By Jacob Rodriguez, Sept. 10, 2024
Cal Poly Pomona’s athletic department has sustained success in one of the nation’s most competitive Division II conferences, the California Collegiate Athletic Association. CPP set the CCAA record for most athletes of the week in an academic year across 11 sports, accounting for 41 total last year.
Catching a game at Cal Poly should be one of the top things you do on campus this season. Kicking off the 2024 fall season, CPP will host many games as the Broncos set their sights on championships.
Students can look forward to cheering on their fellow Broncos during these top five matchups.
Women’s Volleyball
CPP vs. Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes
CPP volleyball started last season by winning 13 of its first 14 games. They finished the season with a 22-8 overall record and a conference record of 13-5, tying for third in the CCAA.
The Broncos reached the semifinals of the CCAA and NCAA Regional tournament before falling short against Cal State San Bernardino in the Regional Semifinal.
In the last three games during the 2023 season, CSUSB won all three matchups, the last game took place in the NCAA West Regional semifinal, where the Broncos lost 3-1 in San Bernardino.
The Broncos open their regular season with a home opener rematch of last season’s NCAA Regional semifinal.
“We’re all excited for that to be our home opener,” said senior outside hitter Madison Novak. “To showcase everything we’ve been working on and how much better we’ve gotten over the past year, and we’re ready to bring the heat.”
CPP and CSUSB are among the top contenders in the conference to win the CCAA tournament. CPP was ranked No. 2, and CSUSB ranked No.3 in the CCAA preseason polls.
Both teams are among the Top 25 nationally ranked teams in the AVCA polls, CPP ranked No. 21 and CSUSB ranked No. 8 in the preseason poll.
The Broncos return eight seniors for this championship run with notable players, including first or second CCAA team honors setter Caitie Mueller, outside hitter Samantha Campion, and Novak.
CSUSB will bring back eight letter winners: All-CCAA second-team senior outside hitter Ashley Robinson, senior outside hitter Savannah Hoffmann, and sophomore outside hitter Kacie Pedersen.
The Broncos look to start strong and with a win over their conference rival Sept. 20.
CPP vs. Cal State LA Golden Eagles
The last time CPP met Cal State LA was in the 2023 season. The Broncos traveled to Los Angeles and fell to the Golden Eagles in four sets, 3-1.
The Golden Eagles are the team to beat heading into the season, ranked No.1 in both the CCAA preseason polls and the AVCA polls.
CPP is 3-4 against Cal State LA through 2021-2023, the teams have faced twice a year throughout three seasons.
“A lot of those girls are great, and we all have mutual respect for each other,” said Novak. “On the court, it’s very competitive and gritty. After each game, we have a lot of respect for each other.”
Cal State LA will bring back nine letter winners to a team that became the second CCAA team in four seasons to hoist the NCAA Championship trophy.
The Golden Eagles return starters right-side hitter Emily Elliot, libero Jameson Sanders, and middle blocker Haley Roundtree.
Elliot accounted for 606 kills and 209 digs in 37 matches, earning all-tournament honors at the NCAA West Regional and CCAA tournaments, and was named the NCAA Championship’s Most Outstanding Player.
Men’s Soccer
CPP vs. Cal State LA Golden Eagles
CPP Men’s soccer finished the regular season with a 14-2-5 overall record and an 8-1-2 conference record, finishing second in the CCAA. The Broncos and Golden Eagles have met in the CCAA tournament three out of the four seasons since 2019, adding to their growing rivalry.
In the CCAA tournament, the Broncos had 23 shots on goal while Cal State LA had only 12 in a scoreless game that was decided through penalty kicks. Ultimately, the Broncos fell short. In the third round of the NCAA, the Broncos were eliminated by Cal State LA 1-0, capping off the 2023 season.
In the CCAA preseason polls, the Broncos received a No. 2 ranking behind CCAA defending champions No. 1 Cal State LA. The United Soccer Coaches polls dropped earlier last week, CPP ranked No. 10 and Cal State LA ranked No. 5, for a top 10 match-up in Kellogg Stadium.
CPP returns six seniors named to the CCAA Watchlist: defender Fin Jackson, junior defenders Jasper Winslow and Marcus Jorgensen, and junior forwards Mads Frederiksen and Sam Lena.
Frederiksen scored five goals and three assists. He was awarded CCAA All-Academic honors and earned second-team All-CCAA honors last season.
The Golden Eagles are expected to have a young team this year, as they graduated many players from their CCAA Championship team. Graduate student defender Andrew Portis returns to anchor the defense. Portis earned first-team All-CCAA and CCAA All-tournament team last season.
The Broncos look to end their six-game losing streak against Cal State LA Oct. 17 and avenge their loss from last season’s NCAA third-round defeat.
“We’ve played well against them, but we don’t bury our chances,” said Coach Matt O’Sullivan. “We need to be able to create and take those opportunities and that’s what we’re working on.”
CPP vs. Chico State Wildcats
The Broncos welcome Chico State to Kellogg Stadium Oct.6. Despite overwhelming its opponent with 19 shots on goal to Chico State’s six, CPP tied 2-2 in the regular season.
The Broncos have a 3-0-1 record against Chico State since head coach Matt O’Sullivan arrived in 2019.
Chico State has made four consecutive CCAA tournament appearances, finishing in the top five for the conference. However, despite this, the two teams haven’t met in the postseason since the CCAA’s induction in 1999.
“It’s always close,” O’Sullivan said. “They play stylistically different to us. They do a good job in what they do, and they always are concerned about how we play. We completely dominated statistically, but they are very opportunistic in scoring on us.”
Chico State will bring back three first or second-team All-CCAA selections to the team including goalkeeper Emanuel Padilla, forward Miles Rice, and defender Preston Moll.
Women’s Soccer
CPP vs. Point Loma Sealions
It’s not often you get to see a match where CPP takes on a team outside of their conference, but that’s what makes the matchup against Point Loma unique.
The last time the two teams met, the Broncos held the match scoreless most of the game, but Point Loma defender Emma Thrapp scored a penalty kick with four minutes left for a 1-0 victory.
Defending national champions Point Loma competes in the PacWest conference. The Sealions are poised to win the conference once again in the preseason polls.
The Sea Lions return 26 players, including Pac-West first or second-team honorees: Thrapp, senior forward Alana Diaz, and senior defender Naomi Ellis.
Prior to head coach Jay Mason’s arrival to the program, CPP and Point Loma only played five games in 11 years from 2003 to 2014. Since then, the two teams have met consecutively every year from 2016 to the present.
“It’s competitive, and there is a lot of respect between the two teams,” Mason said. “It’s going to be physical and competitive, but not to the point where it puts people at risk. It’s going to be a fast-paced game.”
CPP is ranked No. 1 in the CCAA preseason polls and is favored to win the regular season, after earning their first regular season CCAA title last season.
Six CPP players were named to the CCAA watchlist: defender Liberty Ortiz, forward Tara Oper, forward Jaclyn Cuevas, midfielder Auburn Burnett, midfielder Marisa Salazar, and goalkeeper Bella Hara. Four players –– Ortiz, Oper, Cuevas and Burnett –– were named United Soccer Coaches All-West Region honorees.
Cuevas scored eight goals and accounted for three assists, earning All-CCAA second team.
Despite their 2-5 record against Point Loma, it has not deterred them; it has driven them to improve as they look forward to Sept. 12 on home turf.
Mason described the upcoming game as one that is not only physically challenging but a battle that the team is looking forward to.
“We know the challenges that the region poses,” said Coach Mason. “The girls are looking forward to the challenge of playing Point Loma; it’s always a tight game bouncing back and forth between win and loss.”
All future home and away games for CPP will be live streamed on the CCAA’s new streaming platform FLOSPORTS.
Feature image courtesy of CPP Athletics