Kingsmen power forward Tommy Griffitts is one of several Cal Lutheran student-athletes who are taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to compensate for disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Many of these “super seniors,” Griffitts included, have been key to their program’s success. Photo: Logan Bury |
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2025: The year of the super senior |
COVID-impacted athletes are making the most out of added eligibility |
By Kyle Jorrey
Seniors Ben Weber, Jordan Cooper and Michael Stahl took the NCAA Division III volleyball world by storm in 2024, leading the Kingsmen to their first national championship. Only this was no swan song.
Thanks to an NCAA ruling that granted student-athletes an extra year (or two) of eligibility to compensate for the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the trio was able to return this fall for one final season. Great news for Cal Lutheran ― which expects to contend for another title ― less so for their opponents.
“It’s nice for the athletes to get that year back that was taken away from them,” head coach Kevin Judd said. “And for this program, it’s certainly worked out in our favor.” Up and down Cal Lutheran athletic rosters, these so-called “super seniors,” the last of their kind, are having an outsized impact. |
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| Nick Attanasio Senior | Men’s Basketball
One of the Kingsmen’s most electric scorers, Attanasio was a key contributor in Cal Lutheran’s tone-setting 97-77 win over conference rival Whittier on Feb. 15. The 6-foot-5 guard tallied 21 points, six rebounds and four assists on Senior Night, shooting 5-for-9 from beyond the arc. The Las Vegas native ranks second on the team in scoring (10.3) and rebounding (4.4), and is third in three-pointers made (53). Head coach Russell White said Attanasio, a junior college transfer in 2023, also has a knack for following up bad plays with good ones. “There have been multiple times this year when I’ve yelled at somebody on the bench to go get him and before he’s out he’ll do something to change my mind,” White said.
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Janna Holley Junior | Women’s Basketball
On a squad brimming with talent, Holley has proven indispensable for head coach Kellie DiMuro. The slick-passing point guard ranked third among SCIAC players in minutes per game this year (35.7), showing Duracell-Bunny-type endurance and Cal Ripken-like durability. In a crucial Feb. 15 victory against previously undefeated Whittier, the Regals’ floor general played 37 of 40 minutes, contributing a career-high 25 points and shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. “My mid-range shot was working and my teammates helped me out all game like they do all season,” said the All-SCIAC first-team selection. With the postseason here, Holley and the Regals are hitting their stride at the right moment.
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Michael Stahl Graduate Student | Men’s Volleyball
All hail the red renegade. Stahl, a defending All-American, is dominating again for the No. 8-ranked Kingsmen (14-3). The heavy-handed outside hitter is second on the team with 201 kills, good for 13th overall in Division III despite missing two matches with injury. He and fellow superstar Jordan Cooper (213 kills) give Cal Lutheran arguably DIII’s best 1-2 punch. The Northridge native’s talents were on full display in a 3-1 win over Milwaukee School of Engineering on Feb. 16, delivering 13 kills and a team-leading 16 digs. Coach Kevin Judd said of Stahl and Cooper, who transferred in last season: “When they arrived, they transformed the program. It’s really incredible what they’ve accomplished in such a short period of time.”
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Kendall Moffitt Senior | Women’s Swimming
Despite a valiant effort to qualify for this year's Division III NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, Moffitt fell just short of her goal. The talented distance swimmer from Atascadero finished the 1,650-yard freestyle at last week’s SCIAC Championships with an impressive time of 17:23.45, setting a new Cal Lutheran record. This marked the second time this season that the senior shattered her own record, shaving nearly five seconds off her previous mark set in November. Head coach Barry Schreifels called the 5-foot-5 Moffitt “99 pounds of pure toughness.” “She’s one of the toughest athletes I’ve ever coached,” he said. “She had a fantastic season. Honestly, I couldn’t ask anything more.”
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The newest addition to Cal Lutheran’s coaching ranks, MacEllen McDonough took the reigns of the women's lacrosse team in November. The 28-year-old competed on the world stage for Team Israel and served as the women’s director of the Israel Lacrosse Association. |
The upstart Regals lacrosse program has found the right head coach to help it reach its lofty goals. MacEllen McDonough ― “Mac” for short ― is no stranger to building from the ground up. The East Coast native spent four years (2019-2022) helping to grow the game in Israel, where contact sports have traditionally been limited to men only, serving as both a member of the national team and director of women’s lacrosse for the Israel Lacrosse Association. “I went because the sport has given me so much that I wanted to give back by helping grow it in a new area,” said McDonough, who played collegiately at Jacksonville University. Of the Regals, she said: “They are ready and hungry for knowledge and growth, so that has been really awesome.”
Here are some questions to get to know the new face of Cal Lutheran women's lacrosse: |
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Get ready to nosh and sip to your heart’s content at the inaugural Wine & Beer Walk. |
Sip & Support: Cal Lutheran hosts Wine & Beer Walk to benefit athletics |
April 25 fundraiser features favorite local vendors serving their best |
A party is planned on behalf of Cal Lutheran athletics ... and everyone’s invited.
The inaugural Wine & Beer Walk Fundraiser will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 25, at University Plaza. Guests will be able to meander around campus while listening to live music and sampling food and drink selections from such vendors as Tarantula Hill Brewing, Institution Ale and Cavelleti Vineyard.
Athletic Director Howard Davis said every dollar raised by the event will go toward the Victory Club, which covers expenses related to postseason play as well as efforts to enhance the student-athlete experience (e.g. updating banners in the baseball stadium, throwing a welcome-back barbecue).
Tickets are $99 for the general public and $75 for Cal Lutheran faculty and staff. Children (10 and younger) are free. While the event is geared toward adults, there will be activities for young children, including a bounce house.
Davis said his office has been trying to devise new and creative ways raise additional funds to support Kingsmen and Regals sports while building community among Cal Lutheran backers.
“Cal Lu Athletics has a mindset ― always be improving,” Davis said. “We see it in our coaches every day, in their student-athlete care and interaction, their recruiting and their constant program enhancements. As an athletic administrative team, we would be remiss to not do everything in our power to keep up with them and work constantly to support the coaches and student-athletes at an elite level.” Plus, he added: “Who doesn’t enjoy high-quality wine, beer, food, music and fellowship?” |
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While Devon Lewis and Tommy Griffitts have grabbed most of the headlines this year, fellow fifth-year player Stephen Davis is quietly enjoying a career-best season for the surging Kingsmen. Heading into this weekend’s SCIAC Tournament, Davis ranks fifth in the conference in assists and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio. On Senior Night against Whittier, the Santa Barbara native dished out a season-high 10 dimes to go along with eight rebounds. “He’s the rock,” head coach Russell White said. “He will never get the accolades of a Devon or Tommy because he doesn’t score a lot of points but he does all the little things, guards, rebounds, passes … he’s had a wonderful career.”
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Following a fantastic freshman season that saw her place fourth in the long jump at the SCIAC Championships, Niani Jones is ready for her shining sequel. The Rialto native started strong, claiming victory in both the long jump and triple jump at her first meet of the season. She followed that with an 11th-place finish in the long jump and a second-place showing in the triple jump at the Pomona-Pitzer All-Comers meet. Head coach Brett Halvaks believes this year’s Regals squad is one of the most promising in recent memory and Jones is a big reason why. Her 5.48-meter leap in 2024 ranks seventh in school history. “Hopefully she can contend for top 3 (in SCIAC), which is podium this year,” Halvaks said.
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Cal Lutheran didn’t need to look far to find a head coach for its newly launched women's flag football program, set to begin NCAA competition in 2027. Brandon Alexander, who has coached the sport at nearby Westlake High School since 2023, was hired this month. Alexander is deeply invested in the rapidly growing sport. In addition to his role at Westlake, he serves as commissioner of Glendale FNL Youth Flag Football and owns and operates the Ultimate Sports League, part of NFL Flag. The team held its first practice inside William Rolland Stadium on Feb. 14 with hopes of facing intramural competition soon.
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Madie Fahey recently received the CalHOPE Courage Award, which recognizes student-athletes who have demonstrated remarkable resilience in overcoming personal adversity. Despite battling popliteal artery entrapment syndrome, a rare condition that causes cramping, tingling and numbness in her legs, the senior from Carmichael, California, persevered through the pain to play in a career-high 19 games in 2023, including a full 90 minutes at fullback during the Regals’ national championship victory over Washington University. Fahey, who sports a 3.7 GPA, also organized soccer camps for children with special needs.
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Our rundown of the can’t-miss action at home |
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Men’s Basketball vs. Whittier |
Backdrop: Head coach Russell White and the top-seeded Kingsmen are ready to exercise the demons of the 2023-24 season, which saw them fall in the SCIAC Championship and NCAA Tournament in consecutive weeks after going 23-3. Cal Lutheran (21-4, 14-2) will face Whittier tomorrow night for a spot in the conference final for a third consecutive year. Presumptive All-American guard Devon Lewis (21.8 ppg) has continued his torrid pace while Nick Attanasio and Taj Regans are heating up at the right time. The Kingsmen would be remiss to take the Poets lightly despite beating them by 20 in their last matchup: Whitter guard Aamari Smith leads all of Division III in scoring (27.9 ppg). Photo: Logan Bury
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Women’s Basketball vs. Chapman |
Backdrop: The Regals (19-6, 11-5) narrowly missed out on consecutive regular-season championships, finishing behind Whittier, a team they defeated at home on Feb. 15. Still, Cal Lutheran appears poised to win its first conference tournament since 2013. The SCIAC’s highest-scoring offense will face Chapman tonight in the semifinals. All-SCIAC first team forward Alline Ballard, averaging a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds), has been a consistent force, notably hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater against CMS last week. If the Regals’ shooters (Sara Mills, Kayla Mack, Alexa Greenwood) find their rhythm from deep, the sky’s the limit for head coach Kelli DiMuro’s team. Photo: Logan Bury
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Baseball vs. Whitman University |
Feb. 28 - Mar. 1 | 2 PM, 11 AM, 2:30 PM |
Backdrop: Baseball is back and the Kingsmen are riding high after a sweep of conference opponent Caltech last weekend. Buoyed by the return of top pitchers JJ Frazier and Luke Wechsler, Cal Lutheran (5-1) is eying its first NCAA postseason victory under third-year head coach Erik Scherer. The team’s new-look bullpen, bolstered by several talented transfers, will look to build on its early season performance in a three-game series against Whitman College (Washington). The visiting Blues will be out for revenge after dropping three games to the Kingsmen last year. Senior outfielder Alec Garcia is off to a quick start at the plate, going 11-for-23 (.478) in CLU’s first six games. Photo: Logan Bury
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Women’s Lacrosse vs. Pomona-Pitzer |
Backdrop: Forced to spend all of 2024 playing on a practice field while William Rolland Stadium underwent renovations, the Regals are happy to be back on their true home turf. Cal Lutheran lit up visiting Whittier 17-3 on Feb. 19 as sophomore midfielder Madison Soforenko of North Hollywood set program records for goals (7) and points (10) scored in a single game. The team will look to keep the momentum going Saturday against Pomona-Pitzer. The Regals are winless in seven tries against the perennial powerhouse, including a 24-2 shellacking last April. Soforenko and returning first team All-SCIAC selection Sydney Shin won’t be satisfied with a moral victory. Photo: Mia Bertone
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While on a trip to the 2025 NCAA Convention at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in January in Nashville, Cal Lutheran Athletic Director Howard Davis spotted a massive banner featuring none other than Regal soccer midfielder and national champion Valé Escamilla. Davis uses his X account to celebrate, and advocate for, CLU athletes past and present. |
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Above left, Marshall Pautsch pitches for the Kingsmen during their unforgettable 2017 season. Above right, members of the 2017 national championship crew take in a Padres’ playoff game last year. From left: Jack Bakken, Trey Saito, Brad Fullerton, Trevor Egan and Pautsch. |
While presenting a case before a jury can be daunting, Marshall Pautsch ’17 is no stranger to high-pressure situations. A star pitcher on Cal Lutheran’s 2017 national championship-winning baseball team, Pautsch honed skills on the diamond that he now utilizes in the courtroom. “Law is so interesting because it brings a similar feeling to competing in sports,” he said. “It takes you back to those days and gets the competitive juices flowing again. Baseball taught us all how to handle pressure and persevere through difficult situations even when it may not be your day. That comes in handy in the courtroom all the time.”
After graduating, the Orange County native played a season of independent baseball before moving to Hawaii with teammate Trey Saito ’19. In between sets on the North Shore of Oahu, Pautsch thought about law school. He ultimately studied for the LSAT and was accepted into law school in San Diego. Once finished, he passed the bar in Hawaii and began working as a public defender. Today, he’s back home in San Clemente working as a civil defense attorney for a firm that specializes in property disputes, attorney malpractice, personal injuries, wrongful death and a variety of other issues. The 29-year-old remains close friends with several former teammates, including Saito, Brad Fullerton ’17 and Nate Wehner ’20. “There is a solid crew of around 5-10 of us in San Diego that are always getting together to do stuff. It is awesome that after all these years we are all still such close friends.”
Asked what was more challenging — passing the bar or winning a national title — Pautsch said there’s no question: “Winning the natty. If you study hard enough, anyone can pass the bar. Heck, I passed two of them. Most of the Cal Lu crew still doesn’t believe it. However, only a select few can become national champions.” Pautsch now makes his home in Oceanside, where he lives with his girlfriend, Katja Lindfors ’18, a former Cal Lutheran swimmer. |
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© 2025 California Lutheran University |
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