California State University Northridge Athletics
CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2025
- Class:
- 1987
The 1987 Softball team was inducted into the CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025.
Led by Hall of Fame head coach Gary Torgeson, the Matadors finished the 1987 season with an overall record of 58-7 and captured the program's fourth NCAA Division II National Championship. With 58 wins in 65 games, CSUN set a single-season record for winning percentage (.892), and Torgeson was named NCAA Division II Coach of the Year.
The title was CSUN's fourth national championship in six seasons and its fourth NCAA Division II title in five seasons (1983, 1984, 1985, and 1987), firmly establishing the Matadors as the dominant program in Division II softball during the 1980s.
The Matadors entered the NCAA Division II postseason following a strong regular season and advanced to the 1987 NCAA Division II Women's College World Series, held at the Mart Heinen Softball Complex in Quincy, Ill. Making their sixth consecutive appearance in the Division II finals, CSUN advanced through the double-elimination tournament before defeating Florida Southern 4-0 in the championship game. The victory, the Matadors' sixth consecutive win in the tournament, gave Torgeson his fourth NCAA Division II National Championship as head coach and completed one of the finest seasons in program history.
Several Matadors were named to the NCAA Division II All-Tournament Team for their performances during the championship run. Kelly Winn was honored at first base, Lori Shelly at shortstop, Barbara Jordan and Beth Onestinghel in the outfield, Debbie Dickmann as a pitcher, and Priscilla Rouse as an at-large selection.
The 1987 championship marked a return to the top of Division II softball after CSUN finished as national runner-up in 1986. By winning the national title, the Matadors completed one of the most successful five-year stretches in NCAA Division II softball history, appearing in six consecutive national finals (1982–1987) and winning four national championships. The sustained success under Torgeson established CSUN as one of the premier softball programs in NCAA history.
