California State University Northridge Athletics
Photo by: Kohjiro Kinno
Exciting Summer for Former Matadors
8/20/2015 9:59:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, CA - The summer of 2015 has been good to a trio of former CSUN women's volleyball players. Jennifer Fopma, Lynda Morales and Casey Hinger have each added to their respective volleyball careers although in vastly different locations.
Fopma, who was an AVCA All-American in her one season at CSUN (2003), was in the news for winning the prestigious AVP Manhattan Beach Open the weekend of Aug. 13-15. Playing alongside partner April Ross, the pair won all six of its matches over three days culminating with a 21-15, 26-24 victory over Nicole Branaugh and Jenny Kropp in the championship.
Fopma made her AVP debut in 2005 and has since played with several partners including Stacy Rouwenhorst, Holly McPeak, Brittany Hochevar, Whitney Pavlik and Brooke Sweat. She then teamed up with Sweat to win the 2013 Huntington Beach Open and now has six career wins on tour. Fopma, who led the Matadors to the NCAA Tournament in 2003, still holds the CSUN single season record in hitting at .542.
Morales, a four-year letterwinner for the Matadors from 2007-10, most recently enjoyed a successful Pan-American Games in Toronto (July 16-26) with the Puerto Rico National Team. Morales and her Puerto Rico team held a two-set lead over eventual finalist Brazil in the semifinals before falling in five sets. Puerto Rico then fell to the Dominican Republic in four sets to finish fourth in the Championship bracket.
A member of the national team since 2011, Morales also began a professional playing career that season after graduating from CSUN. The first team she joined was Llaneras de Toa Baja in 2011 before moving to Mets de Guaynabo for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Morales has since played for Minas in Brazil (2013-14) and Besiktas in Istanbul, Turkey (2014-15) and recently returned to Puerto Rico to play for Criollas de Caguas.
Hinger, CSUN's first and only three-time Div. I AVCA All-American, recently began her professional career in Germany. Hinger has signed with Oythe 1947 which is located in Vechta, Germany. Preseason practice began Aug. 4 with Hinger playing in the middle for the team which won the Bundesliga title in 2014. The season gets underway Sept. 19 and the former Matador is hoping for similar success for her team in 2015.
"The team won the Bundesliga last year and hopefully will again this year," Hinger said. "It's been a little difficult adjusting because the international ball is so different and also because I am the only American on the team. My team is mostly made up of German and Polish players and the coach doesn't speak English but all my teammates do and can translate most of what I don't understand. I am figuring out a lot on my own which has been really fun and beautiful but really challenging as well."
Hinger said it has also been beneficial to have boyfriend and former CSUN men's volleyball player Matt Stork playing nearby for Schuttorf which is about 45 minutes away.
"It's been a really amazing experience, Germany is so beautiful and different than anything I'm used to," she added. "Being here with Matt has made it so much better."
CSUN head coach Jeff Stork, who coached all three players, was thrilled for the success of his former Matadors.
"When any of our former players decides to play at the next level, I think it's commendable and I'm proud of what these three have done," Stork said. "Obviously they've had a lot of success which shows some of their character qualities such as persistence and the love of the game. It's been fun to see their development and success; any coach would be extremely proud."
- GOMATADORS.COM -
Fopma, who was an AVCA All-American in her one season at CSUN (2003), was in the news for winning the prestigious AVP Manhattan Beach Open the weekend of Aug. 13-15. Playing alongside partner April Ross, the pair won all six of its matches over three days culminating with a 21-15, 26-24 victory over Nicole Branaugh and Jenny Kropp in the championship.
Fopma made her AVP debut in 2005 and has since played with several partners including Stacy Rouwenhorst, Holly McPeak, Brittany Hochevar, Whitney Pavlik and Brooke Sweat. She then teamed up with Sweat to win the 2013 Huntington Beach Open and now has six career wins on tour. Fopma, who led the Matadors to the NCAA Tournament in 2003, still holds the CSUN single season record in hitting at .542.
Morales, a four-year letterwinner for the Matadors from 2007-10, most recently enjoyed a successful Pan-American Games in Toronto (July 16-26) with the Puerto Rico National Team. Morales and her Puerto Rico team held a two-set lead over eventual finalist Brazil in the semifinals before falling in five sets. Puerto Rico then fell to the Dominican Republic in four sets to finish fourth in the Championship bracket.
A member of the national team since 2011, Morales also began a professional playing career that season after graduating from CSUN. The first team she joined was Llaneras de Toa Baja in 2011 before moving to Mets de Guaynabo for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Morales has since played for Minas in Brazil (2013-14) and Besiktas in Istanbul, Turkey (2014-15) and recently returned to Puerto Rico to play for Criollas de Caguas.
Hinger, CSUN's first and only three-time Div. I AVCA All-American, recently began her professional career in Germany. Hinger has signed with Oythe 1947 which is located in Vechta, Germany. Preseason practice began Aug. 4 with Hinger playing in the middle for the team which won the Bundesliga title in 2014. The season gets underway Sept. 19 and the former Matador is hoping for similar success for her team in 2015.
"The team won the Bundesliga last year and hopefully will again this year," Hinger said. "It's been a little difficult adjusting because the international ball is so different and also because I am the only American on the team. My team is mostly made up of German and Polish players and the coach doesn't speak English but all my teammates do and can translate most of what I don't understand. I am figuring out a lot on my own which has been really fun and beautiful but really challenging as well."
Hinger said it has also been beneficial to have boyfriend and former CSUN men's volleyball player Matt Stork playing nearby for Schuttorf which is about 45 minutes away.
"It's been a really amazing experience, Germany is so beautiful and different than anything I'm used to," she added. "Being here with Matt has made it so much better."
CSUN head coach Jeff Stork, who coached all three players, was thrilled for the success of his former Matadors.
"When any of our former players decides to play at the next level, I think it's commendable and I'm proud of what these three have done," Stork said. "Obviously they've had a lot of success which shows some of their character qualities such as persistence and the love of the game. It's been fun to see their development and success; any coach would be extremely proud."
- GOMATADORS.COM -
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