California Baptist University’s five fall sports dominated the PacWest Conference in their final year before the school transitions into the NCAA Division I WAC in 2018.
Both men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country and women’s volleyball earned the PacWest Championship in early November before the teams advanced to playoffs.
Dr. Ben Gall, head coach of cross country, took over these two teams in 2012, continuing to coach them to compete for championships every year.
Gall wanted the best for his runners, pushing them to become better every training session.
Joseph Scotti, sophomore business administration major and defender for men’s soccer, said he is proud of the team’s accomplishment.
“It feels great to be able to win such a strong conference; this was a huge accomplishment and something any sport should be really proud of,” Scotti said. “After winning conference, I felt a burst of joy, excitement and pride. Being able to finish the regular season undefeated with my team was a huge achievement.”
Scotti said this group of young men was strong and said his team was a brotherhood.
“The words I have for this ‘family’ are indescribable. The camaraderie of the team is significantly higher than any group of individuals I have ever been a part of and I would not change a single aspect of this unforgettable season,” Scotti said.
The men wrapped up their 2017 season in Texas for playoffs with an outstanding record of 17-1-2, in addition to going undefeated all throughout conference play.
The women’s soccer team struggled with adversity at the start of the fall season, but overcame the differences and ended their season with a PacWest title and earned the sixth seed for post-season.
Sydney Kralj, senior communication studies major and setter for women’s volleyball, said she was excited about their historic record-breaking season.
“I am so proud of this team. This accomplishment is due to so much hard work on and off the court by every member. I can boldly say that this 2017 bunch is truly a championship team,” Kralj said. “As a senior, I could not imagine a better way to leave a legacy of the perfect season we’ve achieved.”
The women’s volleyball team maintained an overall undefeated record of 28-0 all through this season and looks to continue their run in playoffs.
