CSUN Celebrates its Student-Athletes at First Annual Matty Awards
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - CSUN celebrated the best of Matador Athletics on Wednesday night (May 8) as CSUN student-athletes and staff gathered in Premier America Credit Union Arena for the first annual Matty Awards.
The awards ceremony, preceded by the annual Senior Sash Ceremony, opened with remarks from student-athlete keynote speaker Kinley Lindhardt (beach volleyball). Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) Co-Presidents Tatiana Smeltzer (water polo) and Abbey Sweeting (beach volleyball) then thanked members of the Athletics Department who have impacted their collective experience as CSUN student-athletes.
The awards were then handed out by various Matador student-athlete emcees; Mikayla Carmen (softball), Lorenzo Bertozzi (men's volleyball), Olivia Smith (women's basketball), Nathan Barraza (baseball), and Beata Hitterer (water polo) as student-athletes in five categories as voted upon by their fellow student-athletes.
The Matty Awards is an event that honors student-athletes in several informal categories including Team Hype Man/Woman, Most Likely to Forget Their Jersey on Game Day, Team Comedian, Most Likely to Win the Hunger Games, and Unsung Hero.
Awards were also handed out by the CSUN Sports Performance Team (Iron Matador Award), CSUN Director of Athletics Shawn Chin-Farrell (Matador of the Year), and CSUN Deputy Director of Athletics Sonia Hahn (Champions Cup).
2024 MATTY AWARDS WINNERS
Team Hype Man/Woman Award Winners
Kamau Neighbors, Baseball
Gizella Vargas Sandoval, Softball
Kinley Lindhardt, Beach Volleyball
Nir Eitan, Men's Volleyball
Tatiana Turgeon, Women's Volleyball
Tobi Brucher, Men's Soccer
Angelica Claiborne, Women's Soccer
Chase Mars, Men's Track & Field/XC
Jayden Lopes, Women's Track & Field/XC
Olivia Smith, Women's Basketball
Elle Laur, Women's Golf
Dillon Jonke, Men's Golf
Angela Ho, Women's Tennis
Katelyn Cornejo, Water Polo
Most Likely to Forget Their Jersey on Game Day Award Winners
Mason Le, Baseball
Alexa Ortiz, Softball
Julia Bazylevych, Beach Volleyball
Malcolm King, Men's Volleyball
Leah Miller, Women's Volleyball
Zion Wagoner, Men's Soccer
Sunny Bowlin-Stacy, Women's Soccer
Chris Allen, Ehinome Inegbenoise, Matthew Hodges, Men's Track & Field/XC
Ouanessa Nana, Women's Track & Field/XC
Alondra Lizama, Women's Basketball
Meghan Paracuelles, Women's Golf
Dillon Jonke, Men's Golf
Victoria Santibañez Luna, Women's Tennis
Beata Hitterer, Water Polo
Team Comedian Award Winners
Andrew Gauna, Baseball
Alexa Ortiz, Softball
Kinley Lindhardt, Beach Volleyball
Malcolm King, Men's Volleyball
Layla Cederlind, Women's Volleyball
Kike Pineda, Men's Soccer
Jackie Victorio, Women's Soccer
Shamil Youngblood, Men's Track & Field/XC
Jayden Lopes, Women's Track & Field/XC
Rochelle Fourie, Women's Basketball
Nicole Tanoue, Women's Golf
Thomas Burou, Men's Golf
Jackie O'Neill, Women's Tennis
Katelyn Cornejo, Water Polo
Most Likely to Win the Hunger Games Award Winners
Jakob Simons, Baseball
Kaylee Escutia, Softball
MayaMay Brown, Beach Volleyball
Chris Karnezis, Men's Volleyball
Madison DiGiiorgio, Women's Volleyball
Levin Gerhardt, Men's Soccer
Hayden Mauldin, Women's Soccer
De Marq Jaque, Men's Track & Field/XC
Brianna Kelpis, Women's Track & Field/XC
Gracie Piar, Women's Golf
Liam Judkins, Eirik Thomassen, Men's Golf
Nicole West, Women's Tennis
Meghan Lopez, Water Polo
Unsung Hero Award Winners
Ben Griffin, Baseball
Mia Cortez, Softball
Tasha Mae, Beach Volleyball
Niall Finnegan, Men's Volleyball
Taylor Dunlap, Women's Volleyball
Marley Edwards, Matthieu Mayindu, Zion Wagoner, Men's Soccer
Paige Califf, Women's Soccer
Noah Contreras, Men's Track & Field/XC
Kaliyah Poston, Women's Track & Field/XC
Erica Adams, Women's Basketball
Ellie Shirley, Women's Golf
Brandon McDonough, Men's Golf
Sofia Dermenjyan, Women's Tennis
Anna "Nusi" Pal, Water Polo
Iron Matador Award
Jakob Simons, Baseball
Yuliia Zhytelna, Women's Tennis
Male and Female Matadors of the Year Award
Kevin Fitzer, Baseball
Dodi Telek, Water Polo
Champions Cup Award - Community Service
Baseball
Softball
#GoMatadors
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