Strametz Leads Matadors Into NCAA West Regionals
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Strametz Leads Matadors Into NCAA West Regionals
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Now in his 27th season with the Northridge women’s team and 22nd with the men’s team, Cal State Northridge head track and field coach Don Strametz recently added to his list of coaching accolades. The 2007 Big West Coach of the Year on both the men’s and women’s side will lead the Matadors into the NCAA West Regionals this weekend.
Spanning a coaching career that began in 1974 at Locke High School in Los Angeles, Strametz has had his share of success. His Northridge coaching career began as the men's cross country coach in 1979 and Strametz was a full professor in kinesiology at Cal State Northridge from 1985-1991.
Two weekends ago, the Matador women's track and field team won their second consecutive Big West Outdoor Championship and fourth title since joining the conference in 2002. The Matador men's squad also captured the conference crown as Northridge became the just the fourth school in Big West history to win the men’s and women’s championship in the same year. The Matador men have now won three times in the last four years and Strametz has now won a total of 15 conference championships since moving up to the Division I ranks in 1991.
"We've had tremendous success since moving to the Division I level because we've been able to attract more athletically and academically qualified student-athletes which help in the recruiting process," said Strametz
His coaching success certainly has not gone unnoticed by his peers. Strametz has been honored as Coach of the Year by the Big West Conference seven times, most recently as the 2007 Men’s and Women's Coach of the Year. Dating back to 1979, Strametz has been honored by his colleagues as Coach of the Year 22 times.
"The coaching awards I've received are awards shared equally by the University, athletic program, student-athletes and the great group of assistant coaches I've had the pleasure of working with over the years," added Strametz.
Heading into the NCAA West Regionals at the University of Oregon, Northridge has qualified its highest number of athletes (30) since the NCAA Regional format was adopted in 2003. The Matadors sent 27 athletes to the 2003 regional at Stanford, 27 athletes to the 2004 regional in Northridge, 22 athletes to the 2005 regional at Oregon and 24 athletes to last years regional at BYU.
The Matadors have quite a bit of experience on the women’s side, senior Deanna Goodwin is making her fourth straight appearance in the NCAA West Regionals. Goodwin was part of Northridge’s 4x100 relay team as a freshman in 2004, finished eighth in the 100 meters as a sophomore in 2005 and qualified for both the 100 and 200 meters as a junior in 2006. Fellow senior Shauna Hackett is making her third trip to the regionals after competing in both 2005 and 2006. Junior Candyce Babb also has two straight appearance in the regionals after finishing eighth in the long jump as a freshman in 2005 and qualifying but not competing last year. Junior Ashleigh McGrew will also make her third appearance in the 100 meter hurdles and is looking to get out of the prelims for the first time. In the throws, senior Bobbie Patton and sophomore Raquel Sola are making return trips to the regionals. Patton finished seventh in the shot put while Sola fouled in her attempts in the hammer. Dominique Calvin, Tanisha Cooper, Julie Eze and Brittany Ricketts are making return trips to the regionals while Desirae Gonder, Sherrina Lofton Krystal Quinn, Shelese Ruffin and Stephanie Ralls are all making their first appearance in the NCAA West Regional.
For the Matador men, senior Anthony Brown brings three previous appearances in the regionals into this week’s meet. Brown qualified for both the 100 meters and 110 meter hurdles as a junior in 2006. He also qualified for the 110 hurdles in 2004 and 2005, reaching the event final in 2004. Redshirt junior DaShalle Andrews brings two years of regional experience in the jumping events. Andrews finished fourth in the long jump in 2005 and went on to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Also finished fourth in 2004 in Northridge. Rolando Felizola, who comes in with the best mark in the region in the triple jump this season, finished 10th in the long jump and 12th in the triple jump in 2006. Bradley Ike, Sean Jones, Cody Pearce, Brandon Ruffin and Kevin Fahie are all making a return trip to the regional this season. Alex Butler, Derek Cooper, Andy Morales, Kevin Nious, Ryan Richards, Thomas Ross and Nick Saylor are all making their first appearance in the regionals this weekend.
NORTHRIDGE NCAA REGIONAL EXPERIENCE
Candyce Babb
2005 - Long Jump, 8th (5.96)
2006 - Long Jump, DNS
Dominique Calvin
2006 - 4x100 Relay Team, 5th (45.36)
Tanisha Cooper
2005 - 4x400 Relay Team, 5th 93:51.25)
Julie Eze
2005 - 400 Meter Hurdles Prelims, 10th (62.55)
2005 - 4x100 Relay Team, 7th (45.97)
2005 - 4x400 Relay Team, 5th 93:51.25)
Deanna Goodwin
2004 - 200 Meter Prelims, 10th (24.63)
2004 - 4x100 Relay Team, 7th (45.35)
2005 - 100 Meters, 8th (11.89)
2005 - 4x100 Relay Team, 7th (45.97)
2005 - 4x400 Relay Team, 5th 93:51.25)
2006 - 100 Meter Prelims, 10th (11.55)
2006 - 200 Meter Prelims, 9th (23.81)
2006 - 4x100 Relay Team, 5th (45.36)
Shauna Hackett
2004 - 100 Meters, 7th (11.70)
2004 - 4x100 Relay Team, 7th (45.35)
2005 - 100 Meter Prelims, 9th (11.78)
2005 - 4x100 Relay Team, 7th (45.97)
2006 - 4x100 Relay Team, 5th (45.36)
Ashleigh McGrew
2005 - 100 Meter Hurdle Prelims, 12th (13.98)
2005 - 4x100 Relay Team, 7th (45.97)
2006 - 100 Meter Hurdle Prelims, 13th (14.08)
Bobbie Patton
2006 - Shot Put, 7th (14.98)
Brittany Ricketts
2006 - Long Jump, 13th (5.86)
Raquel Sola
2006 - Hammer, Foul
DaShalle Andrews
2004 - Long Jump, 4th (7.44)
2005 - Long Jump, 4th (7.49)
2005 - Triple Jump, 9th (15.20)
Anthony Brown
2004 - 110 Meter Hurdles, 8th (14.62)
2005 - 110 Meter Hurdle Prelims, 10th (14.37)
2006 - 100 Meters, 7th (10.50)
2006 - 110 Meter Hurdles, 3rd (13.81)
2006 - 4x100 Relay Team, DQ
Kevin Fahie
2005 - 4x100 Relay Team, DNF
Rolando Felizola
2006 - Long Jump, 10th (7.38)
2006 - Triple Jump, 12th (15.04)
Bradley Ike
2006 - 4x100 Relay Team, DQ
Sean Jones
2006 - Pole Vault, NH
Cody Pearce
2006 - Hammer, 18th (53.50)
Brandon Ruffin
2005 - 4x100 Relay Team, DNF
2006 - 4x100 Relay Team, DQ
- GO MATADORS - |
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