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• Wildcat Illustrated • Fall 2015

Fall 2015 • Wildcat Illustrated • Page 3
Wildcat Illustrated is published three
times a year – August, November and
February – by the Athletic Department of
Chico State, which is solely responsible
for its content. To place an advertisement
in Wildcat Illustrated, call the marketing
office at 898-5179.
Chico State Athletics is funded in part
by student Instructionally Related
Activities fees.
Editor
Mitch Cox
Photographer
Skip Reager
Graphic Design
Skip Reager
Marketing
Jeff Kragel
Writers
Mitch Cox
Rory Miller
Skip Reager
Luke Reid
Jonathan Wanderstock
On the cover
Working in a team atmosphere at Chico State has created many
successes, warm relationships and life-long friendships while the ath-
letes have created a family-type setting. Now Wildcat fans are being
invited to get involved with their favorite teams and athletes so they
too can be part of the Wildcat Family.
“50” will be the operative
number for the Chico State
men’s golf team.
Women’s cross country
team seeking 12th CCAA
championship.
See Page 15
Having 19 freshmen on
the team should make for a
very interesting women’s
soccer season.
See Page 9
The women’s golf team
will have a lot more
options this season.
See Page 5See Page 4
Inside Wildcat Illustrated
Big changes coming to Acker Gym sound, concessions.
Also in Wildcat Illustrated
6
Jonathan Wanderstock talks about fundraising.
The true story behind the Gambino Award.
7
14
New school, many changes for CCAA this year.
SAAC organization will grant another wish. 29
10
See Page 16
Athletic Hall of Fame plans
monster night of inductions
Saturday, Oct. 10.
See Page 11
Chico State’s volleyball
team hoping to make run
into postseason.
See Page 13
The men’s soccer team
hopes experience can help it
climb atop CCAA standings.
See Page 21
The men’s cross country
team is eyeing a 14th straight
CCAA championship.

I
n a sport where figures in the high 60s and low 70s are
desirable, the number “50” will play a dominant role for
the Chico State men’s golf team during the 2015-16
school year. Spring of 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of
Chico State’s only golf national championship – which was
won at Chico’s own Butte Creek Country Club – and coach T.L.
Brown is capitalizing on
that anniversary to help
build on his team’s lega-
cy. The coach feels there
is no better way to cele-
brate that special
anniversary than with
national title for the
2015-16 ‘Cats – a goal
that he feels is very
much in reach.
The Wildcats have
reached the match play
portion (final four) of the
national championship
tournament three of the last four years. Last year, they lost to
eventual national champion Nova Southeastern 3-1-1 in a
match that went down to the final three holes. Four players
return from that team including three who have drawn All-
American accolades each of the past two years.
While the national title is the team’s ultimate goal for the
coming school year, Brown is also using the anniversary of the
national title to launch his “50-for-50” campaign to raise
$50,000 for golf scholarships.
“It’s time to narrow the gap between Division I and CCAA
members by increasing what we offer to potential student-ath-
letes. With that in mind, a $10,000 per year increase over the
next five years will make a huge impact in growing our DII
dominance,” said Brown.
He expects to launch his campaign after Labor Day to
involve alumni and boosters. In conjunction, he will have
morning sessions called “Coffee with the ‘Cats” throughout
the year.
Brown believes that team unity is one of the “intangibles”
that leads to a successful program and creating a family
atmosphere is important.
“We look at the golf program as a family where we all look
out for each other and grow together, win together and lose
together. These experiences through competition bring us
closer together. Parents of student athletes, as well as past
players, bond and travel to watch the team,” explained the
coach.
“Golf is such an individual game. Many players have never
been a part of a winning team but have had individual suc-
cesses. It's important to understand that when you are a
member of the Chico State golf program, you are playing and
Page 4 • Wildcat Illustrated • Fall 2015
Take the B-LINE!
Use the bus to travel locally or between cities in Butte County!
*Chico State students ride free with student I.D. card.
RAIN OR SHINE.We are here for you.
For more information, visit www.blinetransit.com
(What rain?)
’Cat golfers look to repeat feat of 50 years ago
Lee Gearhart
2015-16 Wildcat Men's Golf Schedule
Fall 2015
Sept. 21‐22 – DII National Preview at Denver, Colo.
Sept. 28‐29 – DII W/SC Regional Preview at Las Cruces, NM.
Oct. 5-6 – InterWest Insurance Wildcat Classic (BCCC).
Oct 19‐20 – Otter Invitational at Seaside.
Spring 2016
Feb. 8‐9 – San Marcos Invitational at Vista
Feb. 29‐Mar. 1 – DII S./SE Regional Preview at Howey‐In
Mar. 7‐8 – NDNU Argonaut Invitational at Livermore
Mar. 21‐22 – Triton Invitational at San Diego
Apr. 11‐12 – Hanny Stanislaus Invitational at Turlock
Apr. 18‐20 – CCAA Championship, TBA
May 2‐4 – NCAA W/SC Regional at Las Cruces
May 17‐21 ‐‐ NCAA Championship at Denver, Colo.
See REPEAT/Page 30

I
t’s always good to have options but Chico State
women’s golf coach Nick Green found himself with-
out any last year.
When his roster dwindled to
only five players – the
number he can take to a
tournament – he was
forced to go with what he
had. At one point, he was left
with only three players and
could not even field a
team (it takes four to
score for the team)
and his trio
was forced to play as individ-
uals.
That won’t be the case
this year. After hours spent
on the recruiting trail, he has
three new players who he
will blend with four
returnees.
“Recruiting went very well
for our program. All the incoming players have been com-
peting a lot this summer and have been shooting good
scores. I feel they will be ready once the season starts,”
said Green. “Joining with the returning players, I believe
will give us the most balanced and deepest team that we
have had.”
The coach went on to say that the ultimate goal is to
compete at the national championships but that there are
a lot of things the team needs to do well in order to get
there.
“We need to stay committed to that ultimate goal and if
we can continue to improve and play for each other, I
think we have a great opportunity to get there,” said
Green.
Chico State has a solid group of experienced play-
ers in Dani O’Keefe, Abbey McGrew, Bianca Armanini
and Sydney Zink returning.
Zink and McGrew are juniors while O’Keefe and
Armanini are seniors.
O’Keefe led the Wildcats with a 76.6 average. Her best
individual finish was a third place and she also had a cou-
ple fourths.
McGrew was next in line with a 78.4 and a fifth place
finish while Armanini was at 79.4 with a second place fin-
ish. Zink averaged 89.1
The three newcomers include junior April Chang from
Sierra College, Brittany O’Bryant from Pleasant Grove High
in Elk Grove and Emily Rotter from Fremont High in San
Jose.
Chang was an accomplished golfer at Sierra College
where she won back-to-back All-State honors and was
named the Big 8 Conference MVP twice. She had a sec-
ond place finish in the state JC championships and led the
Big 8 with a 77.6 stroke average, two shots better than
her nearest rival. She also won or shared first place in
eight conference tournaments.
O’Bryant is a four-time All-Delta River League selection
and carries an impressive 2.1 handicap. In addition to
earning Division and Masters Medalist honors, O'Bryant
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Women’s golf team will have more options
2015-16 Wildcat Women’s Golf Schedule
Fall 2015
Sept 21‐22 – New Mexico Fall Intercollegiate at Goodyear, Az.
Oct. 5‐6 – Dixie State Invitational at St. George, Ut.
Oct. 19‐20 – Sonoma State Fall Invitational at Rohnert Park
Spring 2016
Feb. 8‐9 ‐‐ at San Diego Women’s Championships
Feb. 15‐16 – Lady Rattler Invitational at San Antonio, Tx.
Mar. 7‐8 – CS East Bay Tierney Shootout at Vallejo
Mar. 14‐15 – InterWest Wildcat Invitational (Butte Creek)
Mar. 21‐22 – at CS Monterey Bay Otter Invitational
Apr. 5‐6 – Sonoma State Spring Invitational at Rohnert Park
May 2‐4 – NCAA Super Regional at Stockton
May 18‐21 – NCAA Championships at Aurora, Co.
See OPTIONS/Page 30
Dani O’Keefe

The true story behind the ‘Gambino Award’
Student-athletes at Chico State
vie for a variety of honors and
awards every year—from athletic
to academic honors, to regional or
national accolades—the competi-
tion is fierce.
But there’s a new award that
might become the most coveted
one of all.
It’s called the “Gambino
Award” and this is the story of
how it came to be.
From 2005 to 2007, Andrew
Gambino was a member of the
Chico State track and field team.
He competed in various events
including the javelin and “thought
about the decathlon but never
tried one.” Andrew tried his best,
but wasn’t quite talented enough
to compete when the coaches had
to pare their list down for an
upcoming meet.
But Andrew was a great team-
mate and everyone loved having
him on the squad.
“I consider him a great emulsi-
fier,” said
head
men’s
track and
field
coach—and
recent
cooking afi-
cionado,
Oliver Hanf.
“An emulsi-
fier helps
blends foods
together. Certain ingredients are
needed for a recipe, but they
don’t always mix together—like oil
and water. But a splash of lemon
juice brings those two together.
Andrew was our lemon juice!”
While Andrew was a member
of the track and field team, he
was also a member of the Chico
State Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee, better known as
SAAC. SAAC’s purpose is to pro-
vide a conduit for student-athletes
to communicate with athletic
administra-
tion, but
also to get
out into the
community
and give
back to the
folks who
give so
much sup-
port to all
the Wildcat
teams.
Andrew always considered his
time as a member of SAAC a key
component in his development.
After graduation, Andrew would
stay abreast of SAAC activities by
following their Facebook page or
Twitter feed.
So imagine the surprise a few
years ago when SAAC was con-
ducting one of their annual
canned food drives when several
boxes from Amazon arrived in the
office of Associate Director of
Athletics and SAAC advisor Mitch
Cox.
“These were big heavy boxes
and I had no idea what they were
because I certainly hadn’t ordered
anything from Amazon,” he said.
Not wanting to open a box that
perhaps was shipped in error, Cox
made a quick phone call over to
the campus Shipping and
Receiving department to see if
they could shed some light on the
matter.
“The guy over in shipping does
a little research and then calls me
back and says, ‘looks like it’s from
a guy named Gambino.’” Cox
recalls opening the first box and
seeing several cases of canned
vegetables and saying to himself,
“you gotta be kidding me!” In all,
there were over 125 cans of food
in those boxes.
“There was a simple note from
Andrew in the box saying that he
hoped this would help us with our
Andrew Gambino Haley Kroll
See GAMBINO/Page 14

Your
Wildcat
Gear
Gameday
Headquarters
CHICO STATE
WILDCAT STORE
Bell Memorial Union
chicostatewildcatstore.com
/ChicoStateWildcatStore

T
he 19 freshmen on Chico State women’s soc-
cer coach Kim Sutton’s roster have her talking
like she did when she was a youngster.
“Gee whiz. Wow. This group really is young,”
Sutton said.
But golly gee willikers if she isn’t excited
about her Wildcats.
“It’s been a really fun start,” Sutton said. “Along
with having a superb returning staff, we have players
who have a high soccer IQ. We are at an accelerated
starting point because of that. That’s fun because
we’ve been able to start at a faster pace and move
forward faster than we have in the past.”
The Wildcats feature just 11 letterwinners from
last season’s squad, which finished 12-5-2
and just missed out on an NCAA
Championships berth. While the 11 may not look like much in the way of
quantity, the quality is certainly there.
“Our returning group is so solid,” Sutton said. “It’s a small group that
I’m expecting to do big things.”
Sutton should know. The two-time California Collegiate Athletic
Association (CCAA) Coach of the Year is entering her 21st season in the
NCAA and 16th at Chico State. Sutton is only four
wins shy of 200 and ranked 34th in NCAA
Division II history in wins.
“Our mantra this year has been ‘Prepare to
Shine.’ Hashtag P2S,” Sutton said with a huge
smile. “It’s about always being prepared to be
your best. It’s kind of all over everything
we’re doing this year.”
Then, she added with a smile: “Now it
is time to shine.”
Sutton has leaned heavily on her returning group
to set the tone off the field.
“A lot of our focus is on inclusivity – that we
become a unified team and that we’re all on the
same page together,” said Sutton. “Last year, having a
good run at the end of the year and just missing the
NCAAs, is a big drive for the returners. They under-
stand that the foundation of a successful season is built on a strong,
healthy team culture.
Cassi Scroggins and JoJo Smyth, one half of the four-woman senior
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Sept. 3 – at St. Martin’s
Sept. 5 – at Seattle Pacific
Sept. 10 – Concordia, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12 – Dixie State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 17 – California Baptist, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 – Dominican, 7 p.m.
Sept 25 – at Humboldt State
Sept. 27 – at Sonoma State
Oct. 2 – Cal State East Bay, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 – Cal State Stanislaus, 11:30 a.m.
Oct. 9 – at Cal State Dominguez Hills
Oct. 11 – at Cal State LA
Oct. 16 – at Cal Poly Ponoma
Oct. 18 – at Cal State San Bernardino
Oct. 23 – UC San Diego, 7 p.m.
Oct. 25 – Cal State San Marcos, 2 p.m.
Oct. 29 – CS Monterey Bay, 4:30 p.m.
Oct 31 – San Francisco State, 2 p.m.
Nov. 3 – CCAA Tournament, TBA
Nov. 6‐8—CCAA Tournament, TBA
Nov. 12‐15 – NCAA West Regional, TBA
Nov. 19‐22 – NCAA Regional Finals
Dec. 3‐5 NCAA Tourney, Pensacola, Fla.
19 freshmen help give
’Cats bright future
2015 Chico State Women’s Soccer Schedule
See SHINING/Page 25
Pooja Patel
JoJo Smyth

220 West 4th Street Downtown Chico (530) 893-3100
Addition of San Marcos prompts changes within CCAA
There’s a song from many
years ago by REO Speedwagon
entitled “Roll with the Changes.”
It’s certainly something that all
Chico State coaches, stu-
dent-athletes and fans will
need to do as they enter
the 2015-16 season.
For basketball
coaches and play-
ers, there are
changes to several
rules that take
effect this year (see
“Major rule Changes coming to
basketball this season” – Page
19). For the fans of basketball
and volleyball, there are lots of
changes heading their way at the
concession stand (see “”Better
sound, better food” Page 6).
The sport of softball, as well,
has several rule changes on the
immediate horizon.
But the one change that all of
the 13 sports will have to “roll
with” is the addition of a new
member to the California
Collegiate Athletic Association,
and the impact that has on
scheduling for some sports this
season.
For many years, the 12
CCAA schools had been
hearing that Cal State
San Marcos would
be joining the confer-
ence “very soon.”
But then one thing
or another would
come up and the
process would be delayed. Finally,
in 2014-15, San Marcos complet-
ed all the requirements that were
needed to make the move to
Division II and will now be a full
conference member for the
2015-16 season.
There will be some limitations
to what San Marcos is eligible for
in their first year of competition
(for example, no team champi-
onships), but they will be on
everyone’s schedule for all the
CCAA sports they sponsor.
Cal State San Marcos is one of
the newest schools in the 23-
campus California State
University system. Established in
1989, San Marcos is located in
northern San Diego County and
boasts an enrollment of more
than 12,000 students. The
Cougars have been a force at the
NAIA level, finishing 10th in the
2014-15 NAIA Learfield Sports
Directors’ Cup competition, and
will provide strong competition in
the CCAA.
While it’s exciting to welcome
a new member to the conference,
the addition did not come without
some predictable difficulties.
Most notably, with 13 teams now
in the fold, scheduling became a
real challenge. For example, bas-
ketball, as a sport, is limited by
NCAA rules to 26 regular season
contests. When the CCAA had 12
teams, the schedule was a dou-
ble round-robin, so each school
would play each other twice for a
total of 22 conference contests.
The other four “open” contests
could then be scheduled however
each school wanted to. So for
example, with men’s basketball
at Chico State, two of those
remaining four dates would be
used during the annual Mac
Martin tournament.
But with 13 schools, a double-
round robin would mean a total
of 24 conference games, leaving
only two opportunities to play out-
side of the CCAA. This can have
serious implications when it
comes to regional rankings and
post-season play where playing
opponents out of conference can
be an important criteria for post-
season consideration.
Because of that, the schedule
that most folks have been accus-
tomed to will be changing in
2015-16.
To be more specific, in volley-
ball and basketball, the “double
round-robin” format has been
altered so there will be some
opponents Chico will play only
once per year instead of twice. In
the sport of baseball, the tradi-
2014-15 2015-16
Sport NCAA limit CCAA contests CCAA contests
Soccer 18 games 11 12
Volleyball 26 dates 22 20
Basketball 26 games 22 20
Baseball 50 games 40 38
Changes to CCAA scheduling in 2015-16
See CHANGES/Page 23

Athletic Hall of Fame plans star-studded night
The Chico State Athletics Hall of Fame
committee has unveiled its class of 2015,
which features eleven of the department’s
all-time greats and two honorary
inductees. Legendary prep wrestling coach
Wayne Branstetter will be honored as the
first recipient of the re-created Mac Martin
Award, presented to a former Chico State
athlete who has brought distinction to the
University, community and his or her voca-
tion following college.
The 2003 NCAA Championship finalist
men’s soccer team will also be honored.
Tickets – $45 or $340 for a table of
eight – for the Oct. 10 gala can be pur-
chased by calling the Chico State Athletic
Department at (530) 898-6470. The dead-
line to RSVP is Sept. 25. The event will
begin with a social hour at 5:30, dinner
will be served at 7, and the induction cere-
mony will begin at 7:30.
The inductees
Paul (Dennis) Chase
Gymnastics 1975-80
Chase went by his middle name, Dennis,
while competing at Chico State. He is also
known as one of the greatest gymnasts in the
University’s history. Bright, his former coach
and an honorary inductee to this Hall of Fame
class, considers him the program’s best ever
all-around gymnast.
Chase won NCAA Championships in the
vault in 1977 and 1978, and finished third at
the 1978 Division I Championships. Chase was
a 13-time All-American at Chico State. His 1978
score in the vault, a 9.7, was an NCAA record.
Chase helped lead the Wildcats to a second-
place finish at the 1980 NCAA Championships
and three more top-six efforts.
Marissa (Bradley) Wink
Basketball 1997-2001
The Chico State women’s basketball record
book was never the same after Marissa
(Bradley) Wink got
through with it. For
her, making positive
changes is the rule,
not the exception.
Still the University’s
career leader in
points, steals and free
throws, Bradley also
holds the single-game
scoring record of 37
points, set during her
freshman year.
Wink was the first
female to be honored as the Chico
Sportsperson of the Year in 2001, and as a
member of the Dean’s List and National Honor
Society for four consecutive seasons, an easy
choice for the Richard Dahl Scholar Athlete of
the Year Award that same year.
After the Wildcats went 13-14 during her
freshman season, they were 52-28 over the
next three.
J.J. Jakovac
Golf 2002-04
From 2002-2004 there was not a better
golfer at the Division II level, and perhaps at any
collegiate level. The NCAA Individual medalist in
2002 and 2004 and three-time first team All-
American, Jakovac was the face of a Wildcat
golf program that was evolving into one of the
nation’s finest.
The two-time winner of the Arnold Palmer
Award, given to the Division II Player of the Year,
Jakovac was the recipient of the 2004 Jack
Nicklaus Award, given annually to the most out-
standing collegiate golfer in the nation, regard-
less of division.
Jakovac went on to play the professionally
before shifting his focus to caddying. He’s cur-
rently on the bag for Ryan Moore, ranked 39th
in the official World Golf Rankings.
Ben Pollock
Soccer 1985-89
Legendary Head Coach Don Batie calls
Pollock “without a doubt the greatest goal scor-
er that I ever had the pleasure of coaching.”
The Chico State men’s soccer record book con-
firms that fact. Pollock is the program’s career
leader in goals (44), assists (29) and points
(117).
Pollock led the Northern California Athletic
Conference in scoring, assists and points in
each of his final three years in a Chico State
uniform. He’s one of only two players to earn
two All-America honors in the history of the pro-
gram. And he’s the only one to be named First
Team All-West Region four times.
Pollock played professionally after being
selected 21st overall in the 1989 Major Indoor
Soccer League draft by the Dallas Sidekicks
where he scored 60 professional goals.
Margaret Pridgen
Cross Country 2002-03, T&F 2003-04
Pridgen was, in her words, “just an average
runner” in high school. By the time she graduat-
ed from Chico State, she was anything but aver-
age. Pridgen led Chico State’s women’s cross
country program to its first conference champi-
onship, first West Regional title, and first trophy
finish at the NCAA Championships.
Pridgen was as dominating a distance run-
ner as Chico State has seen. A two-time All-
CCAA and an All-West Region pick in cross
country, Pridgen also made her mark on the
track, breaking school records in the 800 and
1,500 meters and earning All-CCAA honors both
years. She captured the CCAA’s 1,500-meter
title and earned All-America honors in that
same event, finishing seventh in the nation.
Robb Shultz
Golf 1965-67
A two-time First Team All-American, Shultz
led the Wildcats to the 1966 National College
Division Championship. He finished second in
the tournament, hosted by Bidwell Park Golf
Course and Butte Creek Country Club in Chico,
and qualified for the NCAA University Division
Golf Championship Tournament at Stanford.
There, Shultz took on and beat the leg-
endary Johnny Miller in the match-play format
on his home Stanford course.
Shultz boasted an astounding six hole-in-
ones during his college years and fired course
records at Indian Valley Golf Club, Rohnert Park
Golf Club and Fallon Golf Club.
David Tittle
Swimming 1975-78
Tittle is one of those guys folks are always
looking up to. Not just because he’s a pilot for
American Airlines. He’s married with three kids
(including one who graduated from Chico State)
and also plays in a band with his best friends.
Before all that, Tittle created a legacy in the
Chico State pool by winning 10 NCAA titles. He
won individual titles in the 100- and 200-meter
freestyle in 1977 and the 50- and 200-yard
freestyle in 1978. He was also part of six NCAA
Champion relay teams while leading the
Wildcats to the 1976 NCAA Championship and
two more top-three finishes. During that three-
year run, the Wildcats also won three straight
Far Western Conference Championships.
He racked up 17 All-America honors, out of
a possible 18, and ranks third among Chico
State swimmers and divers in points scored at
the NCAA Championships while competing as
an individual (129). He also set four NCAA
Division II records and six school records.
Christopher Webb
Swimming 1973-76
Four years. Four NCAA Championship teams.
Six NCAA Championship relay golds. One indi-
vidual NCAA title. It all added up to one heck of
a collegiate swimming career for Webb.
One of three swimmers to be on four NCAA
Championship teams at Chico State, Webb won
the NCAA Championship in the 100-meter
freestyle as a freshman. He also contributed to
the team’s 800-meter freestyle relay national
title while leading the Wildcats to their first
team national title.
Webb swam to three national relay titles as
a sophomore, two as a junior, and capped his
illustrious career as a member of the NCAA
Champion 400-meter relay team as a senior.
A 21-time All-American, Webb earned the
honor 11 times as an individual and 10 times
as a member of relay teams. He ranks fourth in
the program’s history in individual points scored
at the National Championships and broke
school records 11 times along the way.
Chris Wondolowski
Soccer 2001-05
Wondolowski is perhaps the most decorated
NCAA Division II athlete ever. His list of accom-
plishments is voluminous.
A frequent member of the U.S. Men’s
National Team, with 31 career appearances,
Wondolowski ranks 20th all-time in goals
scored for the National Team with 10.
As a member of Major League Soccer’s San
Jose Earthquakes,
Wondolowski is a two-
time Golden Boot
winner as the
league’s leading scor-
er. He set the league
record for goals in a
season with 27 in
2012 and ranks sev-
enth in MLS history
with 102 career tal-
lies. He ranks third
all-time with 35
game-winning goals.
When
Wondolowski was named Most Valuable Player
of MLS after his historic 2012 season, he
became the first Division II athlete to be named
the MVP of any major professional league.
At Chico State, Wondolowski helped lead the
’Cats to the 2003 NCAA Division II Men’s
Soccer Championship title match. During his
stellar collegiate career, he was Second Team
All-American, First Team All-West Region, and a
four-time First Team All-CCAA player.
Honorary Inductees
Ray (Lorenz) Bright
Bright was known nationwide for the suc-
cess and recognition he brought to Chico State
through during his tenure as head gymnastics
coach from 1968 to 1985. Beginning his tenure
by recruiting P.E. students, Bright built the
Wildcats into a national powerhouse. His teams
won eight Far Western Conference champi-
onships – the first in 1972 – and consistently
placed among the top six teams at the NCAA
Championships.
Numerous Wildcats won NCAA individual
titles, more than 40 earned All-America honors,
and six qualified for the NCAA Division I
Championships, with two earning All-America
honors there.
Under Bright’s direction, Chico State consis-
tently hosted world-class gymnasts and teams
for exhibitions and competitions. Meanwhile,
the nation’s top collegiate programs were regu-
lar visitors to Acker Gym, where events would
See FAME/Page 18
Induction dinner Saturday, Oct. 10

When a team loses several pro-
ductive players to graduation, it
more or less suggests that a
rebuilding year is in the offing.
Such is not the case with the
Chico State volleyball team head-
ing into the 2015 season – the
Wildcats, with Head Coach Cody
Hein in his 13th year at the helm,
are optimistic that their blend of
returning lettermen and talented
new players will result in the pro-
gram’s first postseason appear-
ance in seven years.
The ’Cats are coming off a
2014 campaign that saw the team
go 13-13 overall and 11-11 in the
ultra-competitive California
Collegiate Athletic Association
(CCAA).
Hein feels the ups and downs
of last season will serve as a foun-
dation for the team’s success in
2015. Hein is confident he has
the firepower to fill the huge hole
left by the departures.Outside hit-
ter Shannon Boling enters her
senior year on the heels of a
career-best 2014 season, collect-
ing 243 kills, while sophomore
Olivia Mediano contributed 157
kills, 182 digs and 17 service
aces as a true freshman.
Outside hitter Anna Baytosh fig-
ures to see more playing time
than she did her freshman sea-
son.
Newcomer Shelby Frank, a First
Team All-Southwest Yosemite
League selection last season at
Bakersfield’s Frontier High School,
rounds out the ’Cats’ talented
batch of outside hitters.
Junior Natalie Nordahl (139
kills, 83 blocks in two seasons) is
one of several options Hein and
the Wildcats have to anchor the
opposite hitter slot.
Senior Hannah Wilkins (234
career kills, 56 blocks) will also
see some time on the outside
when she isn’t in her customary
middle hitter position.
Junior Ashton Kershner (147
kills, 56 blocks in two seasons)
will also set up in the middle, and
has the potential for being a key
component towards the Wildcats’
success in 2015.
Junior Janai Johnson, a 6-1
transfer from Cal State Monterey
Bay (where she racked up 152
kills and 75 blocks last season for
the Otters), and 6-2 freshman
Kaitlyn Jochum (San Francisco’s
Sacred Heart Cathedreal High
School) provide the ’Cats with the
type of height at the net that
should help the team both offen-
sively and defensively.
One new recruit that Hein is
particularly high on is freshman
middle hitter Kim Wright, who
comes to Chico following a stand-
out prep career at San Diego’s
Patrick Henry High School. “Kim
plays the game huge due to
exceptionally long arms and huge
hands,” Hein said.
Junior setter Torey Thompson
will once again be asked to effec-
tively feed Chico State’s talented
array of hitters. The freshman All-
American had another outstand-
ing season in 2014, leading the
CCAA with 1,100 assists and a
per-set average of 11.46 dishes.
“No question, Torey’s the person
we’re relying on most,” Hein said.
“We will only be as good as Torey
is. She’s the best setter in the
conference and one of the best in
the country.” Providing quality
backup and depth at the setter
slot are returner McKenna Carroll
(“she runs a good offense, and
we’d like to get her more experi-
ence this season,” Hein said) and
Sept. 4‐5 ‐‐ Route 92 Classic
(at Hayward)
Sept. 4 – vs. Dominican
Sept. 4 – vs. Holy Names
Sept. 5 – vs. California Baptist
Sept. 5 – vs. Academy of Art
Sept. 7 – at Simpson
Sept. 7 – William Jessup at Redding
Sept. 11‐12 – W. Oregon Tournament
(at Monmouth, Ore.)
Sept. 11 – vs. Notre Dame de Namur
Sept. 11 – Western Oregon
Sept. 12 – vs. Concordia (Oregon)
Sept. 12 – vs. Wisconsin‐Parkside
Sept. 15 – Cal State East Bay, 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 – at Cal State Dominguez Hills
Sept. 19 – at Cal State LA
Sept. 22 – at SF state
Sept. 25 – Sonoma State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26 – Humboldt State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 29 – at Cal State East Bay
Oct. 3 – Cal State Stanislaus, 7 p.m.
Oct. 6 – at Cal State Stanislaus
Oct. 9 – Cal Poly Pomona, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10 – Cal State Monterey Bay 7 p.m.
Oct. 17 – at Cal State San Marcos
Oct. 23 – at UC San Diego
Oct. 24 – at Cal State San Bernardino
Oct. 29 – Cal State San Marcos, 7 p.m.
Nov. 6 – CS San Bernardino, 7 p.m.
Nov. 7 – UC San Diego, 7 p.m.
Nov. 10 – San Francisco State, 7 p.m.
Nov. 12 – at Humboldt State
Nov. 14 – at Sonoma State
Nov. 19‐21 – CCAA Championship, TBA
Dec. 3‐5 – NCAA West Regional, TBA
Dec. 10‐12 – NCAA Tourney at Tampa. Fla.
See POSTSEASON/Page 27
Shannon Cotton
Torey Thompson
2015 Chico State Volleyball Schedule
’Cats look to
make run at
postseason

Leadership gifts a focus for 2015-16 fundraising
This past fiscal year was one of
the best fundraising years to date
for Chico State Athletics. Total giv-
ing rose by 42 percent. This signifi-
cant increase is largely attributable
to the closer relationships that we
are establishing with both new and
longtime supporters, largely
through sport program reunions
and personal visits.
Throughout the 2014-15 men’s
basketball season, Chico State
Athletics recognized the 100th
anniversary of the sport of men’s basketball at our insti-
tution. The celebration culminated in late February with
a halftime event at Acker Gym where former players rep-
resenting eight decades of Wildcat basketball were rec-
ognized in front of nearly 2,000 appreciative fans.
During the first weekend of May, Chico State men’s
soccer celebrated its 50th anniversary. Over 125 former
Wildcat soccer players and their guests honored the her-
itage of the program at a dinner held in Sierra Nevada’s
Big Room.
One of the most gratifying aspects of my job is meet-
ing with donors and prospective contributors to Wildcat
Athletics. Through these face-to-face meetings, I learn
about the positive impact and importance of each of our
Wildcat teams. In the process, I get to know the individ-
ual passions of our generous donors. This academic
year, I will be ramping up my travel to seek annual lead-
ership gifts of $1,500 or more and major gifts of
$25,000 and above.
Growing scholarship support will be a chief priority.
The Wildcats must reach a new level in scholarship
funding in order to catch up with the competition from
our NCAA Division II foes in the CCAA and other confer-
ences. Currently, we provide approximately $600,000 in
scholarship support, only 34 percent of what the NCAA
would allow us to give annually. Securing at least $1M
in scholarship support will be a necessity to thrive at the
level we’ve enjoyed recently.
Converting a portion of the men’s locker room into a
Strength and Conditioning Center for our better than
300 student-athletes is a major priority on the facility
front. Athletics currently shares a weight room located
on the second floor of Acker Gym with the Department
of Kinesiology. Due to structural deficiencies in the
building, high impact lifting was prohibited last year,
which forced Athletics to create an area within the first
floor climbing wall room. This “new” arrangement is a
temporary fix as the space is inadequate for the needs
of both Athletics and Kinesiology.
You will hear more about this capital project in the
coming weeks. In the meantime, I want to thank every-
one who has made a donation to Wildcat Athletics over
the summer and encourage anyone else who wishes to
make a contribution to do so. Let’s keep the strong
momentum going through June 30, 2016—the end of
our fiscal year—and beyond.
Go Wildcats!
Jonathan Wanderstock
Director of Advancement
530-898-4884
Jonathan
Wanderstock
canned food drive and if there was
anything else he could do, just let
him know,” said Cox.
This was a few years ago. Since
that time, Andrew has never failed
to send several boxes of canned
food items for the SAAC food drives.
Some of these cans have been
donated to the Jesus Center in
town, while the majority has been
donated to the Hungry Wildcat
Fund, which helps students in
need.
This past spring, SAAC held a
used shoe drive where shoes are
collected and then distributed
throughout the world by Shoebox
Recycling. Again, a large Amazon
box appeared in the Athletic
Department office.
“I seriously had no idea what
this could be because we weren’t
doing a canned food drive,” related
Cox. “So I open it up, and there are
12 brand new pairs of tennis shoes
courtesy of Andrew.”
Over the years, as a way of
showing thanks, Cox would send
Gambino various pieces of Wildcat
clothing — tee-shirts, sweatshirts,
etc., just to show SAAC’s apprecia-
tion. “After the shoes showed up, I
sent Andrew a note and told him
that I had simply run out of ways to
say thank you, and run out of
“swag” to send him. That’s when
the idea of the “Gambino Award”
hit me.”
The “Gambino Award” was
designed to not only honor Andrew
and all that he has done, but also
to inspire current student-athletes
as they move through their college
careers and then into the “real
world.” The award is given “For out-
standing leadership, dedication
and participation in the Chico State
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
now and in the future.”
The inaugural “Gambino Award”
was presented last spring to
women’s track and field athlete,
and SAAC co-President, Haley Kroll,
and Gambino was as honored to
see the award given out, as Kroll
was to receive it.
“To see the smile on yours and
Haley faces when she accepted the
award has given me so much inspi-
ration, pride and joy,” Gambino
wrote Cox later. “I personally don't
know Haley; however I would like it
if you would let her know that she
is a true inspiration to me.”
An inspiration indeed! Gambino,
who does fitness training, decided
to hold a fitness class for some
friends who were getting ready for
a wedding. He told them all to invite
their families, friends, kids,—
whomever they wanted. The cost to
attend?
A canned good.
Since then, he has collected
nearly 200 cans of food, donated
an additional 40 jars of peanut but-
ter to a children’s charity in L.A.,
and collected numerous items for
three underprivileged children in
his neighborhood including baby
formula and toys.
“I believe wholeheartedly that
every person wants to help change
or impact the world in a positive
manner,” said Gambino. “Some
people have the ability to do so
with one action; while the majority
of us have to do so incrementally.
My hope and goal is to continue to
incrementally help change the
world for the better.”
From Page 7
GAMBINO: Ex-Wildcat continues to help
From Page 6
chicken club wrap that fans welcomed. Expect to see a variety
of freshly made wraps this year including BBQ Chicken, Chicken
Caesar and the aforementioned Chicken Club.
Also on the healthy side, the concession stand will now be
offering “salad cups”, fruit parfaits that feature fruit, yogurt and
granola toppings as well as Blue Diamond almonds.
Still like your popcorn, but want to change it up a bit? The
concession stand will offer some “Wildcat shakers” including
Tangy Ranch, Smokey BBQ and Cheddar Cheese. And finally, the
concession stand will offer some great “Wildcat Combos” that
will fill you up and save you some money at the same time!
“There will be a new pricing structure that AS Concessions is
implementing that might throw some folks for a loop at the start,
but once they get used to it, and see the wider selection of items
available, I think it will be fine,” he said.
A couple other big improvements are also on the way for con-
cessions. Starting this year, the concession stand will be accept-
ing debit and credit cards. “This will be a huge convenience for
our fans who might want to purchase something but don’t have
the cash on them,” said Cox.
And remember that one long line that would stretch from the
concession stand all the way to the south entrance? A simple
adjustment and some well-placed stanchions will open the lobby
up more and with the concession stand using improved signage
and running an extra cash register, the line should move quicker
and more efficiently.
Of course with all of the improvements that we have planned
for this year at Acker Gym, one thing will stay the same – the
fun, excitement and value of attending Chico State volleyball and
basketball at Acker Gym!
IMPROVEMENTS:

T
he 2014 season was shaping
up to be another memorable
one for the Chico State
women’s cross country team. The pro-
gram had successfully captured its
seventh straight California
Collegiate Athletic Association
(CCAA) title and placed a solid
second at the NCAA West
Regionals heading into the NCAA
Championships, but a muddy
Louisville, Ky. course resulted in an
underwhelming 13th place finish, snap-
ping the Wildcats’ string of 12 straight
national Top 10 finishes.
The 2015 edition of the Wildcat
women’s cross country team plans to
put last season’s disappointing conclu-
sion well into the rear view mirror. Gary
Towne, entering his 20th season as
Head Coach of the ’Cats, is confi-
dent he’s got the harriers that will
vault Chico State back into the upper reach-
es of the national rankings.
All but two runners of last year’s squad
are expected to return in 2015, and com-
bined with a generous handful of blue-chip
recruits, Chico State has assembled another
talent-laden roster with plenty of depth.
The Wildcats will be led by senior Quetta
Peinado, junior Sadie Gastelum and sopho-
mores Alex Burkhart and Camila Turati, all of
whom earned All-CCAA and All-West Region
honors last season. Senior Bekha Bahra,
who posted a third All-CCAA performance in
2014 to go along with her two All-West
Region efforts, is also expected to be a key
contributor this season.
Senior Olivia Watt is looking to carry the
momentum of winning All-America honors in
track & field last spring into the 2015 cross
country season. Among the other returners
planning to make their mark this fall are sen-
iors Lora James and Katie Coleman, juniors
McCall Habermehl and Jacquie Adams and
sophomore Hannah Dorman.
Junior Madison Grenier and sophomore
Julie Finn raced sparingly in 2014, but hope
to be regular contributors to the ’Cats’ 2015
fortunes. Junior Haley Kroll and sophomore
Montana Loveday return after sitting out last
season, as will redshirt freshmen Nicole
Anthony, Yajaira Zarate, Veronica Garcia and
Elyssa Schall. Two track & field distance run-
ners, junior Morgan McFadden and sopho-
Fall 2015 • Wildcat Illustrated • Page 17Page 16 • Wildcat Illustrated • Fall 2015
Chico State’s looking to add 25th, 26th CCAA crowns to resume
Women harriers have won 11 titles Men working on string of 13 straight2015 Wildcat
Cross Country Schedule
Sept. 11 – Ash Creek Invitational at Monmouth, Ore.
Sept. 26 – at Stanford Invitational
Sept. 26 – Garrrin Park Challenge at Hayward
Oct. 9 – at San Francisco Invitational
Oct. 25 – CCAA Championships at San Francisco
Nov. 7 – NCAA West Regionals at Monmouth, Ore.
Nov. 7 – Doc Adams Invitational at Davis
Nov. 21 – at NCAA Championships at Joplin, Mo.
See SOLID/Page 27
T
he California Collegiate Athletic Association has been around for a long
time. Long enough to make it difficult to count all of the CCAA Coach of
the Year awards on Chico State Cross Country Coach Gary Towne’s
resume. It’s been around far longer than Towne has, in fact.
Since 1939, the conference boasting more NCAA Division II titles than any
other, has been churning out champions. But only one program in the confer-
ence’s history has won as many consecutive conference titles as Towne’s men’s
cross country corps. The Cal Poly San Luis Obispo women’s cross country team
won 13 straight CCAA titles from 1981-93.
Towne’s team won its first conference crown in 2002. The Wildcats have won
every one since. And at the CCAA Championships in San Francisco’s Golden Gate
Park on Oct. 25, they have a chance to cross over into their own special club
with their 14th straight conference crown.
“That would be really special,” Towne said. “We’ve worked hard to accomplish
what we have up to this point. I feel like we’ve been very fortunate. It takes a
combination of a lot of things to be that consistently good for so long. It’s neat to
think about the possibilities. But I also recognize it could put a little weight on
our shoulders.”
The Wildcats hope to get by with a little help from their friends.
“It will be an exciting conference race,” Towne said. “I’m sure we’ll be well
supported. We’re going to try to pack the park out there at Golden Gate.
Hopefully our alumni and supporters will come out in big numbers to cheer us
on.”
Towne’s 2015 team features just
one senior – Brandon Taylor. Juniors
Nick Grubiss and Aaron Mora and
sophomores Kyle Medina and Nick
Valenzuela are the only other return-
ers who made a postseason roster
last season. Juniors Ryan Rampoldi
and Andrew Cobourn also return,
along with sophomore Falco
DiGiallonardo. Those three were ham-
pered by injuries last fall.
Will Reyes and Steven Martinez, both
community college transfers who redshirted last
season, are expected to make an immediate impact.
Eight redshirt freshman and a host of talented new-
comers make up the rest of the squad.
“We are just really, really deep,” Towne said. “We are
going to do our best to keep everyone healthy, but if we need to, we
have a lot of talented guys who can
See SPECIAL/Page 27
Quetta Peinado Bekha Bahra (Left to right) Brandon Taylor,
Kyle Medina and Aaron Mora.

From Page11
where events would often sell out.
The Wildcats were also the only men’s collegiate gymnastics program to
include women.
Bright’s former athletes remember him most for his dedication and devotion to
his team and the sport. He created a gymnastics family at Chico State, which is
his true legacy.
Mike O’Malley
O’Malley’s 117 wins at Chico State are the second most in the program’s his-
tory and he retired with a 15-year collegiate coaching record of 155-129-16. He
led the Wildcats to the greatest season in the program's history in 2003, earning
National Coach of the Year and West Region Coach of the Year honors.
As a player at Chico State, O’Malley helped lead the Wildcats to consecutive
West Region titles in 1971 and 1972. In his senior season, the Wildcats made
their first ever appearance in the Final Four, finishing third.
In short, the Chico State men’s soccer program and Mike O’Malley were syn-
onymous for almost 40 years.
Hall of Famer Don Batie said. "In my opinion, his contribution to Chico State
Soccer is unsurpassed. As a player, he led his team to championships. As a
coach, he led his 2003 team to the best season in Chico State history. As a col-
league, he is a trusted friend. I can think of no one who deserves more to be in
the Chico State Athletics Hall of Fame."
Mac Martin Award winner
Wayne Branstetter
The powaywrestling.com website features a list of Branstetter’s quotes. One of
them is very apropos.
“You don't have to talk,” he says. “When you're good, people will do the talking
for you.” The Chico State Athletics Hall of Fame Board is grateful to shed some
light on just how good Branstetter has been.
Branstetter will be the first to be honored with the re-imagined version of the
Mac Martin Award, created to honor former Chico State athletes who have distin-
guished themselves in their post-collegiate career by bringing distinction to the
University, community and their vocation.
After spending two successful seasons as a wrestler for the Wildcats,
Branstetter embarked on a legendary high school coaching journey that may be
unrivaled in state history.
A member of the California Coaches Association Hall of Fame, National
Wrestling Hall of Fame, Ventura Junior College Hall of Fame, and California
Wrestling Hall of Fame, Branstetter is a three-time National Coach of the Year.
Branstetter began his coaching career at Channel Island High School in
Oxnard, tasked with starting a brand new program. He quick transformed it into a
powerhouse. Channel Island had won 49 consecutive dual matches when he
departed to take over the program at Poway High School in 1978. At Poway,
Branstetter’s teams have racked up four state titles, 32 section titles and a dual-
match winning streak of 157 and counting.
The 2003 Men’s Soccer Team
The Wildcats advanced all the way to the NCAA Championship title match and
finished the season 21-5-1. It marked an 11.5-game turnaround from 2002, at
the time the greatest single-season improvement in D-II history.
With 11 different players registering at least four goals and/or assists, the
Wildcats scored a school-record 63 goals, led by the Second Team All-American
Wondolowski’s 12 goals and eight helpers. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Dominik
Jakubek earned First Team All-America honors with a sparkling .811 saves per-
centage and 11 shutouts. Jesse Grigg, Dustin Tong and Robbie Busick joined
Jakubek and Wondolowski on the All-CCAA team.
Other members of the team were:
Keegan Fraschieri, Enrique Tadeo, Jordan Bryant, Jake Stauffer, Michael Esser,
Matthew Doty, Kevin Kuiper, Ryan Grange, Jason Phillips, Jaime Rodriguez,
Spencer Stanton, Rusty Phillips, Brian Phillips, Brett Williams, Gavin Edgell, Tony
Minnitti, Sebastian Jimenez and Scott Doty
Head Coach: Mike O’Malley, Assistant Coach: Larry Nees, Graduate Assistant
Athletic Trainer: Elesban Garcia.
FAME: Champions abound

3 units in 3 weeks REGISTRATIONOPENSNOVEMBER2
Major rule changes coming to basketball this season
Another story in this issue of Wildcat
Illustrated talks about all the changes fans
of Chico State basketball can expect at the
concession stand.
But there are some other changes—big
changes—happening on the court as well
this season.
The biggest changes lie with the
women’s game. The NCAA Playing Rules
Oversight Panel approved moving the
game away from the traditional 20-minute
halves to a game that is structured around
four 10-minute quarters.
The NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules
Committee, which initially recommended
the rule change, believes the four-quarter
format will enhance the flow of the game.
The Women’s Basketball Coaches
Association Board of Directors also
endorsed the change.
Another big change to the women’s
game will be at the foul line. In the past, a
team would shoot “one-and-one” free
throws on the seventh team foul of each
half, and then reach “double-bonus”—two
shots—when the 10th team foul of the half
was recorded. In the new format, teams
will now reach the
bonus and shoot two
free throws on the fifth
team foul in each quar-
ter, with the team foul
count reset to zero at
the start of each new
quarter.
Chico State
women’s basketball
coach Brian Fogel thinks these changes
are going to have a significant effect on
the game.
“This will change strategy in a variety of
ways and I think it will take coaches some
time to figure it all out,” he said. “I’m sure
many of us will make mistakes along the
way.”
One other rule that will go into effect is
maybe not as big in the overall scheme of
things, but might prove to be the differ-
ence in close games. The panel approved
a rule that allows teams to advance the
ball to the frontcourt following a timeout
immediately after a made basket in the
last 59.9 seconds of the fourth quarter
and any overtime peri-
od.
“This might provide
some extra excitement
at the end of a game,
and it means execut-
ing your in-bounds play
will be critical,” said
Fogel. “Guess I’m going
to have to buy that
“Sideline Plays for Dummies” book I saw
recently,” he joked.
Fogel sees some other ramifications of
the new rules. “The ability to shoot free
throws successfully just increased in value
even more,” he said, “but by eliminating
the one-and-one, I think you’re taking a
“skill” away from a player—the ability to hit
that first free throw under extreme pres-
sure.”
Fogel also mentioned how sometimes
when a team is trailing, they are forced to
foul to get the opposing player to hit the
front end of that pressure-packed “one-
and-one.” “With two free throws coming
after only the fifth team foul, that strategy
might not be as effective now,” he said.
There are also some changes within the
men’s game, but not nearly as dramatic as
they are with the women’s game.
A big concern at the Division I level is
that scoring dipped to an average of 67.6
points per game last year, near the historic
low for the sport. With an eye on reducing
inaction, the panel approved several pro-
posals to improve the pace of play. The
most significant is reducing the shot clock
from 35 to 30 seconds. The shot clock was
last reduced for the 1993-94 season when
it went from 45 to 35 seconds.
“It’s hard to say without experiencing it
first, but my inclination is to think reducing
the shot clock will actually give the
defense a bigger advantage,” said Chico
State men’s coach Greg Clink. “Offenses
will need to get into their play earlier, and I
would expect that defensively, you’ll see a
lot more three-quarter court press and
zone defenses to slow that pace down. I’m
not sold that it will increase scoring like
they’re hoping, but we’ll just have to see
Greg Clink Brian Fogel
See BASKETBALL/Page 23

The Castle Crags tower above Interstate 5 as it meanders along next to the
Sacramento River. The exposed granite spires are visible to every driver and passenger.
But very few of them ever actually experience life at the top of that mountain.
This August, the Chico State men’s soccer team did. As part of their annual mountain
camp pilgrimage, the Wildcats hiked to the top. Head Coach Felipe Restrepo is hoping
that the trip provided a bit of a roadmap for his team as it attempts to
ascend to the top of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)
and beyond.
The Wildcats were extremely young and extremely talented last
season. They finished 8-6-3 while allowing only 14 goals.
“We’ve never had that many freshmen play,” said Restrepo.
“Last year we threw those guys in the fire and they did fantas-
tic. We had some heartbreakers but we were in every match.”
Five freshmen started for the Wildcats, and it’s likely that
the growing pains they all experienced made the difference
between a good and great season.
“Those guys have a full
season and great spring
under their belt and they’re
a lot better,” said Restrepo.
“Now that group is that
much more prepared.
Some of those little mis-
takes and things they
were experiencing for the first time – that’s long
gone now. They’ve seen what it takes to succeed.”
Since last fall, Restrepo’s aim has been teach that
group, now sophomores, how to grind out wins.
“You do that by having a strong sense of team,” said Restrepo. “The veterans in the
program are leading the team in that direction. The seniors have seen it. They have had
the success. They know what it takes to get to the mountaintop. They’re working hard on
and off the field, which is exciting.”
Midfielder Russell Ellyson, forward Matt Hurlow and defenders Justin
Walmsley and Sean Gallagher all enter their senior season with four to
five years in the program under their belt. Midfielders Nick
Radosavljevic and Octavio Murillo are junior college transfers enter-
ing their final campaign.
“Between the senior and sophomore groups, we’re in really
good shape in terms of talent and the program’s culture,” said
Restrepo.
The senior group makes up nearly half of the returners. Last
year’s starting goalkeeper, freshman Luke Dennison, will redshirt
this season. Defender Isaiah Dargan and midfielder Sean Bowker
return for their junior season.
Sophomores Dylan Wakefield, Carter
Johnson, Frankie Palmer, Matthew
Tarr and Sasha Peranteau are also
back.
The addition of a strong
freshman class, Community
College All-Americans Rajaee Delane and Omar Nuno, and
sophomore midfielder Jesus Ramos from Juarez, Mexico,
Q
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Men’s soccer team looking to climb atop CCAA
Sept. 5 – at Seattle Pacific
Sept. 7 – at Saint Martin’s
Sept. 10 – at Academy of Art
Sept. 12 – at Dominican
Sept. 18 – Holy Names, 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 – at Humboldt State
Sept. 27 – at Sonoma State
Oct. 2 – CS East Bay, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 – CS Stanislaus, 2 p.m.
Oct. 9 – at CS Dominguez Hills
Oct. 11 – at Cal State LA
Oct. 16 – at Cal Poly Pomona
Oct. 18 – at CS San Bernardino
Oct. 23 – UC San Diego, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 25 – CS San Marcos, 11:30 a.m.
Oct, 29 – CS Monterey Bay 7 p.m.
Oct. 31 – SF State, 4:30 p.m.
Nov. 3 – CCAA Tournament, TBA
Nov. 6‐8—CCAA Tournament, TBA
Nov. 12‐15 – NCAA West Regional
Nov. 19‐22 – NCAA Regional Final
Dec. 3‐5 NCAA Finals, Pensacola, Fla.
See CLIMB/Page 25
2015 Wildcat Men’s Soccer Schedule
Matt Hurlow
Justin Walmsley

From Page10
tional four-game series will be main-
tained for opponents in the same region,
but out-of-region series’ will be a three-
game format.
So while the addition of San Marcos
has certainly created some challenges,
one major benefit of the Cougars joining
the league is that they sponsor women’s
golf. Of Chico State’s 13 sports, only
women’s golf is not considered a confer-
ence sport because a minimum of six
schools must sponsor the sport for it to
qualify. The arrival of San Marcos brings
the current total of schools in the confer-
ence that sponsor women’s golf to five.
There is a now strong possibility that one
more school will add the sport, bringing
the total to six and thus making women’s
golf eligible for a CCAA championship.
Chico State Athletics is happy to wel-
come Cal State San Marcos to the CCAA
family of schools and look forward to
competing against the Cougars for many
years to come.
CHANGES: From Page 19
how things unfold.”
Two other key rules go into effect this sea-
son. Teams will now have one fewer team
timeout in the second half,
and coaches will not be
allowed to call a time out
while the ball is live.
“I like reducing the num-
ber of timeouts personally,”
said Clink. “With the media
timeouts as well as the reg-
ular allotted timeouts, I
think the game stops too
much. Now as far as the
rule about a coach not
being able to call time out
while the ball is live—I’m not
sure what the point of that
is.”
One rule that won’t take
effect until next year is the
expansion of the restricted-
area arc from three feet to
four feet. This rule will take effect at the
Division I level this year, but is postponed until
2016-17 for Division II. Moving the arc a foot
farther from the basket is part of a continued
focus on reducing the number of collisions at
the basket.
The Chico State
women’s basketball
team tips off their sea-
son on Thursday,
October 29 with a home
exhibition contest
against William Jessup
University. The regular
season opener is slated
for Friday, November 13
as Chico State hosts the
CCAA/PacWest
Challenge-Coslet Classic.
The Chico State
men’s basketball team
opens their season on
Sunday, November 8
with an exhibition game
at Division I University of
Arizona. They open the
regular season the fol-
lowing Friday against Montana State-Billings at
the Cal State East Bay tournament.
BASKETBALL: Big changes taking place
“I like reducing the
number of timeouts per-
sonally. With the media
timeouts as well as the
regular allotted timeouts,
I think the game stops
too much. Now as far as
the rule about a coach
not being able to call
time out while the ball is
live—I’m not sure what
the point of that is.”
– Greg Clink

Easy
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From Page 21
has Restrepo excited.
“You add Jesus and the two JC
All-Americans and you’re going
woah, this is a different group,”
said Restrepo.
Every season has its peaks and
valleys. Restrepo believes that his
team’s experience in the moun-
tains will help them navigate both.
“I’ve been impressed at how
this team has done everything as a
team in the truest sense,” said
Restrepo. “The hike up to the top
of Castle Crags was a huge change
in elevation. The guys did some
exercises on the way up and all got
to the point of wondering if they
could do it. But they looked to each
other, worked together, and
learned how to trust and rely on
each other to get the job done. At
the end, they all stood at the top
feeling extremely satisfied.
“The program’s just a lot of fun
right now. The kids are great and
they’re working hard. It’s very blue
collar and I’m proud of that.”
And so the climb begins.
CLIMB: Program is a lot of fun
From Page 9
class, will anchor the defensive
third. Freshman Erin Woods, forced
to redshirt last season due to
injury, has come back very strong.
Sutton expects freshmen Devon
Morones and Abby Huizenga to
play key roles in the back as well.
University of San Diego transfer
Mackenzie Boulton, a redshirt
freshman, has won the starting
goalkeeper job.
Midfielders Nicole Roberts and
Ella Fries make up the other half of
the senior class. Lindsey Dias,
Katie Brown and Emily Shleppy
also return to the midfield, and
freshman Cailin Keenan has also
made a strong impression.
Dias led the team with six goals
last season, including a trio of
game-winners. She linked up with
now-sophomore forwards Shelby
Lanksbury and Pooja Patel to form
a dangerous attacking trio as last
season wore on.
Lanksbury contributed four
goals and Patel posted two goals
and five assists.
Sutton expects another sopho-
more, Brooke Coelho, to make a
big contribution up top as well.
Coelho stepped into a defender’s
role when the need arose due to
injuries last season. But late in the
season Sutton moved her up top
and decided that her future was
there.
The coach is also excited about
what freshmen Carlie Reader,
Brielynn Tovani and Brianna
Bengivengo add to the front line.
“We want to pursue excellence,”
said Sutton. “That is the other core
value that we’re talking about. We
want to be one percent better
every day. So far, we’re accom-
plishing that. The future is bright.”
So far, the Wildcats are shining.
SHINING: Good returnees

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Last year, Wildcat
Illustrated began a new
feature called “The
Coach’s Top 10” where
readers learned some-
thing new about a mem-
ber of the Wildcat coach-
ing staff. In those previ-
ous issues, we received
a musical education
from men’s track and field coach Oliver
Hanf who bestowed to us his “Top 10
Albums/CD’s he would take to a desert-
ed island.” In the winter issue, we heard
from baseball coach Dave Taylor and his
“Top 10 Sports Movies.” And in the
spring, women’s soccer coach Kim
Sutton provided her “Top 10 Favorite
Vacation Spots.”
For our first issue of 2015-16, we
turned to the resident “techno-geek” of
the department, women’s basketball
coach Brian Fogel. Coach Fogel prides
himself on three things: his flip-flops, his
Dollar Store reading glasses, and his cell
phone. With that in mind, Wildcat
Illustrated is somewhat proud, but mostly
embarrassed, to present…
“Coach Fogel’s Top 10 Reasons why
his Flip-Phone Rocks!”
1. You can receive and make calls.
2. Identity protection--- you can use
any finger to push the green button and
it turns on!!
3. Invisible Theft Shield --- no one
will ever steal it. No one wants it.
4. Sweet ring tones.
5. No lame apps like Snap Chat or
Candy Crush.
6. Beautiful screen saver picture of
a pond or lake. Can’t really tell since the
screen is pretty small.
7. Can’t receive pictures so I don’t
have to respond back pretending the pic-
ture is funny or cool.
8. Comes with a clock.
9. T-9 for texting.
10. Size of the phone…and yes, size
matters!!!
Coach’s Top 10 List
Reasons why
flip phone rocks!
Brian Fogel
From Page 17
step in and keep things rolling.”
Medina enjoyed a remarkable fresh-
man year, finishing fourth at the CCAA
Champions, fifth at the NCAA
Championship West Regionals, and fifth
in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Track
and Field Championships.
“Kyle was a real pleasant surprise,”
Towne said. “More so because he had a
great mid-distance background. It’s a real
difference to be out there suffering for
30 minutes instead of three and a half.
He’s done an amazing job of accepting
the mental challenge of embracing the
longer distance.”
Grubiss was seventh at the CCAA
Championships, Valenzuela ninth and
Mora 11th.
Taylor started the season with an
impressive team-best 14th-place showing
at the Stanford Invitational, but never
quite returned to that level, finishing his
campaign with a 22nd-place showing at
the CCAA Championships.
“Brandon has a lot of talent and he’s
a real tough racer, but his body is just a
mystery,” Towne said. “I have to do a real
good job of making sure we aren’t over-
working him and keep him fresh for the
length of the season.”
Reyes ran unattached last season and
finished third at the Charles Bowles
Invitational, outracing every University of
Oregon athlete in the process. Martinez
finished 12th.
“I don’t think many programs would
have the patience to redshirt two guys of
their caliber, but we wanted to invest in
the future,” Towne said. “The future is
now.
“Will is going to be really good. I would
rank him in the top three of four distance
runners I’ve worked with as far as his
potential. He’s going to be one to watch
for the next two years for sure.”
Towne expects Cuesta Community
College transfer Connor Fisher to make a
big impact as well. Fisher spent his fresh-
man season redshirting at Cal Poly San
Luis Obispo before transferring to Cuesta,
where he finished third in the state last
year.
Together, the Wildcats are on a quest
to not only set the conference’s consecu-
tive championships record, but also to
bounce back from last season’s disap-
pointing NCAA Championships finish.
After winning the NCAA West Regional
title for the 11th time in the past 13 sea-
sons, the Wildcats finished 14th overall
at nationals, snapping a streak of 15 top-
10 finishes in a row.
“That was a really tough race to swal-
low,” Towne said. “It still is. It stings think-
ing about it.
“I definitely think that everyone who
was involved was pretty devastated. But
it’s going to serve as motivation in every
way. We want to go out there and show
that was just a blip on the radar.”
From Page 16
-more Seychelle Kaufman, also figure to be part of the competi-
tive cross country mix this fall.
Towne has brought in several new runners to the program
that bolster the Wildcats’ 2015 roster even further. Sophomore
Kody Atkins – one of the North Section’s biggest talents during
her days at Chico High School – joins the ’Cats after beginning
her college career at University of Mary (N.D.). Three freshmen
who could make an immediate impact are Desirae Jones (a
member of Simi Valley High School’s Division II state champi-
onship team), Kayden Carpenter (one of the top distance run-
ners in the San Diego Section out of El Capitan High School)
and Jenny Giguere (a First Team All-Ventura County runner from
Westlake High School).
Also joining the ’Cats in 2015 are transfers Courtney
Morning (El Camino College), Karlie Garcia (Southern Utah
State) and Olivia Fisher (San Francisco State), as well as true
freshmen Jessica Fernandez (San Benito HS), Brianna Jasso
(Corona HS), Emily Nolen (Brea-Olinda HS), Emily Freed (San
Rafael HS) and Kaitlyn Eklem (San Ramon Valley HS).
The Chico State women’s cross country team has four regu-
lar season meets on its 2015 schedule, beginning Sept. 11 in
Monmouth, Ore. as part of the Western Oregon-hosted Ash
Creek Invitational. The Wildcats will attempt to defend their con-
ference crown Oct. 25 at the CCAA Championships in San
Francisco, with the NCAA West Regionals slated for Nov. 7 in
Oregon. The NCAA finals take place Nov. 21 in Joplin, Mo.
SPECIAL: ’Cats set sights on CCAA record
SOLID: Women’s team stocked with veterans
POSTSEASON: Eight-team CCAA tourney
From Page 13
freshman Nikki Desrochers, a proven win-
ner late of Oakdale High School.
Chico State’s back line features two
returners, sophomores Shannon Cotton
and Anu Munkhtur, junior college transfer
Jacki Kreymborg (San Diego City College)
and freshman standout Natalia
Betancourt (Santiago High School).
Cotton (234 digs and 22 aces in
2014) is penciled in as Duran’s replace-
ment at libero. Munkhtur played some
important minutes late in the 2014 sea-
son and will be expected to contribute
even more this year. “Anu is the best
server of (our defensive specialists), so
she provides a point-scoring option for
us,” Hein said. Kremborg should start the
season as a DS (“she’s been absolutely
phenomenal defensively,” said Hein) but
could very easily see playing time at
libero in 2015.Betancourt will compete
for the right back position as a freshman,
with minutes at the libero position
planned for her future.
The CCAA remains as competitive as
ever, but with an eight-team conference
tournament (the first ever for volleyball in
the CCAA) slated for mid-November, Chico
State could earn a much sought-after
postseason bid if the team plays any-
where close to its potential.
“The girls don’t need a whole lot of
motivation. They’re fired up about (the
chance to play in the postseason),” Hein
said. “Hopefully it plays out that we get
some wins early on and we’re going in
that (postseason) direction as opposed to
feeling like we have to play catch-up.”

Local youngsters benefit from SAAC Make-A-Wish gifts
Part of being a student-athlete at Chico
State is being able to compete in the sport
you love against some of the top competi-
tion in the United States.
Another part of being a student-athlete
at Chico State
is the cama-
raderie that
you feel with
your team-
mates and as
a member of
the Wildcat
family.
But anoth-
er part of
being a stu-
dent-athlete at
Chico State is
the opportuni-
ty to understand and appreciate that not
all young men and women enjoy those
same benefits – benefits that might get
taken for granted.
One of the ways that this message gets
across is through the participation of the
Chico State Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee (SAAC) and the NCAA Division II
commitment to the Make-A-Wish
Foundation®. Over the years that Division
II schools nationwide have partnered up
with Make-A-Wish®, student-athletes have
raised millions of dollars to help make the
dreams come true for boys and girls bat-
tling a life-threatening illness.
Four years ago, the Chico State SAAC
decided that rather than send all of their
fundraised dollars off to the NCAA to help
the national effort, they would send a por-
tion of it, but keep the majority to grant a
wish to a local child through the local
Make-A-Wish Foundation® office.
In February of 2011, the Chico State
SAAC donated $5,000 so that nine-year
old Mason Fontana could fulfill his wish of
appearing on the children’s TV show “Yo
Gabba Gabba.” Fontana was battling X-
Linked Myotubular Myopathy, one of the
rare forms of Muscular Dystrophy.
Three years later, the Chico State SAAC
was able to grant their second wish to a
local child. This time, it was 15-year old
Marcus Tice, a young man who was
healthy and active one day, and then went
through sudden kidney failure putting his
life in jeopardy.
With SAAC planning on granting anoth-
er wish in 2015-16, we thought this would
be a good time to catch up with the fami-
lies of Mason and Marcus to see how they
are doing.
Mason – Mason’s amazing story is far
too long to tell here, but when he was
born, his parents Scott and Staceyanne
were told the prognosis wasn’t good and
that he might not reach his first birthday.
But Mason is a fighter and at the age of
nine, was SAAC’s first “wish child.”
As mentioned, Mason’s wish was to
appear on the children’s TV show “Yo
Gabba Gabba” – a show that features a
group of very colorful characters with such
names as Muno, Foofa and Brobee and
hosted by DJ Lance Rock. Thanks to the
people at the Make-A-Wish Foundation®,
that dream became a reality and it’s been
something that the Fontana family has
never forgotten.
“Mason absolutely LOVED his wish,”
said Staceyanne. “I think being in the real
Yo Gabba Gabba world was his dream
come true. It was truly the most amazing
experience. The cast and crew were all so
friendly, interacting on Mason’s level,
including us in their activities and shower-
ing us with gifts for him.”
Staceyanne
went on to talk
about how the
connection has
continued to
this day. “We
have been
blessed to be
made part of
the Gabba fam-
ily. Not only
have we been
invited to be
their personal
guests at every single concert, but DJ
Lance sends Mason birthday gifts every
year!”
“It’s hard to believe it’s been four years,
it still seems like yesterday,” recalled
Marcus Tice
Mason Fontana
See WISH/Page 30

From Page 29
Staceyanne. “Mason continues to amaze us with his strength,
determination and tenacity. None of us ever thought he would
reach 14 years, but once again, he has proven himself to be a
true warrior.”
Mason continues to face his challenges with a positive atti-
tude and courageous spirit, says Staceyanne. “He is holding
his own, but has deteriorated significantly in the last few years.
He has become almost entirely bedridden, and his little body
has begun to fail. But he will always be our perfect miracle and
true hero.”
Staceyanne concluded her thoughts with some emotional
words about the student-athletes at Chico State. “We cannot
express how thankful we are for the once-in-a-lifetime experi-
ences that we were able to enjoy as a family. We will be forever
grateful to Chico State Athletics for sponsoring this opportunity
to fulfill our little boy’s greatest wish!”
Marcus – The nature of Marcus’ wish was what really made
granting his wish a special treat for the Chico State SAAC. His
wish was a simple one – to go to college and study medicine
so that someday, he might be able to help others going
through similar circumstances.
To that end, SAAC raised $5,000 to start a 529 College
Plan for Marcus. There were some additional goodies provided,
including a 2012 Pro Bowl jersey signed by NFL Most Valuable
Player, and Chico native, Aaron Rodgers inscribed “Marcus –
Dream Big!”
Marcus was a healthy young boy until suddenly things
changed very quickly. Doctors determined that his kidneys
were shutting down and his life was in the balance. The Chico
State SAAC granted Marcus’ wish in late January of 2014 and
he underwent kidney transplant surgery at Stanford University
Hospital the following month. For the first ninety days after
surgery, Marcus and his family hung close to Stanford so he
could be checked on a regular basis. He now is checked once
a month, and according to his dad Mark, “He is happy and liv-
ing the life a young man of 16 should live.”
Marcus still would like to enter the medical field so his
focus right now is getting his academics in order and applying
to schools. As expected, the past year has been a challenge
with much of his time being spent visiting doctors, but accord-
ing to Mark, “the teachers at Chico High School have bent over
backwards to help him throughout all of this.”
Marcus is now off dialysis—he used to be hooked up nearly
10 hours a day. While he would like to compete in wrestling
and football as he did previously, those types of contact sports
can be very risky, so he is considering other sports like volley-
ball. While there are a few other restrictions, “overall, he is liv-
ing and managing an enjoyable life.”
Finally, Mark Tice had some closing thoughts about all that
has happened over the past couple of years. “First, God bless
the family that lost their child. We don’t know if the donor was
a male or female, but we are forever indebted to the family.
Second, I can’t say enough how proud I am to be a Chico State
graduate, and how close to my heart the student-athletes who
were a part of this effort are. You all are truly great ambassa-
dors of our fine University.”
WISH:3rd wish on way
From Page 4
practicing for each other. All decisions made away from
the team, during practice and in competition drastically
affect what the team can and will accomplish. Our
team goals and what's best for the group always come
before the individual goals and aspirations. All goals
are important and all are interrelated, but we learn to
focus a large percentage on team outcomes and how
to improve the group as a whole.”
“With the match play format the only way to win
now is to be loaded with depth from No. 1 to No. 7,”
said the coach.
Depth will be one of the keys to achieving the goal of
a national championship and while the Wildcats have
four proven returnees, it takes more than that to get
the job done.
Chico State’s team starts with three of the top play-
ers in the country in Lee Gearhart, Alistair Docherty
and Justin Wiles who were all honored by the Golf
Coaches of America and PING by being named to their
All-America team. Gearhart was first team, Docherty
second team and Wiles honorable mention. All three
players were also named to the All-West Region team
for the second straight year.
Gearhart and Docherty tied for the team lead with a
72.55 stroke average while Wiles was at 73.9. Colby
Dean, who was a freshman last year and the fourth
returnee, averaged 78.1.
In an effort to add much needed depth, Brown has
brought in seven new players to the Wildcat family who
will be competing for spots.
The list includes: Matt Hutchins from Sudbury, Mass;
Henning Hogmoen, a Norway native who transferred
from Rogers University; Jordan Oliver of Huntington
Beach, Kelley Sullivan from Sammamish, Wash; Serge
Kiriluk from Sonora; and Cooper Kolofsky and Cole
Chavez from Chico.
Hutchins and Hogmoen have the most experience
and have been playing well of late. Hutchins has had
an active summer where he was the medalist in the
Massachusetts Amateur Qualifier and medalist at the
Liberty National Junior Invitational. He even journeyed
across the country earlier in the summer to play in the
AJGA Bishops Gate Junior Open to finish seventh (73-
75-75) at Butte Creek Country Club, his future home
course. Hogmoen has two years of college experience
at Rogers State University in Oklahoma and will be a
junior at Chico State. He averaged 74.8 as a sopho-
more and had four top 10 tournament finishes.
Kiriluk won Oak Valley & MLL MVP honors twice. He
advanced to the California Masters Golf Tournament as
an individual twice. He also led Sonora's golf team to a
12-0 season as a senior.
Both Kolofsky and Chavez are Chico born and
raised.
REPEAT: Seven newcomers competing
From Page 5
competed in the 2014 Nature Valley
First Tee Open at Pebble Beach.
She is also heavily involved with pro-
moting youth golf, starting the
Junior Golf Club 4 Kids program as
well as winning the Women's Golf
Association of Northern California's
Outstanding Achievement Award for
advancement of girl's junior golf
and The First Tee Award for commu-
nity service.
Rotter starred at Fremont's
Mission San Jose High School,
where she captained the Warriors
and enjoyed an outstanding senior
season, averaging 78 strokes a
round while earning individual
medalist honors at Poppy Ridge and
Shadow Lakes. Named team MVP
and nominated for the school's
Athlete of the Year award, Rotter
recently reached the Final 8 at the
San Francisco City Golf
Championship.
Being such a small team and
playing for the entire school year, it
is important that the players learn
to work together in order to create a
family atmosphere.
“Our team is absolutely a family.
I think we all care for each other
and support each other. Being such
a small group and having a year
round schedule we spend a lot of
time with one another. We go
through all the emotions a family
does, there are ups and downs, but
at the end of the day we always play
for each other, and we are all there
to pick each other up, “ explained
the coach.
“The three incoming players
won't have a problem blending in
with returners. They all have great
character and are very team orient-
ed. The returning players are very
welcoming and once practice gets
going they will start feeling a part of
the family here.“
Green says there is nothing too
unusual on the schedule, but the
highlight will be Chico State’s home
InterWest Wildcat Invitational at
Butte Creek Country Club March 14-
15 where he expects a strong field
to compete.
Although it doesn’t make a dif-
ference this year, the addition of Cal
State San Marcos to the CCAA this
year may have an effect down the
road. With the addition of the
Cougars, there are now five CCAA
schools sponsoring women’s golf. If
one more school adds women’s
golf, and that is a distinct possibility,
it would result in women’s golf
becoming an official conference
sport and thus, create the first con-
ference championship opportunity
for women’s golf.
“I think everyone is excited to
get started,” concluded Green. “I
know I can’t wait for the first event.
It is a long season though and it will
be important for all of to be commit-
ted to what we can control.”
The Wildcats open the season
Sept. 21-22 at the Western New
Mexico Fall Intercollegiate in
Goodyear, Ariz.
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