Memorable Matador Moments - CSUN Women's Track Wins 6 In A Row
4/28/2020 1:04:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
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In this ongoing feature, GoMatadors.com takes a look back at some of the most memorable moments in CSUN Athletics history. Today, we revisit CSUN Women's Track and Field Winning Six Consecutive Big West Championships
 Since the inception of the Big West Women's Track and Field Championships in 1984, no team has won more league titles than CSUN. The Matadors insured their place in conference history when CSUN won six consecutive championships from 2006-2011.
 The streak began with a dominating 2006 victory as the Matadors outscored second-place UC Santa Barbara by 42.5 points (207-165.5). LaShana Vernon was named Big West Field Athlete of the Year. Vernon won the heptathlon with a score of 4,960 points. Vernon came back a week later to finish second in the 400m hurdles, fourth in the long jump, sixth in the triple jump and was seventh in the high jump. Vernon led off the CSUN 4x400m relay that placed third.Jeré Summers won the shot
put on the way to being
named 2006 Big West
Freshman of the Year
 DeAnna Goodwin won the 100m title and helped CSUN win the 4x100m relay. Candyce Babb (long jump), Jeré Summers (shot put), and Raquel Sola (hammer) won individuals titles. Summers was selected Big West Freshman of the Year for her efforts.
 2007 saw CSUN turn back UCSB for the second year in a row, but this time, the Gauchos closed the gap to eight points (174-166). Goodwin repeated in the 100m and added the 200m title. She ran the second leg of the 4x100m relay that was victorious. Julie Eze (400m hurdles) and Babb (long jump) added league titles.
 For the third year in a row, the Matadors took home the league title on their home track in 2008. CSUN dominated, defeating the runner-up, UC Riverside, by 46 points (189-143). Sherrina Lofton selected Track Athlete of the Year. She won the 100m and 200m. Lofton was part of the Matador 4x100m and 4x400m relay that won championships. Shelese Ruffin was the 400m Titleist and was a member of the 4x400m relay. Krystal Quinn (pole vault) and Raquel Sola (hammer) were individual champions.
 The Big West championships moved to UC Irvine in 2009 with the Matadors again dominating. CSUN scored 198 points, compared to 114.5 for second-place Cal Poly. Lofton opened the meet by winning the heptathlon. A week later, she repeated as the 100m and 200m champion and while Ruffin repeated as the 400m champ. Ruffin added the gold medal in the long jump.
 Candyce Babb claimed the
Big West long jump title
on two occasions.Lilyana Morejon won the 10000m and to date, this is the only time that a Matador won the 10000m at the Big West meet. Lofton was on the 4x100m relay that earned first-place while the 4x400m again took home top honors. Precious Watkins was selected Big West Freshman of the Year. She was second in the 100m and was on the winning 4x100m relay team.
 The championships returned to CSUN in 2010 with the Matadors narrowly taking the win. CSUN edged UC Santa Barbara by five points (193-188). Desirae Gonder was named Field Athlete of the Year. Gonder scored 34 points for CSUN. She was second in the heptathlon, third in the high jump, and was third in the long jump. She ran the second leg on both the championship-winning 4x100 and 4x400m relays.
 Watkins took first in the 100m in addition to running the anchor on the 4x100m relay. Ruffin won the long jump and was on the 4x100m relay. Morgan Bogard won the hammer. Tiana Webberley was named Big West Freshman of the Year after winning the pole vault.
  The streak concluded in 2011 at UC Irvine when CSUN turned back UC Santa Barbara by 39.5 points (165.5-126). Lofton won her second heptathlon before coming back to win the 100m for the third time. Lofton's victory in the 100m concluded an eight-year streak of a Matador winning the 100m at the Big West's.
 Gonder won the high jump while Webberley was the pole vault champion for the second year in a row. The Matadors were the 4x400m relay champions as well.
 CSUN head coach Don Strametz was named Big West Coach of the Year in each of the six seasons. He would be awarded the honor a total of eight times in his career. Gonder earned All-American honors in the high jump in 2008 while Lofton would gain second-team All-American honors in the heptathlon in 2011.
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