Cal State Northridge Matadors
# Cal State Northridge Matadors

The Cal State Northridge Matadors (branded as the CSUN Matadors) are the athletic teams that represent California State University, Northridge in Northridge, Los Angeles, California. The Matadors field 17 teams in nineteen sports. The Matadors compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Big West Conference. CSUN has been a member of the Big West Conference since the summer of 2001 for most sports. The men's and women's indoor track and field teams compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation instead. Men's volleyball also competed in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, but began to compete in the Big West beginning in 2018.

## Nickname

The Matador nickname was suggested in 1958 by student submissions, and was chosen over four other finalists. These included the Apollos, Falcons, Rancheros and Titans. The Matador is said to reflect the region's Spanish heritage.

## History

CSUN had previously been a member of the Big Sky Conference from 1996 to 2000. The Matadors won 34 NCAA Division II National Titles before moving up to Division I in 1990. That still ranks third all time in Division II.

## Sports sponsored

| Men's sports | Women's sports |
| - | - |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Beach volleyball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Golf | Golf |
| Soccer | Soccer |
| Track and $field^†$ | Softball |
| Volleyball | Tennis |
| | Track and $field^†$ |
| | Volleyball |
| | Water polo |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor ||

### Baseball

The CSUN Matadors baseball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of California State University, Northridge in Northridge, California, United States. The team is a member of the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. Cal State Northridge's first baseball team was fielded in 1959. The team plays its home games at 1,200-seat Matador Field. During its time in Division II, the Matadors baseball team won two national championships (1970, 1984).

### Basketball

**Men's basketball**

The CSUN Matadors men's basketball team represents California State University, Northridge in Northridge, California, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. Cal State Northridge's first men's basketball team was fielded in 1958–1959. The team plays its home games at the 2,400-seat Premier America Credit Union Arena.

**Women's basketball**

The CSUN Matadors women's basketball team represents California State University, Northridge in Northridge, California, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. Cal State Northridge's first women's basketball team was fielded in 1958–1959. The team plays its home games at the 2,400-seat Premier America Credit Union Arena.

### Soccer

**Men's soccer**

The CSUN Matadors men's soccer team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 1–7 through seven appearances.

| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2002 | First Round | Loyola Marymount | L 0–1 |
| 2003 | Second Round | FIU | L 1–2 |
| 2004 | First Round | Loyola Marymount | L 0–1 |
| 2005 | Second Round Third Round | UC Santa Barbara New Mexico | W 3–2 L 0–1 |
| 2012 | First Round | San Diego | L 1–2 |
| 2013 | Second Round | Stanford | L 0–1 |
| 2016 | First Round | Pacific | L 0–1 |

**Women's soccer**

The CSUN Matadors women's soccer team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 0–1 through one appearance.

| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2012 | First Round | San Diego State | L 0–3 |

### Softball

The Matadors softball team has appeared in two Women's College World Series in 1993 and 1994, advancing to the title game in 1994 before falling to Arizona. During its time in Division II, Matadors softball won four national championships.

### Women's volleyball

The CSUN Matadors women's volleyball team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 1–5 through five appearances.

| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1992 | First Round | USC | L 0–3 |
| 1996 | First Round | Kansas State | L 1–3 |
| 2003 | First Round | Loyola Marymount | L 0–3 |
| 2004 | First Round | Kansas State | L 0–3 |
| 2013 | First Round Second Round | Colorado State USC | W 3–2 L 0–3 |

## Former varsity sports

* Cal State Northridge Matadors football (discontinued 2001)
* Swimming (men's and women's) (discontinued 2010)

## Non-varsity sports

### Rugby

CSUN women's rugby began as a university recognized club team in 2011, after a 17-year hiatus. CSUN women's rugby played in the Collegiate SoCal Division 2 in 2012, and finished ranked first in Southern California and 14th in the Nation in Division 2. In 2013, the team finished first in California and sixth in the Nation in Division 2.

## Championships

### Appearances

The CSUN Matadors competed in the NCAA Tournament across 13 active sports (6 men's and 7 women's) 58 times at the Division I level.

* Baseball (6): 1965, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2002
* Men's basketball (2): 2001, 2009
* Women's basketball (4): 1999, 2014, 2015, 2018
* Men's soccer (7): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2016
* Women's soccer (1): 2012
* Softball (14): 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2015
* Women's tennis (1): 2001
* Men's indoor track and field (2): 1998, 2008
* Men's outdoor track and field (3): 1992, 2007, 2010
* Women's indoor track and field (3): 1996, 1996, 2000
* Women's outdoor track and field (8): 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008
* Men's volleyball (2): 1993, 2010
* Women's volleyball (5): 1992, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2013

### Team

CSUN has never won a national championship at the NCAA Division I level.

CSUN won 30 national championships at the Division II level.

* Baseball (2): 1970, 1984
* Men's golf (3): 1969, 1973, 1974
* Men's gymnastics (2): 1968, 1969
* Women's gymnastics (1): 1982
* Men's outdoor track and field (1): 1975
* Softball (4): 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987
* Men's swimming and diving (9): 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
* Women's swimming and diving (4): 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989
* Men's tennis (1): 1969
* Women's tennis (1): 1982
* Women's volleyball (2): 1983, 1987

Below are four national championships that were not bestowed by the NCAA:

* Women's outdoor track and field – Division I (3): 1978, 1979, 1980 (AIAW)
* Women's volleyball – Division II (1): 1980 (AIAW)

### Individual

CSUN had 6 Matadors win NCAA individual championships at the Division I level.

NCAA individual championships :

| School year | Athlete(s) | Sport |
| - | - | - |
| 1965–66 | Rusty Rock | Men's gymnastics |
| 1966–67 | Rich Grigsby | Men's gymnastics |
| 1970–71 | Pat Mahoney | Men's gymnastics |
| 1990–91 | Darcy Arreola | Women's outdoor track and field |
| 2006–07 | Dashalle Andrews | Men's outdoor track and field |
| 2007–08 | Reindell Cole | Men's indoor track and field |

At the NCAA Division II level, CSUN garnered 163 individual championships.

