Upon graduating, Devon Lewis had a decision to make: enter the workforce, transfer or come back for one more season at Cal Lutheran. He ultimately chose to return, a decision that has proven to be highly rewarding. The sharp-shooting guard is enjoying a career-defining year, averaging 23 points a game for the 13-3 Kingsmen and garnering national attention. Photo: Logan Bury |
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Kingsmen guard saves best for last |
Lewis considered leaving after his senior year. Fans are glad he didn’t. |
By Kyle Jorrey
Devon Lewis is enjoying one of the most prolific offensive seasons in Cal Lutheran basketball history. He’s averaging 23 points per game, shooting 44% from three-point range, 85% from the free throw line and consistently delivering clutch performances for the Kingsmen (13-3, 6-1).
Lewis has garnered significant recognition for his exceptional play, earning SCIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors three times and being named Division III Player of the Week once. But what most fans don’t realize is that this remarkable season almost didn’t happen. |
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Established in 2014, the Christopher Knorr Invitational honors the former Kingsmen swimmer who died in 2013 of brain cancer at age 24. The most recent invite took place Jan. 2 and 3. |
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Fun-loving spirit of former Cal Lutheran student lives on at annual meet |
By Kyle Jorrey Ron and Ginny Knorr are not avid travelers. Beyond an annual cruise and occasional visits to family, they spend most of their days in their home outside Mill Creek, Washington, a small town about 25 miles north of Seattle.
However, each January, without fail, they make a pilgrimage to Thousand Oaks to attend Cal Lutheran’s Christopher Knorr Invitational, a swim meet held in honor of their late son. |
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| Alline Ballard Sophomore | Women’s Basketball
The Regals’ top freshman from a year ago is showing no signs of a sophomore slump. Through 16 games, Ballard leads Cal Lutheran in scoring average (13.7) and rebounding (191 total, 12 per game) while also contributing significantly on defense (11 blocks, eight steals). Only 6-foot-1, Ballard is SCIAC’s third-leading rebounder — a testament to her tenacity. “She’s just a rebounding machine,” head coach Kelli DiMuro said. “She’s the most athletic player on the floor and has a great nose for the ball.” The Campbell Hall grad is racking up double-doubles (nine on the season) like she works for In-N-Out, including an insane 25-point, 17-rebound effort against conference rival Chapman and a 29-point, 13-rebound game versus Bethesda.
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| Tommy Griffitts Graduate student | Men’s Basketball
Last month, Griffitts joined an elite group of Kingsmen: the 1,000-point club. He became the 29th Cal Lutheran player to achieve the feat with a 16-point performance against Messiah on Dec. 30, despite playing just 13 minutes in the lopsided victory. A member of coach Russell White’s inaugural recruiting class ― three of whom remain on the team ― Griffitts described his time as a Kingsman as a “wild ride.” In his final season, the Carlsbad native is averaging 10.2 points per game and leads the squad in rebounding and blocks. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps got a taste of “Tommy Time” on Wednesday as the power forward produced a season-high 23 points in a dramatic come-from-behind conference win (78-76).
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| Jordan Cooper Graduate student | Men’s Volleyball
The once shaggy-haired outside hitter has gone high and tight, all the better to lead the defending NCAA Division III champs into battle. Cooper joined teammates Michael Stahl and Ben Weber in returning for a fifth collegiate season, utilizing their COVID-19 bonus eligibility. The Kingsmen’s “Big Three” share a singular focus: repeating as national champions. Cooper, a second team All-American in 2024, has started strong on the young campaign, averaging a team-high 3.7 kills per set and recording 18 blocks to go along with nine aces. The Roseville, California, native is on track to finish in the top three in program history for both kills and aces despite having played only two seasons in purple and gold.
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Junior Madi Bodhidatta competes in the 100-yard butterfly, an event for which she holds the school record (57.30). |
Among the more than 250 international students at Cal Lutheran, Madi Bodhidatta is right at home in the pool. With just two meets left before SCIAC Championships, the junior from Bangkok is racking up first-place finishes in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle and the 100-yard butterfly (her specialty). The university’s top swimmer, male or female, Bodhidatta is poised to compete in the NCAA Division III Championships for the second consecutive year. Already the program’s record-holder in the 100-yard butterfly (57.30), the sports management major is within fractions of a second of the fastest times in the 50 and 100 free. Coach Barry Schreifels raves about his star swimmer: “She’s amazing, an absolutely splendid athlete and a fantastic student who’s well-integrated into campus life. I’m incredibly thrilled to have her.”
Here are some questions to get to know Cal Lutheran’s fastest swimmer: |
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Willow Bay, part owner of Angel City Football Club, speaks during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 21 for the team’s new training center on the Cal Lutheran campus. Photo: Tracie Ryemon/TLKmultimedia |
Angel City FC sets new standard with high-performance training center |
Pro soccer franchise makes former Rams’ site all its own |
A new era has dawned on the north side of the Cal Lutheran campus. The yellow and blue team colors of the Los Angeles Rams have yielded to the striking pink and black of Angel City Football Club.
Established in 2020, the world-class women’s soccer franchise has practiced at Cal Lutheran since 2022. (The university was the club’s inaugural training site.) It now occupies the 9-acre site used by the NFL team between 2017 and 2023 and has rebranded the space the Angel City High Performance Training Center.
Under a deal struck last fall, the club has use of the site until at least 2028.
Before moving in this month, the team completed a multimillion-dollar custom remodel that included creating one-and-half soccer fields, integrating cutting-edge performance and sports science technology and constructing a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy area featuring cold and hot plunge pools and saunas. Existing facilities also received upgrades, including the 5,400-square-foot gym, 3,400-square-foot medical treatment area and 930-square-foot film room. At a ribbon-cutting held Jan. 21, Willow Bay said the facility “sets the bar” for all women’s sports. Bay and her husband Bob Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, are the franchise’s majority owners.
“But let’s be clear … it really should be the norm,” Bay said. “This is what female athletes should have everywhere they come to work, a place where they can reach their full potential and a space where they can achieve greatness.”
ACFC is the most richly valued women's sports franchise in the world. Over the summer, Iger and Bay, dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, invested $250 million to acquire a controlling stake in the team, which plays its home games at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Matt Ward, vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Success at Cal Lutheran, was on hand at the celebration. The longtime university leader was instrumental in bringing the club to campus and the deal to keep them.
“It has been an incredible journey partnering with Angel City FC since their inception,” Ward said. “They continue to build a model of excellence that inspires both the university and the community around us. What an incredible benefit to our students that we have this world-class organization on our campus.” |
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Kaiya Mack hit the jackpot at December’s D3hoops Classic in Las Vegas. After a relatively quiet start to the season, the sophomore guard put up 53 points in two games ― wins over SUNY New Paltz and Wittenberg ― en route to being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Mack shot 63% from the field in Vegas, including 6-for-9 from beyond the arc. The performance has earned the Anaheim native increased playing time in recent weeks for the surging Regals. Said coach Kelli DeMuro of Mack: “She’s always a great finisher inside, but when she gets hot from the three-point line, that's when she's impossible to defend.”
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Lincoln Hall’s success from last fall’s men’s water polo season is translating to impressive results on the Kingsmen swim squad. The senior from nearby Camarillo has emerged victorious in multiple 100-yard breaststroke races this season, most recently at a tri-meet against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and La Verne on Jan. 11. His season-best time of 55.88 seconds in the 100-yard breaststroke, achieved at the Occidental Invite, places him second in the conference and positions him well to represent Cal Lutheran at the SCIAC Championships. A strong performance there could potentially earn Hall a spot at nationals for the first time in his collegiate career.
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While the Kingsmen’s Big Three (Jordan Cooper, Ben Weber and Michael Stahl) justifiably garnered most of the attention during the team’s 2024 title-winning season, 6-foot-10 Borys Horiuk also played a crucial role. This year the spotlight is widening. The towering middle blocker has asserted his dominance, amassing 21 kills, 22 blocks and five aces during Cal Lutheran’s impressive 6-1 start. Weber said Horiuk’s presence alone creates opportunities for himself and others. “When teams see a guy that big, it definitely draws some attention away from us,” Weber said. “Teams always have to game plan for him.” A business major, Horiuk is already the program's all-time leader in blocks.
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The latest edition of Costco Connection, boasting a circulation of over 15 million, features Cal Lutheran swimmer Keegan Lisenby. The junior from Snohomish, Washington, is highlighted in an article titled “How to Thrive,” in which the author interviews various athletes for fitness tips. When asked about managing the team’s rigorous training schedule that requires getting up three days a week at 4:30 a.m., Lisenby, who competes in the breaststroke, is quoted: “I kind of fake it,” he laughs. “I tell myself that I’m awake and ready to go, or I use a method that a teammate taught me — I say, ‘3, 2, 1, go,’ and then I’m up.” Given its circulation, Costco Connection is the third-largest print magazine in the country.
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Our rundown of the can’t-miss action at home |
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Men’s Basketball vs. Whittier |
Backdrop: Get ready to pack Gilbert Arena for the game that could decide SCIAC’s regular season champion. After defeating Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Wednesday, the Kingsmen (13-3) took sole possession of first place with a month to go. In mid-February they’ll welcome Aamari Smith and the much-improved Poets. Smith, a dynamic senior guard, leads the conference in scoring, putting up nearly 30 points a game. The purple and gold have the defense to slow Smith and the offensive firepower (read Devon Lewis) to match him. The Kingsmen have owned Whittier in recent years, winning the last five contests by an average of 22 points. Photo: Logan Bury
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Women’s Basketball vs. Pomona-Pitzer |
Backdrop: The Regals are rolling. After dropping their first two conference games of the season, the purple and gold have rattled off nine out of 10, including four wins against SCIAC opponents. Things are about to get tougher. After a road matchup with conference-leading Whittier on Saturday — which pits the SCIAC’s top-scoring group (Cal Lutheran) against its top defense — the team will host rival Pomona-Pitzer, a group they lost to in December. The Sagehens will try to slow the Regals’ pick-your-poison attack, which features five players averaging 8 points or more a game. It's a must-win for CLU to keep their conference championship hopes alive. Photo: Kaitlyn Gill
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Men’s Volleyball vs. Alumni |
Backdrop: Sure, it’s just a friendly exhibition, but Saturday’s annual Alumni Game is one of only two chances to see the nationally ranked Kingsmen play locally until mid-March. The university’s frequent flyers — and the only team without a conference affiliation — will be on the road throughout February, including dates in Illinois and Wisconsin. The defending Division III champs have won six of seven to start the year, including a straight-set takedown of No. 8-ranked Carthage on Sunday. The Kingsmen’s terrific trio of fifth-year seniors has been as advertised, but even more encouraging is the play of freshman setter Keaton Hendry. Said co-captain Ben Weber of the Campbell, California, native: “He’s been a great addition to the program.” Photo: Isaiah Seck
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Women’s Water Polo vs. CSUN |
Backdrop: Following a season-opening tournament in Tempe, Arizona, the Regals will host a doubleheader against Azusa Pacific and Cal State Northridge, the latter ranked No. 16 in the NCAA by the Collegiate Water Polo Association. Cal Lutheran, ranked No. 3 in Division III, returns several key contributors, including goalie Izzy De Souza and attacker Katie Knight, both of whom are utilizing a fifth year of eligibility. With a full year under his belt, head coach Tim Settem will have the Regals ready to compete. Keep an eye on juniors Miranda Miller and Lauren Lohmeier, who scored 20 and 17 goals, respectively, in 2024. A strong showing against the Matadors would be a significant morale boost for the team, which hasn't finished above .500 in 3 years. Photo: Logan Bury
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Icing on the cake for wide receiver Cade Cadam’s stellar senior season is being featured on a special ESPN segment hosted by NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss. Filed under the header, “You Got MOSSed!” the sports super station replayed Cadam’s highlight reel catch against Redlands on Oct. 19. The first team All-SCIAC selection led the conference with 1,075 receiving yards, becoming the first conference player since 2017 to go over 1,000. |
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Many former Kingsmen have made the transition from player to coach, but few achieved the sustained success of Mike Prewitt. After an illustrious 32-year coaching career, primarily at nearby Camarillo High School, the former Cal Lutheran basketball player retired in 2023. He led the boys’ program for 20 years and the girls’ program for nine, compiling a 438-319 record with the Scorpions. His tenure with the girls included nine playoff appearances and eight league championships. “Coaching teaches the fundamentals of life: being on time, being respectful, working hard, working with others, not giving up when things don’t go your way, life lessons,” he said. During a time when transfers dominated the high school landscape, Prewitt won with hometown kids, a fact that fills him with pride.
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Still adjusting to life after coaching, Prewitt is a regular at area gyms, frequently attending games at UCLA, Cal Lutheran and, of course, Camarillo High. While Prewitt’s still trying to figure out what to do with all his newfound free time, having three grandsons helps. “(Being a grandparent) is a wonderful way to keep me busy,” he said. Asked about his time at Cal Lutheran, the Auburn, California, native said he relishes the memories of playing alongside the likes of Odus Caldwell, Gary Bowman, Dean Bradshaw and Butch Eskridge. “Getting my degree and playing college basketball, it could not have been any better. ... My CLU education/degree set me up for life.”
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© 2024 California Lutheran University |
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