BRETT CAMPFIELD
CONTRIBUTOR
Men’s Cross-Country: Daniel Lyon
Lyon, a junior, missed some midseason races with injuries, but stepped up big for the Cougars when it mattered most. He showed no rust in winning the A.I.I. Conference Championship by a whopping 21 seconds, and then went on to earn NAIA All-American honors with his 17th place finish at Nationals. Lyon and the Cougars were ranked #9 heading into the championships, but finished 2nd in the NAIA, the highest the team has ever placed.
Women’s Cross-Country: Suzanne Cornwell
A member of last year’s national championship team and a Track and Field All-American, Cornwell continued to excel in her senior year. After running the 2nd fastest time in school history, and winning the A.I.I. Conference Championships by 13 seconds, she capped off an amazing year with a 6th place finish at Nationals. Cornwell earned All- American honors and led the #2 ranked Cougars to an upset victory over Azusa Pacific to win their 3rd consecutive NAIA National Championship.
Men’s Soccer: Scott Rice
Freshman Scott Rice returned from a midseason injury to become a postseason hero for the Cougars. Rice scored twice for CSUSM in the A.I.I. Conference Championship Game, earning tournament MVP honors and leading the Cougars to their first appearance in the NAIA National Championship. Rice also went on to score against Azusa Pacific in first round of the national tournament, getting the Cougars an early lead before falling in the second half.
Women’s Soccer: Kaycee Gunion
Kaycee Gunion has been a rock for the Cougars in her 4 years at CSUSM, and this year’s A.I.I. Conference Tournament was no different. She held opponents scoreless throughout the tournament, earning first team All-Tournament Honors, and was selected as the Conference MVP. Gunion allowed only 6 goals in 20 games played this season, notching 54 saves and leading CSUSM to their winningest season in program
Men’s Basketball: Tim Steed
Senior guard Tim Steed has been excellent in all areas for the first-year Cougars. He leads the team in scoring with 18.6 p/g, as well as steals with 2.2. In addition to his strong defense, Steed is a good rebounder and is efficient with the basketball. Through November, he shot an incredible 54.5% on 3-pointers, and boasts nearly a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio. He has also stepped up big when it matters most, scoring 35 points in leading CSUSM to a victory over #2 ranked Mountain State (WV).
Women’s Basketball: Sidney Dobner
Senior point guard Sidney Dobner has been a floor general and all-around key contributor for the first year Cougar basketball team, leading the team in scoring (10.7 p/g), assists (4.3), and steals (2.0). Dobner has led the Cougars to several road wins over NCAA Division II schools, including impressive victories over #14 ranked Grand Canyon (17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) and Cal State San Bernardino (22 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals).
Volleyball: Brittany Thompson
Freshman Brittany Thompson took little time adjusting to the college game, playing a large role for the 29-8 Cougars, a young team playing in their very first season. She led the team with an impressive .300 hitting percentage, and was a consistently efficient player for the Cougars as they went on to win the A.I.I. Conference Championship and continue on to the NAIA National Tournament. Thompson had 6 games this season with 8 or more kills.