California State University Northridge Athletics
CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2016
- Class:
- 1984
Led by third-year head coach Gary Torgeson, the Matadors compiled a 51-12-2 overall record and finished 13-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play, winning the conference championship. The team successfully defended its conference title and captured the NCAA Division II National Championship, defeating Akron 1–0 in the national championship game in Sioux Falls, SD, to earn the program's second consecutive NCAA Division II national title.
The Matadors, who ended the season on a 19-game winning streak, combined dominant pitching with strong defensive play throughout the season. Pitcher Kathy (Kat) Slaten-Ayala led the staff during CSUN's postseason run and was selected to the NCAA Division II All-Tournament Team. Other Matadors earning All-Tournament honors included outfielders Barbara Jordan and Linda Lowande, Catcher Stacy Lim, and utility player Becky Dranke. Their collective performances helped guide CSUN through the double-elimination tournament and secure the national championship.
After advancing through the tournament bracket, the Matadors defeated Akron by a score of 1-0 in the championship game. The victory marked CSUN's second consecutive NCAA Division II title, following their first national championship in 1983, and established the program as the dominant force in Division II softball during the mid-1980s.
The 1984 championship season continued one of the greatest runs in NCAA Division II softball history. The Matadors followed their title-winning campaign in 1983 by repeating as national champions in 1984 and 1985, becoming back-to-back-to-back NCAA Division II champions.
During the two seasons (1984-1985, the Matadors won 77 percent of their games and defeated several teams that later appeared in the NCAA Division I Women's College World Series, including UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, Nebraska, Utah State, and Cal Poly Pomona.
The 1984 team featured three first-team All-Americans (Slaten-Ayala, Michele McAnany, Kathy Toerner) and five first-team All-Region selections (Lim, Lowande, McAnany, Slaten-Ayala, and Toerner.
