By Nicolas Esparza, March 24, 2026
Junior infielder Julian Angulo dominated in a sweep against Cal State San Bernadino March 6-8 to earn his first CCAA Player of the Week honors.
Angulo batted .500 with seven runs scored, seven RBIs, a double and a home run on the weekend. The first baseman’s standout performance came Saturday evening, where he went 4-4, scored three runs and had four RBIs and a home run.
“We had a good two weeks of preparation going to that series, and as a team, we had a big focus on just working on our approach at the plate and just making adjustments when needed,” Angulo said.
Angulo said his thought process going into the series was to stick to the approach, stay confident, and do what he could to help at the plate. Angulo collected at least one hit in each game of the series.
After sweeping the CCAA opening series, the Broncos’ overall record improved to 12-6 and 4-0 in conference play, moving them into first place.
“To have one of your leaders on the team do what he did that weekend, to come up with clutch hits, it really kept the momentum going and allowed more confidence in the lineup,” head coach Randy Betten said.
The Broncos moved on to face Chico State March 13-15. CPP won the series 3-1, and Angulo homered once again in the last game of the series. His March 15 home run against the Wildcats marks his third of the season. His first homer came Jan. 31 in a 21-13 win at Azusa Pacific with 4 runs from Angulo.
This player of the week honor is the first for the Downey native. He earned an All-CCAA Honorable Mention in 2025 during his sophomore season. He also earned the Cal Poly Pomona Male Freshman of the Year award in 2024.
In his junior season, he has been consistently producing for the Broncos. His current batting average is .365, and he has scored 19 runs through 18 games.
“He’s continued to evolve as a leader,” Betten said. “He holds himself to a standard of accountability, which then leads the other guys because they see what he’s doing and how he’s going about his game and his life outside of the field. He’s an exceptional person, an exceptional student. He embodies the student athlete.”
Angulo said mental maturity has been his biggest area of growth at CPP. He has learned to slow the game down, work on control and adjust, all while finding time to dedicate time to homework and spend extra hours studying.
As a mechanical engineering student, Angulo said baseball has helped him academically by translating his work ethic from the field to the classroom.
“All my life, growing up, my parents have always put a big emphasis on academics before sports,” Angulo said. “My teammates tease me a little bit because I’m always in my room studying. It’s a grind, but I’ve enjoyed it so far.”
His work ethic, competitive nature and confidence are what differentiate Angulo from other players, according to senior outfielder Dominic Porter.
“He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever played with,” Porter said. “He is always looking to improve himself, even after a good day. He’s a great leader for our team, and without Julian, I don’t think we are who we are.”
Feature image courtesy of Cesar Rivas