia, first at UCR. It’s likely there were stereotypesand barriers facing Simpson, whether she was aware ofthem or not, some in upper management and others inexecutive positions. Yet Simpson’s prominence is illustratedby her continued service on the NCAA DivisionII Championship Committee, as CCAA president(among athletic directors) last year, and she is a consistentadvocate of Title IX. She established the women’swater polo program as CSUSB’s seventh NCAA-sanctionedfemale sport, to go with CSUSB’s four men’ssports. “Our compliance with Title IX, I know that is oneof the things she is most proud of,’’ CSUSB men’s basketballcoach Jeff Oliver said. “Nancy is very by-the-book.’’Added CCAA commissioner Robert Hiegert: “NancySimpson has been a great role model for the new women administratorsworking on CCAA campuses.”Shared loyaltyCSUSB’s athletics program has maintained high levels of successand experienced marked improvement in other areas, due inpart to continuity with Simpson’s coaching staff. That’s why it wasso difficult for former CSUSB basketball coach Larry Reynolds totell Simpson, who knew him as a UCR assistant and gave him hisfirst head coaching opportunity in 1997, he was leaving for LongBeach State. “I was an assistant coach for 18 years before andif she hadn’t hired me I’d probably still be an assistant coach,”Reynolds said.By the time he left CSUSB in 2002, the university’s premierprogram had established suchsuccess it could have easilyoverlooked Jeff Oliver. Hehad no previous NCAAhead coaching experience.But Simpson hasalways tried to rewardpeople she is familiarwith, not out of favoritismbut because sheknows the caliber ofpeople she chooses toassociate with and truststhem. “One of her bestattributes is her fairness,’’Oliver said. “She allowed me tohave a tremendous opportunity … toshow I was the man for the job and I’m extremely grateful. She’sextremely loyal. She could have opened up the job and flown it(outside the university).’’Channeling energy, emotionsSimpson shows an amazing ability to spread herself overmany duties and projects and still be upbeat at the end of a day.“Nancy’s true spirit was no better displayed than this (past)year,’’ Hiegert said. “In spite of the devastating fires and ter-Fall/Winter 2004Making a Little HistoryFour-time volleyball All-American Kim Morohunfola of CalState San Bernardino was voted as the California CollegiateAthletic Association's Female Athlete of the Year by sportsinformation directors of the 12-memberconference.Morohunfola is the firstCoyotes' athlete — male orfemale — to earn a conference"athlete of theyear" honor since theCoyotes moved upto NCAA DivisionII and joined theCCAA in 1991-92.The award is theicing on the cakefor the 5-foot,11-inch middleblocker. In May, shewas named CSUSB'sFemale Athlete of theYear. She was selectedas the NCAA/ AmericanVolleyball CoachesAssociation Division II NationalPlayer of the Year last December.The Upland High School graduate ledthe Coyotes to a 29-5 record in 2003 and their third straightCCAA championship and the team's first-ever Pacific Regiontitle. The team, ranked No. 1 in the final regular season poll,defeated No. 2-ranked Tampa 3-1 in the NCAA quarterfinalsbut lost to Concordia-St. Paul, 3-2, in the semifinals.Morohunfola is only the fourth Division II player in history toearn All-America honors all four years of her college career.For highlights of the Coyotes 2003-04 sports season, seethe “Top Guns” story on page 32.rible budget cuts, CSUSB had one of its best years, hosting threechampionship events – NCAA volleyball, NCAA basketball andCCAA baseball – in addition to CCAA presidential duties. Nancyoperated as the same person.’’Simpson’s sporting background stems from her playing daysat Berry College in Georgia. There, she was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball and basketball, in which she was MVP of the1976 national championship team (small college division) beforethe NCAA recognized women’s sports. Her emotional releaseis outdoors, be it boating on the Colorado River or golfing, butanyone who has seen Simpson at a CSUSB athletic event knowsher competitive juices prevent her from sitting still during biggames and climactic moments. Cherniss’ favorite Simpson pose iswhen Simpson clasps her hands onto her cheeks while sighing. YetSimpson wouldn’t trade those moments for anything else. Noteven for vacation. “I couldn’t wait to get back to work. I wantedto see everyone. I was so excited,’’ Simpson said in describing herreturn from a family trip to Amelia Island, Fla.,in July. It is Simpson’s pleasure to work for CSUSB. But hercolleagues will tell you she is worth her weight in gold, not tin.Damian Secore is a freelance writer living in Highland, Calif. He writesmost frequently for The Sun newspaper in San Bernardino, and is a 1996graduate of CSUSB with his degree in communications.
All listings in this calendar are home contests.For the entire women’s and men’s basketballschedules, which includes both home and awaygames, and for the schedules of other sports, visitthe Coyote Web site at http://athletics.csusb.eduor call the athletics department at (909) 880-5011.December14 Men's Basketball.Vanguard University, 7:30 p.m.17 Women's Basketball.Seattle University, 7 p.m.18 Women's Basketball.Central Washington, 7 p.m.29 Men's Basketball.Point Loma Nazarene, 7:30 p.m.January 200515 Women's Basketball.Cal State Monterey Bay, 5:30 p.m.Men's Basketball.Cal State Monterey Bay, 7:30 p.m.28 Women's Basketball.San Francisco State, 5:30 p.m.Men's Basketball.San Francisco State, 7:30 p.m.29 Women's Basketball.Sonoma State, 5:30 p.m.Men's Basketball.Sonoma State, 7:30 p.m.February1 Men's Baseball.UC Irvine, 3 p.m.11 Women's Basketball.Cal State Stanislaus, 5:30 p.m.Men's Basketball.Cal State Stanislaus, 7:30 p.m.12 Tennis.Cal State L.A., 11 a.m.Women's Basketball.Chico State, 5:30 p.m.Men's Basketball.Chico State, 7:30 p.m.15 Softball.Point Loma Nazarene, doubleeader, 1 p.m.16 Tennis.Cal Poly Pomona, 2 p.m.Women's Basketball.UC San Diego, 5:30 p.m.Men's Basketball.UC San Diego, 7:30 p.m.18 Baseball.Cal State L.A., 2 p.m.19 Baseball.Cal State L.A., doubleheader, 11 a.m.20 Tennis.UC San Diego, noon.22 Tennis.Hope International, 3 p.m.Baseball.UC San Diego, 6 p.m.25 Softball.SPORTS CALENDARChico State, doubleheader, 1 p.m.Women's Basketball.Cal State Dominguez Hills, 5:30 p.m.Men's Basketball.Cal State Dominguez Hills, 7:30 p.m.26 Tennis.Sonoma State, 11 a.m.Softball.Cal State Stanislaus, doubleheader, noon.Women's Basketball.Cal Poly Pomona, 5:30 p.m.Men's Basketball.Cal Poly Pomona, 7:30 p.m.March1 Softball.Concordia-St. Paul, doubleheader, 1 p.m.4 Softball.San Francisco State, doubleheader, 1 p.m.Baseball.Cal State Stanislaus, 2 p.m.5 Baseball.Cal State Stanislaus, doubleheader, 11 a.m.Softball.Sonoma State, doubleheader, noon.6 Baseball.Cal State Stanislaus, noon.8 Softball.Cal Baptist, doubleheader, 1 p.m.Baseball.Biola University, 2 p.m.PACKTRACKSThose New Look YotesCal State San Bernardino’s men’s andwomen’s basketball teams began play inNovember with the men looking to puttogether what they hope will be anunprecedented sixth straight conferencechampionship season, while thewomen will be looking for a seasonon the plus side of the .500 markafter an 11-16 (8-14 in CCAA)result in 2003-04 and a top-fivefinish in the California CollegiateAthletic Association.Coach Jeff Oliver is 49-10 overalland 40-4 in the CCAA in his firsttwo seasons.Only one starter returns fromthe 2003-04 CCAA championshipteam that went 26-3 (21-1 inthe CCAA) – guard Trenell Eddings,a second-team All-CCAA and NCAA West Regionalall-tournament selection. The 5-10 Eddings averaged12 points and 3.5 assists a game for CSUSB in2003-04. But Oliver and his staff have recruiteda half-dozen new players as they try to fill thevoid left by the departure of the nucleus oflast year’s squad.The women’s team lost its top scorerand rebounder – All-CCAA first team pickHannah Low – but returns several players,including senior Leilani Tirona, who sat outlast season with a broken leg suffered insummer league play.While emerging as the top defensiveteam in the conference in 2003-04, theCoyotes women were last in scoring offense, afactor that Coach Kevin Becker wants torectify in 2004-05.Fall/Winter 200421CSUSB
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