California State University Northridge Athletics
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Simons Receives Preseason Big West Honors, CSUN Picked Fifth
2/12/2024 12:55:00 PM | Baseball
Complete Preseason All-Big West Honors
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball's Jakob Simons was placed on the 2024 Preseason All-Big West Team while the Matadors were picked to finish in the annual Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced on Monday.
Originally from Pleasanton, Simons had a breakout 2023 season where he would earn Big West Co-Field Player of the Year accolades. Simons led The Big West in OPS (1.115) while ranking in the conference top-10 in a multitude of categories including placing second in slugging percentage (.665), tied for third in homers (14), fourth in batting average (.356) on-base percentage (.450) and runs scored (51), fifth in stolen bases (11) and seventh in RBI (48) and hits (67). In 48 appearances, all starts in center field, Simons scored 51 runs, the most by a Matador since 2010. He also posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in center field, highlighted by an array of spectacular catches throughout the season.
In Big West play, Simons slashed a robust .350/.441/.650 with eight homers and 30 RBI against conference foes.
Simons became the second Matador to ever win the Big West Field Player of the Year award and the first in 21 seasons. He would also collect All-Big West First Team honors and ABCA/Rawlings All-West Region Second Team accolades last season.
CSUN was fifth with 65 points in the 2024 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll. UC Santa Barbara was picked to win the conference as the Gauchos had nine first-place votes and 99 points while UC Irvine was second with two first-place votes and 89 points. In third was defending Big West champion UC San Diego with 78 points and in fourth was Hawai'i with 70 points. Cal State Fullerton, last season's Big West automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, was picked sixth with 59 points.
Entering his second season as head coach, Eddie Cornejo fields a Matador team with 19 returning letterwinners along with 15 true freshmen and nine transfers. CSUN posted its most wins in 21 seasons last year by going 34-17 and 20-10 in Big West play. The Matadors, who finished tied for second place in the conference, finished one game short of a Big West title and a tiebreaker away from qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
Along with Simons, CSUN returns three all-conference honorees from 2023 in senior closer Joshua Romero (Second Team), junior outfielder Kevin Fitzer (Second Team) and junior second baseman Shunsuke Sakaino (Honorable Mention). A NCBWA Preseason All-American, Romero broke the school's single-season save record last season with 13 while posting a 3.29 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 23 appearances. Fitzer led the team with 50 RBI in 2023 as he hit .339 with eight homers in 49 games. Sakaino topped the team in walks (28) while he batted .310 with 37 runs and 23 RBI in 49 contests.
CSUN officially opens the 2024 season on Friday, Feb. 16 against Utah Valley. First pitch from Matador Field is set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
2024 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll
() - First Place Votes
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NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball's Jakob Simons was placed on the 2024 Preseason All-Big West Team while the Matadors were picked to finish in the annual Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced on Monday.
Originally from Pleasanton, Simons had a breakout 2023 season where he would earn Big West Co-Field Player of the Year accolades. Simons led The Big West in OPS (1.115) while ranking in the conference top-10 in a multitude of categories including placing second in slugging percentage (.665), tied for third in homers (14), fourth in batting average (.356) on-base percentage (.450) and runs scored (51), fifth in stolen bases (11) and seventh in RBI (48) and hits (67). In 48 appearances, all starts in center field, Simons scored 51 runs, the most by a Matador since 2010. He also posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in center field, highlighted by an array of spectacular catches throughout the season.
In Big West play, Simons slashed a robust .350/.441/.650 with eight homers and 30 RBI against conference foes.
Simons became the second Matador to ever win the Big West Field Player of the Year award and the first in 21 seasons. He would also collect All-Big West First Team honors and ABCA/Rawlings All-West Region Second Team accolades last season.
CSUN was fifth with 65 points in the 2024 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll. UC Santa Barbara was picked to win the conference as the Gauchos had nine first-place votes and 99 points while UC Irvine was second with two first-place votes and 89 points. In third was defending Big West champion UC San Diego with 78 points and in fourth was Hawai'i with 70 points. Cal State Fullerton, last season's Big West automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, was picked sixth with 59 points.
Entering his second season as head coach, Eddie Cornejo fields a Matador team with 19 returning letterwinners along with 15 true freshmen and nine transfers. CSUN posted its most wins in 21 seasons last year by going 34-17 and 20-10 in Big West play. The Matadors, who finished tied for second place in the conference, finished one game short of a Big West title and a tiebreaker away from qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
Along with Simons, CSUN returns three all-conference honorees from 2023 in senior closer Joshua Romero (Second Team), junior outfielder Kevin Fitzer (Second Team) and junior second baseman Shunsuke Sakaino (Honorable Mention). A NCBWA Preseason All-American, Romero broke the school's single-season save record last season with 13 while posting a 3.29 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 23 appearances. Fitzer led the team with 50 RBI in 2023 as he hit .339 with eight homers in 49 games. Sakaino topped the team in walks (28) while he batted .310 with 37 runs and 23 RBI in 49 contests.
CSUN officially opens the 2024 season on Friday, Feb. 16 against Utah Valley. First pitch from Matador Field is set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
2024 Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll
| 1. | UC Santa Barbara (9) | 99 points |
| 2. | UC Irvine (2) | 89 points |
| 3. | UC San Diego | 78 points |
| 4. | Hawai'i | 70 points |
| 5. | CSUN | 65 points |
| 6. | Cal State Fullerton | 59 points |
| 7. | Cal Poly | 46 points |
| 8. | Long Beach State | 42 points |
| 9. | UC Davis | 25 points |
| 10. | Cal State Bakersfield | 21 points |
| 11. | UC Riverside | 11 points |
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