Goldendoodle is CLU canine royalty |
Diabetic alert dog doubles as unofficial mascot of men’s soccer team |
By Kyle Jorrey What has four legs, curly golden locks and enjoys a perfectly placed corner kick? Ruby ... the unofficial mascot of the Cal Lutheran men’s soccer team.
Ruby is a service dog belonging to junior forward Max Scott, who has Type 1 diabetes. The 4-year-old goldendoodle is trained to alert Max when his blood sugar levels are abnormal so he can take the necessary steps to correct them. |
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| Cade Cadam Senior | Football
Opposing defenses have been helpless to contain the explosive “C4.” A bright spot for the 1-5 Kingsmen, the lightning-fast wideout is averaging over 14 yards per catch and has scored three touchdowns. Quarterback Jaden Casey’s favorite target, he torched Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for 10 receptions, one touchdown and a career-high 181 yards on Sept. 29. Amid a frustrating first half of the season, the 6-foot-1-inch La Verne native continues to shine, leading the SCIAC in receptions (41) and receiving yards (585). After a 15-17 homecoming defeat against Redlands last Saturday (where Cadam caught 11 balls for 135 yards), CLU will look to rebound this weekend against Chapman.
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| Avery West Senior | Women’s Soccer
The undisputed MVP of the Regals’ first half, West delivered her first goal of the season Oct. 12 in a 1-0 victory over Redlands. Anchoring a defense that has tallied nine shutouts and allowed just .56 goals a match, the Santa Rosa native is a shoo-in for her third straight All-SCIAC selection and a spot on the All-West Region team. But the individual accolades mean little to the senior co-captain, who is focused on proving that the program’s 2023 national title run was no fluke. “(Avery’s) been good for us her whole career,” her coach Frank Marino said. “She helps on offense, she’s an incredible defender. She’s played great again this year and we certainly need her to keep playing great for us to get where we want to go.”
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| Lincoln Hall Senior | Men’s Water Polo
One of the Kingsmen’s talented senior core, Hall is giving defenses fits. With three-quarters of the season in the books, the business management major has racked up a team-leading 41 goals and 58 points through 20 matches, including an impressive 13 goals in a span of four games in October. On Wednesday, he contributed two goals and two assists in a 13-10 conference win over Whittier. The gifted swimmer from Camarillo is also fifth in SCIAC in sprint win percentage (.565) and in sprint wins (13). As CLU (10-10, 3-2) heads into the heart of conference play, Hall and fellow seniors Cormac Flanders and Kayden Sourbeer give the team a fighting chance to surprise.
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| Summer Gelman Junior | Women’s Cross Country
A transfer from Cuesta College, Gelman has swiftly emerged as the Regal to beat. The Agoura Hills native has been the first CLU runner to cross the finish line in all four meets this fall, including a 29th-place finish at the Master’s Invitational in Santa Clarita, setting a new course record for Cal Lutheran. Coach Brett Halvaks speaks highly of Gelman, who didn’t start running competitively until college, calling her a standout on a significantly improved women’s cross-country team. “She’s been awesome,” Halvaks said. “Obviously she’s come right in and done everything we’ve asked of her.” Showing no signs of slowing, Gelman took ninth at last weekend’s Pomona-Pitzer Invite, leading the Regals to a sixth-place finish. Depending on how she performs at the conference championship Nov. 2, the junior has a legitimate shot at being the program’s first All-SCIAC selection in recent memory.
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The CLU women’s soccer team is showing no signs of a championship hangover. Fresh off the program’s first-ever national title, the Regals (10-2-4) are just a game out of first place in the SCIAC rankings after two consecutive losses to rival Pomona-Pitzer. A big reason for their success ― the play of junior midfielder Ashley “Valé” Escamilla. The Chula Vista native has started 14 of 15 matches for the Regals, logging more minutes than all but four of her teammates. A leader on and off the field, the co-captain recorded the game-winner in a critical 1-0 victory on the road against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Sept. 18. Head Coach Frank Marino said of Escamilla: “Valé is a tremendous leader who leads by example. She is a technical, smart player who is great on both sides of the ball.”
Here are some questions to get to know the gifted Regal midfielder from San Diego County: |
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Victory Club executive board member Malika Begin speaks at the Road to Victory event. Photo: Josh Cruz |
Charting a course to victory |
Athletics unveils reimagined sports booster club |
The best of Cal Lutheran sports was on full display Oct. 17.
Part tribute, part celebration, part sales pitch, Road to Victory served as the official relaunch of the Victory Club, CLU’s long-running sports booster organization. Matt Ward, vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Success, told the 200 people in attendance that student-athletes represent “the best of who we are as an institution.” “The intersection of athletics and the academic enterprise is critical to who we are,” Ward said. “We have become a destination for those who are seeking the athletic experience but also have other things that they want to accomplish.”
The evening’s highlight was an eight-minute video narrated by longtime Cal Lutheran supporter Karsten Lundring ’65, the namesake of Lundring Events Center, where the event was held. The video took viewers on a captivating journey through the history of CLU sports success, from the exploits of the 1971 NAIA championship-winning football team to the 2017 College World Series baseball dogpile to last year’s triumphs of women’s soccer and men’s volleyball, both of which captured NCAA Division III titles.
Seated next to his players, women’s soccer coach Frank Marino shed tears watching a replay of his team’s stunning come-from-behind victory over defending champion Christopher Newport in the quarterfinals. Asked to address the crowd, Marino noted that without the support of the Victory Club, he would not have been able to bring his entire roster to Virginia to share in the joy of winning a national championship.
“Everyone of our players ― all 37 of them ― got to go to the NCAA tournament,” Marino said. "The NCAA (provides funding) for 29 people to go. So all that extra money had to come from somewhere, and it was the Victory Club support that got us there and got those kids to experience probably the greatest moment of their entire lives that they’ll remember forever."
In the newly reimagined Victory Club, members can expect more opportunities to interact with the student-athletes they support. These include exclusive experiences like “coach for a day” and the chance to attend practices and pre-game socials. To make membership in the Victory Club more accessible, the university has added the option of paying dues monthly. Membership levels are as little as $10 a month. Those interested in joining the club can use the link below. |
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Tess Holbert, a fifth-year senior from Oxnard, continues to serve as the Regals’ rock. A starter since her sophomore year, the 5-foot-6-inch setter is on pace to finish among the program’s all-time leaders in assists. Beyond her pin-point passing, she leads the team in service aces (24) and is second in digs (108). Though CLU (8-9) has struggled for stretches at a time this season, the co-captain maintains a positive attitude. “I’ve been playing volleyball since I was 7 years old and this is my last season. I want to enjoy every single moment,” she said.
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Goalie Gen Katashiba is doing his part to keep the Kingsmen soccer team in the hunt for a spot in the conference tournament, which begins in two weeks. The senior from Tokyo has three shutouts to his name and currently ranks third in SCIAC in save percentage (.750) and third in saves per game (4.5). He’s started all but one match in goal for CLU (6-6-4, 4-3-2). “Gen’s been our guy right now,” coach Miguel Ruiz said. “He's really played well in spots.”
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Ashley Zook is looking to put a bow on a stellar career at Cal Lutheran. In her first three competitions of the year, the senior from Simi Valley has finished seventh, second and 14th on the leaderboard respectively, with her best showing coming at the two-day Midwest Regional Classic at Benedictine University in Wisconsin, where she led her team to a first-place trophy. The Regals and Zook are currently ranked No. 25 in Division III.
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| Women's Swimming and Diving |
Maddie Greig took home SCIAC Female Diver of the Week honors this month after an impressive showing at the team’s first competition of the year. The Oceanside native was the Regals’ top finisher on both on the 3-meter and 1-meter diving boards at the multi-divisional Rodionoff Invite hosted by Pepperdine University. The junior, who is studying criminology, scored a 192.85 to win the 3M by almost 20 points. |
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Our rundown of the can’t-miss action at home |
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Backdrop: Hoping to salvage what’s left of their season, the Kingsmen (1-5) can right the ship this weekend against rival Chapman (4-2), a team they lost to in a heartbreaker Week 3, 20-24. In that game, quarterback Jaden Casey found Cade Cadam in the back of the end zone as time expired but the star receiver narrowly missed getting a foot down and was deemed out of bounds. Saturday provides the purple and gold a perfect chance for redemption. Chapman currently leads the SCIAC in points per game (30.5). Photo: Logan Bury
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Women’s Soccer vs. Redlands |
Backdrop: Wednesday’s tough 1-0 defeat on the road to rival Pomona-Pitzer ― who handed the Regals their first loss of the season just a week prior ― dropped CLU (10-2-4) out of first place in the SCIAC standings for the first time all year. A victory over the Bulldogs, a team they beat 1-0 on Oct. 12, will keep them in the running for the program’s second straight regular season conference title. The Regals have won 10 consecutive against Redlands dating back to 2018. Keep an eye on fast-rising junior Olivia Suarez, who leads the team with six goals, including five over the last month of play. Photo: Logan Bury
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Women’s Volleyball vs. Redlands |
Backdrop: The Regals are heating up just in the nick of time. Winners of three straight, CLU (8-9, 3-5 in conference) will face No. 12-ranked La Verne and star outside hitter Mya Ray on the road tonight before returning home for a make-or-break matchup with Redlands, a team that swept them in early October. Middle blocker Kira Mortensen is playing inspired ball; the fifth-year senior from Montana leads the SCIAC in hit percentage (.321), blocks (1.45 per set) and is fifth in points (196). Photo: Izzy de Souza
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Backdrop: Wednesday’s thrilling 3-2 win over Pomona-Pitzer means the Kingsmen (6-6-4) control their own destiny to qualify for postseason play. It starts Saturday with a rematch against Chapman, a team they beat 2-0 earlier in the season. Since that match, the Panthers have only lost once, going 4-1-3. “We can’t leave any more points on the table,” coach Miguel Ruiz said. The Kingsmen will continue to lean on senior midfielder JP Melgoza, who contributed two assists in Wednesday’s win. Photo: Logan Bury
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Camden, youngest son of CLU baseball head coach Erik Scherer, nabs an autograph from former Kingsmen catcher Brendan Durfee on a recent recruiting trip to Arizona. Durfee, who was drafted in the 14th round of the 2024 MLB Draft, batted .288 this season for the Lake Elsinore Storm. The Scherers ran into Durfee at the hotel they were staying at near the Padres complex in Peoria, Arizona.
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RYAN AND LAUREN KYAW ’20, ’19 |
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The first couple of Cal Lutheran golf, Lauren and Ryan Kyaw tied the knot this summer inside the gazebo at Kingsmen Park. Handling the officiating: their former coach, Jeff Lindgren '88. “Coach always welcomed us with open arms and taught us so much,” Lauren said. “Ryan and I also both look up to his marriage with Kathy, and his focus on family. It was another easy decision for us, and Coach did a perfect job.” After graduating, the decorated golfers spent time on campus as assistant coaches. Today, they’re living in North Florida and working in the pro game: Lauren is an LPGA teaching professional and Ryan has a position at PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach in their technology solutions department.
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The pair continue to play “a lot” of golf ― Ryan as a high-level amateur and Lauren at events she’s eligible for. “In our casual rounds, we almost always play for something, usually who has to do the dishes! This keeps our ‘golf dates’ really fun,” Lauren said. Even living on a different coast, the Kyaws still bleed purple and gold. “We are so proud to be CLU alumni and feel that the golf team and coaches are our family,” she said. “Our wedding was an alumni-filled day and it was just awesome! Memories for a lifetime.”
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© 2024 California Lutheran University |
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