California State University Northridge Athletics
Photo by: Braden Villanueva
CSUN Athletics Celebrates Scholar-Athletes at 40th Annual Varsity N
5/10/2022 9:06:00 AM | General
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - CSUN Athletics celebrated 118 student-athletes – more than ever before – at the 40th annual Varsity N Athletics Honor Roll Ceremony on Monday evening (May 9).
The event, held at the Orchard Conference Center on campus, featured guest speakers and special awards and honored Matadors who have competed for at least one season and have a minimum 3.2 grade point average (GPA) for the two most recently completed semesters.
Monday's ceremony marked the 40th anniversary of the Varsity N which was started by the late CSUN professor Dr. James Sefton. Doc Sefton had a special relationship with Matador Athletics and initiated CSUN's annual academic recognition of student-athletes in 1982, which is now known as Varsity N.
CSUN alum Bill Courtland, a familiar voice at Matador sporting events, emceed the evening's ceremonies, which started with a speech from CSUN Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Mary Beth Walker.
Walker praised the group of student-athletes for dedicating their valuable time to their classes on top of their busy athletic schedules. She added that she was proud to see such a large number of student-athletes earn Varsity N recognition.
Following the individual recognition of each of the night's awardees in each sport, CSUN Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Cedric Hackett announced the Team Academic Awards for not only this academic year but also for the two previous academic years as well. Those team honorees weren't able to be acknowledged with Varsity N ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Men's Volleyball Team was honored this year for having the highest average team GPA out of the men's sports, before the Women's Tennis took home the honor on the women's side for the third year in a row. In addition to women's tennis' team excellence in the last two years as well, men's track and field received the award for 2019 while men's golf received the award for 2020.
Interim Director of the Matador Achievement Center, Lindsey Schantz then announced the Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Typically two student-athletes are honored for achieving the highest GPA's out of all CSUN student-athletes. For only the second time in Varsity N history, 11 student-athletes shared the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award while Dawoud Mishal of the Matador Track and Field team was honored on the men's side.
The list of female winners to achieve academic excellence included Maiya Alemania, Kenedee Jamerson and Elise Madison from softball, Rachel Fourie from basketball, Joy Bosede from track & field, Kim Anderson, Ashley Cruz, Amanda Delgado, Sydney Gilbert and Sophie Yanez from soccer and Lacey Hall from water polo.
Before the event concluded with closing remarks from women's soccer student-athlete Sophie Yanez, the Matador Achievement Center staff handed out graduation sashes to all graduating student-athletes.
Since the inaugural event in 1982, more than 900 student-athletes have been inducted into Varsity N.
Gallery: (5-12-2022) 2022 Varsity N Awards
#UniteTheValley
The event, held at the Orchard Conference Center on campus, featured guest speakers and special awards and honored Matadors who have competed for at least one season and have a minimum 3.2 grade point average (GPA) for the two most recently completed semesters.
Monday's ceremony marked the 40th anniversary of the Varsity N which was started by the late CSUN professor Dr. James Sefton. Doc Sefton had a special relationship with Matador Athletics and initiated CSUN's annual academic recognition of student-athletes in 1982, which is now known as Varsity N.
CSUN alum Bill Courtland, a familiar voice at Matador sporting events, emceed the evening's ceremonies, which started with a speech from CSUN Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Mary Beth Walker.
Walker praised the group of student-athletes for dedicating their valuable time to their classes on top of their busy athletic schedules. She added that she was proud to see such a large number of student-athletes earn Varsity N recognition.
Following the individual recognition of each of the night's awardees in each sport, CSUN Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Cedric Hackett announced the Team Academic Awards for not only this academic year but also for the two previous academic years as well. Those team honorees weren't able to be acknowledged with Varsity N ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Men's Volleyball Team was honored this year for having the highest average team GPA out of the men's sports, before the Women's Tennis took home the honor on the women's side for the third year in a row. In addition to women's tennis' team excellence in the last two years as well, men's track and field received the award for 2019 while men's golf received the award for 2020.
Interim Director of the Matador Achievement Center, Lindsey Schantz then announced the Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Typically two student-athletes are honored for achieving the highest GPA's out of all CSUN student-athletes. For only the second time in Varsity N history, 11 student-athletes shared the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award while Dawoud Mishal of the Matador Track and Field team was honored on the men's side.
The list of female winners to achieve academic excellence included Maiya Alemania, Kenedee Jamerson and Elise Madison from softball, Rachel Fourie from basketball, Joy Bosede from track & field, Kim Anderson, Ashley Cruz, Amanda Delgado, Sydney Gilbert and Sophie Yanez from soccer and Lacey Hall from water polo.
Before the event concluded with closing remarks from women's soccer student-athlete Sophie Yanez, the Matador Achievement Center staff handed out graduation sashes to all graduating student-athletes.
Since the inaugural event in 1982, more than 900 student-athletes have been inducted into Varsity N.
#UniteTheValley
Wednesday, September 16
Thursday, September 03
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, February 13